黑料正能量 Update: After last Thursday鈥檚 announcement from Governor Cuomo regarding a modification to the RCE plan, many people have contacted us inquiring if the changes altered our support of the plan or changed the government鈥檚 commitment to reinvestment. We should clarify: it does neither. 黑料正能量鈥 efforts with other advocates in last week鈥檚 news conference helped to ensure that governance leaders were aware of the vital importance of investing in community services in anticipation of hospital downsizing and closure. The modification to RCE implementation respects the needs of communities and families while maintaining a commitment to building community services in advance of closure and to provide proper preventive, integrated resources outside of the hospital. In meetings Friday with leaders in the Governor鈥檚 office, we confirmed that the $25m in reinvestment in 2014 was a firm budgetary commitment, and that a significant portion of that money would be geared toward non-profits.
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The $25m commitment from RCE transitions is in addition to three other funding initiatives: reinvestment that will come from a reduced use of BH inpatient and emergency room use, a downstate supported housing rent increase, and investment for adult and nursing home residents for community transition. It is imperative that our members join us in Albany on January 28, 2014 to help protect these opportunities for our community. View and print the flyer for 2014 Legislative Day here.
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N.Y. Advocates Pleased About Reinvestment Plans in Community
Mental Health Weekly; Volume 23, Number 48, 12/23/13
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Editor鈥檚 note: 听As MHW went 听to press we 听learned 听that 听Gov. Andrew Cuomo 听has revised the state鈥檚 recon- figuration plans. Under the new plan, announced Dec. 19, three of the nine 听state 听psychiatric 听hospitals 听slated 听for closure will remain 听open along with the expansion of community services, including the establishment of a Children鈥檚 听Behavioral 听Health 听Center 听of Excellence.听 听Advocates听 听will听 听resume their 听push 听for 听community reinvestments. 听MHW will continue to follow these developments.
New 听York state鈥檚 mental 听health community 听is pleased 听that Gov. Andrew听 听Cuomo鈥檚听 听administration听听 听has committed 听up 听to听 听$25 million in its upcoming 听budget听 听as 听part听 听of 听the state鈥檚 sweeping plan 听to consolidate its inpatient 听psychiatric care facilities and 听reinvest 听savings 听from 听planned hospital 听closures 听into the community. Advocates 听expressed support 听for the听听 听state鈥檚听 听financial听听 听commitment during 听a news conference Dec. 16.
In听 听July,听 听the听 听state听 听announced plans to reduce its 24 psychiatric hospital systems to 15 to create regional centers of excellence 听(RCEs). An RCE model 听will be 听regionally 听based 听networks 听of inpatient 听and 听community- based 听services, 听each 听with 听a specialized听听 听inpatient听听听 听hospital听听听 听program located 听at its center, 听with geographically 听dispersed community听 听services 鈥渉ubs鈥 overseeing 听community-based services (see MHW, July 22).
If implemented, the plan will re-invest 听up 听to 听$73 听million 听over 听the next three 听years that will be used 听to improve current 听services 听and 听to extend听 听help听 听to听 听an听 听estimated听 听7,000 more听 听individuals听 听and听 听families听 听in need. 听Additionally, 听the 听proposal to reconfigure 听state 听mental 听health 听services 听would 听redeploy听 听state 听staff to critically needed outpatient roles.
Advocates 听say they 听are 听pleased 听by a commitment from state officials to include 听$25 million in its upcoming budget to boost 听community 听services in advance 听of the state hospital closures.
The 听$25 million 听in 听funding 听for pre-investment is a good 听idea, 听said Glenn 听Liebman, 听CEO of the 听Mental Health听 听Association听 听in听 听New听 听York State (MHANYS). 鈥淭he most 听important 听part, 听besides听 听the 听reconfiguration, is to make sure that money is in place for the closures,鈥 Liebman told MHW. 鈥淲e鈥檙e pleased 听to see the state commitment to ensure there is going to 听be 听money 听following 听individuals when 听they leave the facilities.鈥
Gov. 听Andrew听 听Cuomo听 听is 听planning to introduce his state budget 听in late 听January, 听said 听Liebman. 听While the $25 million will be impactful, advocates intend 听to work with the legislature 听and 听the 听administration for increased 听funding 听to 听pay 听for 听other mental 听health 听commitments 听not 听related to facility closures, 听he said.
鈥淲e 听have听 听made听 听another听 听step in the process 听toward 听the state mental 听health听 听reconfiguration,鈥澨 听Harvey Rosenthal, 听executive 听director 听of the 黑料正能量 Association of Psychiatric Rehabilitation听听 听Services听 听(黑料正能量), told听 听MHW. 听鈥淲e 听learned听 听that听 听the state is making a substantial commitment to this [effort].鈥
Rosenthal听 听added,听 听鈥淭hey鈥檙e 听increasing 听services 听even 听before 听state officials start 听closing 听hospital 听beds. That鈥檚 听really 听critical 听to 听everything. This is a very progressive 听plan 听and long overdue.鈥
The services, 听based 听on 听the 听recommendations by the steering 听committee, would 听include 听24-hour family support 听services, 听walk-in 听urgent care, crisis respite services, peer support and housing, 听said Rosenthal.
Other听 services would 听include:
鈥 Establishment of 听mobile 听engagement听 听teams 听to 听respond to calls and to provide 听assessment, consultation,听 听first-line treatment 听and 听referral 听to services.
鈥 Expansion of first-episode 听psychosis听 听teams听 听to听 听address 听the 听unique听 听needs听 听of 听young adults experiencing the critical early 听stages 听of schizophrenia or other psychotic illnesses.
鈥 Expansion听 听of 听forensic 听diversion services听 to reduce 听incarceration and 听pressures on jails, and transportation to improve access to services in rural areas.
鈥 Expansion of听evidence-based family听support听services,听including Multi-Systemic Therapy听(MST), and 听other 听modalities 听to 听improve children鈥檚 recovery 听outcomes.
The state鈥檚 new community funding would commit about $110,000 for every 听hospital 听bed 听closed 听for 听com- munity services, an increase from the current 听statutory level of $70,000 per bed, he said.
It鈥檚 important 听to know 听that 听under 听the 听RCE plan 听there 听will be 听no staff 听layoffs, 听said 听Rosenthal. 听鈥淭his proposal 听increases听 听jobs,鈥 听he听 听said. Hospital 听staff will be 听transferred 听to community 听jobs,听 and 听many 听will be retrained 听for jobs in the community, said Rosenthal.
鈥淚f the 听community听 听sees 听a 听dramatic array and diversity of services, you 听will听 see 听the 听need 听for 听hospital services decrease 听dramatically,鈥 Rosenthal said. The plan is expected to听 听be听 听implemented 听in听 听2014 听and completed by 2017.
Family resource center
While the 听state 听plans 听to downsize听 听some听 听hospitals,听听 听all听 听hospital hubs 听would 听still exist, said Liebman. 鈥淲e鈥檙e trying to push 听the idea 听for a family resource 听center 听in the 听hub,鈥 he听 听said. 听The听 听center听 听would听 听assist families visiting loved 听ones 听in psychiatric facilities with lodging 听in the community, transportation and other supports, 听Liebman said.
鈥淲e want to make sure the state responds 听to听 听the听 听needs听 听of 听family members 听as well,鈥 he said. MHANYS has already talked to the state about the center, 听said Liebman. 鈥淭hey recognize 听that families are strong constituents,鈥 he said.
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