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We Need to Do More Than Just Talk About Mental Illness
Reprinted from The Hill There was a time when no one talked about mental illness. But, today, every tragic shooting is accompanied by calls for greater access to mental health treatment. The wheels of legislation turn slowly, but mental illness is a public health crisis that requires immediate...
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A Good Place to Live Is Critical for Older Adults with Psychiatric Disabilities: Needed Public Policy Changes
Not so many years ago a diagnosis of schizophrenia was a life sentence, shortened only by the low life expectancy of people with serious and persistent mental illness. Thanks to the recovery movement, we now understand that a diagnosis of schizophrenia or other serious psychotic disorder does not...
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The NYSPA Report: Repeal and Replace Should Not Harm Our Most Vulnerable
I am honored to serve as editor of the NYSPA Report and I want to begin by thanking my friend and colleague, Dr. Barry Pearlman. Barry has served as editor of this column since its inception and has provided useful and interesting information since day one.I’m proud to have the opportunity to...
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Fight Against Threats to Behavioral Heath Funding
The Trump presidency and Republican control of the Congress may do great damage to the already inadequate American mental health system by repealing the Affordable Care Act, eliminating Medicaid as an entitlement, privatizing Medicare, and limiting the authority of the states to regulate health...
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Are We There Yet? Reflections on the 5 Years of Children’s Medicaid Transformation
It is hard to believe that five years have passed since the New York State Children’s MRT Subcommittee released its blueprint to address the unique and complex needs of children in Medicaid Managed Care. In many ways the time has flown by yet today, New York State’s target date to fully...
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NYSPA Report: Raise the Age of Jurisdiction
An important part of the mission of the New York State Psychiatric Association is its work to assure the incorporation of good, up to date science into public policy as well as its work to protect vulnerable populations. NYSPA’s advocacy for raising the age of criminal responsibility in New York...
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NYC Mayor and First Lady Release Mental Health Roadmap
Mayor Bill de Blasio and First Lady Chirlane McCray have released ThriveNYC: A Mental Health Roadmap for All. ThriveNYC is a plan of action to guide the city toward a more effective and holistic system that outlines 54 initiatives, 23 of them new, to support the mental well-being of New Yorkers....
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The NYSPA Report: Conversion Therapy
Primum non nocere, “first do no harm,” is a maxim well known to physicians and might be one that should be taken to heart by state decision makers. It is with this dictum in mind that NYSPA urges the NYS Senate to finally pass during its 2016 session the bill defining the practice of “Sexual...
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Substance Use and Mental Health Services at a Crossroads
Behavioral health services must be strengthened to meet community needs. All too often, people with substance use and mental health disorders do not get the help they need. Behavioral health services are not available on-demand across New York State. A comprehensive continuum of prevention,...
