Alliance Alert: We encourage our members, partners, and community members to attend this summer’s second virtual town hall hosted by the NYS Office of Mental Health this Wednesday (Tomorrow), August 6 at 1:00 PM, to discuss the implications of recent federal policy changes—including the Congressional Budget Reconciliation Bill—on New York’s mental health system.
These budget cuts and policy rollbacks threaten the vital community-based services that so many New Yorkers rely on. The town hall will provide updates, take questions, and gather input on how these changes will affect New York State’s service delivery system. See below for more information, including the link for tomorrow’s town hall.
Click here to attend the town hall
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To our valued partners,
We’re reaching out again to invite you to participate in our second virtual town hall meeting to discuss recent federal actions and how the state Office of Mental Health can offer support during these uncertain times. As we indicated during our first meeting on July 21, we are seeking input on strategies for mitigating the impact to critical behavioral health services and ensuring continued access to quality mental healthcare across New York State.
This Wednesday, we will host a second meeting to explore the impact of the Congressional Budget Reconciliation Bill and to respond to questions that we didn’t have time to address during the first town hall.
We know these federal actions are causing concern over the impact they could have on the mental health programs that serve as a safety net for hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers. But if we work together, we can plan a course to minimize and possibly eliminate the damage to our most critical services.
As we mentioned in our last message, we are steadfastly committed to promoting mental health for all New Yorkers and providing hope and recovery for anyone living with mental illness. We will continue valuing diversity and serving our state equitably to support those living with mental illness, their families, our providers, counties, and countless other stakeholders.
No advance registration is necessary to attend the meeting at 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 6 – simply click on this link. You will be asked to provide your name and an email. You may also join us by phone by calling +1-929-251-9612 in New York City or +1-415-527-5035 elsewhere and using the access code 283 558 51361. In the event you are asked for a password, please enter ‘omh123’ or ‘664123’ when dialing from a phone or video system.
Respectfully,
Dr. Ann Sullivan
Commissioner, New York State Office of Mental Health