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The Alliance for Rights and Recovery is excited to have hundreds of advocates come to Albany on Tuesday, February 10^th, for our Annual Legislative Day!

As you all prepare for Legislative Day 2026, we are happy to officially release the Alliance’s priority policy agenda for the year, elevating the issues we heard most during our regional forums from people in recovery, service providers, families, and communities across ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿. With federal funding threats, workforce instability, and growing unmet need, this moment demands a strong, unified voice.

Our Top Priority This Year: Fund a 2.7% Targeted Inflationary Increase (COLA)!

This rate increase is essential to stabilize the behavioral health workforce, address severe staffing shortages, and ensure agencies can continue delivering critical services. Without it, programs face closures, longer waitlists, and increased strain on already overwhelmed systems.

Full Alliance 2026 Legislative Priorities

• Fund aÌý2.7% Targeted Inflationary Increase
• Carve behavioral health services out of Medicaid managed care
• Create aÌýState Hospital Rightsizing Commission
• Increase funding forÌýfirst responder pilotsÌýand passÌýDaniel’s Law
• Increase funding forÌýHousing First and Supportive Housing
• Pass theÌýTreatment Court Expansion Act
• ³§²¹´Ú±ð²µ³Ü²¹°ù»åÌýRaise the Age
• Pass theÌýForensic Rehabilitation Act
• Sustain and expandÌýSelf-Directed Care
• ¸é±ð²õ³Ù´Ç°ù±ðÌýAdult Home Advocacy and Resident Council Programs

What’s Happening on Legislative Day

• Press ConferenceÌýcalling for continued funding ofÌýDaniel’s Law non-police crisis response pilotsÌýand passage of theÌýTreatment Court Expansion Act (A.4869 / S.4547)
• Rally in the War Room at the CapitolÌýdemanding a 2.7% Targeted Inflationary Rate IncreaseÌýfor behavioral health agencies and their staff
• Meetings with legislators and policymakers from across the state

Get on the Bus!

We are also announcing bus transportation from regions across ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿ State to make it easier for advocates to attend Legislative Day. See below for the locations we will have buses coming from, as well as links to register for these buses!

Brooklyn: 

Buffalo: 

Hells Kitchen: 

Hudson Valley: 

North Country: 

Queens: 

Rochester: 

Syracuse-Binghamton: 

Union Square: 

More to come:

Later this week we will be releasing more information about our legislative agenda, including our full legislative day book, more details about the activities of the legislative day, speakers, and other relevant information. Continue to monitor this email for more information and share with your friends and colleagues as we look to have a massive turnout during a critical year for funding!