Archive for the ‘Advocacy’ Category

Mental Health Parity and Its Impact on the Behavioral Health Workforce

In 2006, New York enacted a parity mandate in the form of Timothy’s Law, which requires group health plans to provide 30 inpatient days and 20 outpatient days for most mental health diagnoses and requires large plans to provide full coverage for certain biologically based illnesses. Several years...

How Senior Centers Combat Isolation

Whether it’s due to distance or the passing of friends and family, many older adults find themselves outside of the social circles to which they once belonged. Now aged and reliant on others for help, many seniors become isolated and depressed, which can have devastating effects on physical and...

NYAPRS Regional Forum Held at CoveCare Center

Individuals served by and representatives from agencies in Putnam, Westchester and surrounding counties participated in a special forum hosted by CoveCare Center in Carmel, NY. “The Power of Grassroots Advocacy” and “The Promise of Pioneering Service Innovations” were the main topics...

What Do Age and Disability Mean in Our Culture

People with disabilities come in all ages, and almost all of us encounter some change in physical or mental capacity as we grow old. Yet, we act as though old people never become disabled and disabled people never grow old. Academics and policymakers approach disability and aging as separate...

The NYSPA Report: New York’s Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Parity Reporting Bill

If signed into law by Governor Cuomo, New York’s parity reporting bill (A.3694-C/S.1156-C) will be among the most comprehensive laws of its kind in the country. The bill was passed by both the New York State Senate and New York State Assembly in the final week of the 2017/2018 Legislative...

Helping, Engaging, and Linking to Health Interventions (HEALTHi)

The Staten Island Performing Provider System (SI PPS) is partnering with Coordinated Behavioral Care (CBC) on an exciting new project – HEALTHi (Helping, Engaging, and Linking to Health interventions). The program will focus on providing a safety net of resources to individuals with complex...

Project Access: An Investigation of Access to Quality Mental Health and Addictions Care

Did you know that health insurers are mandated by government to offer panels of providers so that families can find easily accessible care for their loved ones—and not only for physical illnesses? This requirement is known as network adequacy, referring to adequate networks of care. However,...

A Human Right Still Unmet: Medical Treatment of Mentally Ill Prisoners

Individuals with mental illness have the right to receive appropriate medical treatment in correctional settings and upon release. It sounds perfectly reasonable, but unfortunately, is far from reality. That was the consensus of a distinguished panel of mental health and legal experts who recently...

Vulnerable Populations: People of Color in Leadership Roles

While we all know that much stress comes with leadership, authority and responsibility, People of Color (POC) in leadership roles must also deal with the unique stressor of structural racism. Viewing Barack Obama’s experience as President clearly indicates that even highly educated, successful...

Vulnerable Populations: People of Color in Leadership Roles

While we all know that much stress comes with leadership, authority and responsibility, People of Color (POC) in leadership roles must also deal with the unique stressor of structural racism. Viewing Barack Obama’s experience as President clearly indicates that even highly educated, successful...