The Alliance for Rights and Recovery is excited to invite advocates, providers, peers, family members, community leaders, and people with lived experience from across Western New York to our upcoming Western New York Regional Forum, generously sponsored by the Patrick P. Lee Foundation.
While the forum will be held in Buffalo, our goal is to bring together participants from throughout the region to discuss the opportunities and challenges facing service systems across Western New York and to strengthen our collective advocacy efforts.
Buffalo
September 1 | 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Buffalo Federation of Neighborhood Centers
2365 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14214
Registration required: Register Here
Hear Directly from WNY County Officials
The forum will feature a distinguished panel of current and former county behavioral health leaders who will discuss the unique strengths, challenges, and priorities within their local service systems and explore opportunities for greater collaboration across the region.
Panelists include:
- Lynda Battaglia, Former Director of Mental Health & Community Services for Genesee County and current Executive Director of The Rural Outreach Center (ROC)
- Danielle Figura, Director of Community Services & Director of Mental Health, Orleans County
- Carmelo Hernandez, Director of Mental Hygiene and Commissioner of Social Services, Chautauqua County
- Amy Rockwood, Director of Planning and Evaluation, Erie County Department of Mental Health
Help Shape the Future of Advocacy in Western New York
Following the panel, Alliance staff will provide an overview of the significant state and federal policy changes expected to impact New Yorkers over the coming year, including developments affecting Medicaid, mental health and substance use services, housing, and other critical supports.
Most importantly, this forum is designed to hear directly from you.
During our listening session, attendees will have the opportunity to share the issues they are seeing in their own communities, identify service gaps, and discuss the challenges facing providers, peers, and people seeking services throughout Western New York.
We’ll conclude with a strategy session where participants will work together to identify regional advocacy priorities and develop concrete goals that the Alliance, community partners, and local advocates can advance together both in Western New York and in Albany with the Legislature and state agencies.
This is an opportunity to ensure that the voices and experiences of Western New Yorkers help shape the Alliance’s advocacy agenda for the year ahead!
Registration is required, so be sure to reserve your spot today. We look forward to seeing you in Buffalo as we work together to strengthen services, protect rights, and advance recovery throughout Western New York.
September 1 | 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Buffalo Federation of Neighborhood Centers
2365 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14214
Registration required: Register Here
