2006 POLICY AGENDA

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Advocate for a system of care for children and youth with serious emotional/behavioral disabilities on Long Island, which is parent driven and will fund services that support community-based, family-centered mental health services for children in their homes, schools and communities.

ACTION:

• Reauthorize the Coordinated Children’s Services Initiative (CCSI) legislation. Make it permanent and fund a CCSI Coordinator and parent trainer in each county.
• Pass legislation to allow families to retain custody of their child if they need to be placed in the child welfare system to obtain mental health treatment.
• Pass legislation that establishes, funds and consistently defines family support within key child serving systems.
• Fund a 10% rate increase for community-based mental health to include family support, children’s services and respite.
• Fully fund new Home and Community Based Waiver slots to the full 2000 slots allowed by federal government. Currently there are fewer than 1,000 slots in New York.
• Remove the Medicaid cap and end New York’s Medicaid cost neutrality policy to allow for the expansion of services. Maintain access to mental health services under Medicaid.
• Restore cuts in the Office of Mental Health budget to Aid to Localities.

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Advocate for a solid, well rounded education and appropriate standards for students with serious emotional, behavioral, social and learning disabilities.

ACTION:

• Help Long Island students succeed. Support the implementation of regulations to allow students in special education to receive a Regents
  Diploma by passing any five Regents’ exams rather than the five required of the general student population.
• Fund family education and training conducted by family members on the implementation of changes made to the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
• Expand children’s mental health services in schools.
• Improve the learning environment in schools by expanding Positive Behavioral Initiatives and Supports (PBIS) to all schools in New York.
• Expand funding for vocational rehabilitation to provide transition services that include family and youth participation in designing goals and measurable outcomes

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Advocate for legislation to require that treatment for mental health and substance abuse services be provided on the same terms and conditions as any other physical disorder in all private health insurance policies.

ACTION:

• The legislature must pass Timothy’s Law to require that treatment for mental health and substance abuse services be provided on the same terms and conditions as any other physical disorder.
• New York State must require that treatment as outlined in Timothy’s Law be provided in Family Health Plus.