ALBANY, NY (11/12/03) - Citing a huge array of problems plaguing New York State's mental hygiene system, Assemblyman Peter M. Rivera, chairman of the Assembly Standing Committee on Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities, will convene tomorrow a working group of key policy makers to discuss problems and begin the work of setting a new direction for the state's network of services and relevant state agencies.

The meeting will take place at 11:30 AM on Thursday, November 13, 2003 in the Assembly Parlor Room in the State Capitol.

According to Rivera, "I am looking forward to working with the mental health community to help prioritize the most pressing issues facing the sector and look forward to their input on bringing about improvements to the mental health system."

Rivera added, "The mental hygiene task force will focus on improving the organization of the Department of Mental Hygiene to better meet the needs of the mentally disabled and restructuring the mental health service delivery system, with particular sensitivities to regional variances and improving utilization of existing fiscal, human and organizational resources. This is a daunting yet exciting challenge that will require entrepreneurial and creative responses."

It has been 25 years since New York's Mental Hygiene system was reorganized, creating an Inter-Office Coordinating Council (IOCC) and three independent offices. This organizational construct was established to facilitate a policy under which, "all of its residents who are disabled will receive services according to their individualized needs and, whenever possible, in their home communities to enable them to realize their fullest potential for self-fulfillment and independent living in society." During the ensuing 25 years, policy decisions by successive Governors effectively eliminated the IOCC as an operational entity. A myriad of funding mechanisms and regulatory requirements were put in place. These attempts at meeting the needs of the mentally disabled, absent a viable planning process as mandated by the Mental Hygiene Law, have resulted in an inefficient, fragmented and expensive system of service delivery.

Organizations and groups participating in tomorrow's meeting include:

• Westchester County Dept. of Community Mental Health
• New York Immigration Coalition, Health Advocacy Office
• New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation
• Coalition for the Homeless, NYS
• Civil Service Employees Association (CSEA)
• Public Employees Federation (PEF)
• Mental Health Association in New York State
• New York Presbyterian Hospital
• New York State Rehabilitation Association
• Broome/Tioga ARC
• Coalition of Voluntary Mental Health Agencies
• National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, New York State
• Federation for Mental Health Centers
• Urban Justice Center
• Families Together
• Coordinated Children Services Initiative, Monroe County
• State University of New York at Buffalo
• The Metropolitan Center for Mental Health Policy and Advocacy
• Federation Employment and Guidance Service (FEGS) - Behavioral & Health Related Services
• Community Access
• Professional Service Centers for the Handicapped, Inc
• New York State Association for Community and Residential Agencies
• Assisted Competitive Employment Program (ACE)
• St. Vincent's Catholic Medical Center
• New York State Council on Problem Gambling