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���������� Hails Senate, Assembly Support for the 8.5% COLA

���������� is very enthused and grateful to see support by both houses for the 8.5% COLA, one of our top priorities to see further investments in saving our staff and services to address ����������’s mental health crisis. We will work tirelessly with our colleagues over the next 2 weeks to see this is adopted in the final budget deal.

Another ���������� top priority also received support from both houses: establishment of a pilot program for Daniel’s Law that is ultimately aimed at establishing mental health and EMT teams as alternative to police first responders.

Here’s some other high priority items in the Senate’s proposal:

• $9 million for a capital expansion for the internationally acclaimed Fountain House’s expansion in the Bronx

• Accepts the Governor’s strengthening of mental health parity protections

• Support for the Governor’s proposal to establish 3 Intensive and Sustained Engagement Teams.

• Support for the Clean Slate Act, which will go a long way to righting the wrongs disproportionately placed on people of color through the criminal justice system.

We are also extremely pleased to see the following in the Assembly proposal, in the spirit of the campaign:

“the Assembly Majority is steadfast in its commitment to engage and include people with lived experience in the mental health or substance use service system to assess and reform the local planning process, and to ensure that every mental health and substance use system network reflects the diversity of race, age, language, national origin, ethnicity, and disability needs present in every community across the state.”

Contact: Harvey Rosenthal, 518-527-0564; Luke Sikinyi, 229-291-9994