Raising the bar for what people think is possible for themselves and what should be expected from services and public policies in New York and across the nation via tangible measurable system change.
People have access to transportation.
Transportation is a basic necessity when it comes to living an independent and dignified life. We work to ensure that all people, regardless of health and economic status, can navigate their communities to promote the right to live and work in the most integrated community settings of choice. Thanks to our work in helping to win passage of the MTA’s Half-Fare program, tens of thousands of residents in the 12-county area (Hudson Valley, NYC and Long Island) have been able to more easily access the use of public transportation, including buses, trains and subways.
People have access to work opportunities.
We believe all people should have equal access to employment opportunities. Our advocacy was central to the adoption of the Medicaid Buy-In for Working People with Disabilities in 2003. Since this time, thousands of New Yorkers have enrolled in the program and are pursuing recovery and finding work opportunities that help them lead fulfilled lives.
The Alliance for Rights and Recovery has also made available an array of downloadable and video presentations to promote employment and economic self-sufficiency, including our ‘We Can Work’ and ‘We Can Save’ series.
People have increased access to housing.
Access to safe and stable housing is a fundamental right that is too often denied due to mental health stigma, racism, and other systemic injustices. Our programs and services help ensure that those with mental health challenges are not discriminated against when seeking safe and stable housing in the communities of their choice. Over the past 20 years, the Alliance worked with NYS government and served in numerous legislative advocacy coalitions such that the Office of Mental Health currently provides housing to well over 40,000 New Yorkers living with mental health challenges.
There is a ban on the use of solitary confinement in NYS prisons and county jails.
Criminalizing mental health challenges only reinforces other systemic injustices and harms individuals, families and communities. Our efforts to decriminalize the mental health care system and promote racial justice have not only led to fewer individuals being sent to prison, but also better care and treatment for those who are incarcerated.
The Alliance for Rights and Recovery worked closely with two coalitions to win a reduction in the use of solitary confinement in NYS prisons and jails via the 2008 SHU Exclusion Act and a full ban on the use of ‘The Box’ for New Yorkers with major mental health challenges in prisons and jails via the passage of the HALT Act via our partnership with the Campaign for Alternatives to Solitary Confinement
Creation of the Peer Bridger Model to Support the Transition to Communities of Choice Following Psychiatric Hospitalization.
People successfully transition to communities of choice following psychiatric hospitalization.
The Alliance for Rights and Recovery created the nationally acclaimed and replicated The Alliance for Rights and Recovery Peer Bridger Model™ in 1994. Since then, upwards of 2,500 New Yorkers have successfully transitioned from 5 NYS psychiatric hospitals to their communities thanks to the support of our Peer Bridgers….and, by extension, tens of thousands of people have received peer bridger support based on our model over the past 3 decades.
People have access to a broad array of voluntary, self-directed services.
For almost 20 years, The Alliance for Rights and Recovery has provided access and training on the use of psychiatric advance directives, legal tools that allows a person with mental illness to state their preferences for treatment in advance of a crisis. They can serve as a way to protect a person’s autonomy and ability to self-direct care.
To support and finance people’s recovery and community goals.
Over the past decade, The Alliance for Rights and Recovery has successfully promoted the principles and practices of Self-Directed Care, allowing individuals to work towards accomplishing recovery goals by developing and managing a self-directed care budget, pursuant to the Self-Directed Program Policy Manual. Support Brokers will work with participants to articulate recovery goals and create individualized budgets to purchase goods and services that will further these goals. Two pilots are operated by The Alliance for Rights and Recovery members, Independent Living in the Hudson Valley and Community Access in NYC.
We believe recovery is most successful when it is self-motivated, but also recognize that sometimes outside help is needed. We promote the use of Psychiatric Advance Directives (PAD) as an empowering tool of recovery to help those in need, while still respecting their autonomy. We are compelling elected leadership to continue these conversations and advance policies that promote the use of PAD.
People have access to providers and support committed to their recovery through our core peer navigator project.
The CORE Peer Navigator Project, through The Alliance for Rights and Recovery, connects a Peer Navigator with Health and Recovery Plan (HARP) members who are discovering recovery and all its possibilities as they work toward success. One call to the Navigator Line at 855-PEERNAV (855-733-7628) connects an individual with a peer to assist in identifying goals and accessing Community Oriented Recovery and Empowerment (CORE) Services to help meet those goals. The Peer Navigator will support them throughout the referral, engagement, and service delivery process.
People have access to daily information around advocacy opportunities, upcoming events, new policy initiatives, and funding opportunities.
The Alliance information and point of view receives regular media coverage (print, online, radio television), including the New York Times, Washington Post, Daily News, USA Today, Mental Health Weekly, NPR, NY Public Radio et al.
The Alliance Daily e-news: With a reach of more than 7,000 individuals and groups, The Alliance has a broad reach to galvanize support for its mission.