Jordan, Assembly Recognize Stillwater Man for Contributions to the Disabled Community

May 11, 2009

Assemblyman Tony Jordan (R,C-Jackson) (above, right) today welcomed Harvey Rosenthal (above, left) of Stillwater to the Capitol as part of “Disabilities Awareness Day.” At the event, Harvey was designated the fifth recipient of the annual Dr. Henry Viscardi, Jr. Advocacy Award, for his lifelong advocacy on behalf of the rights of the disabled community and his work to enhance the lives of people with disabilities.

“Harvey has committed his life to advocacy on behalf of the disabled, and he has made significant contributions to advance and expand workforce rights, transform the focus of mental health reforms and create awareness on the needs of broader community integration policies,” said Jordan. “The fact that Harvey’s work arose directly out of his own recovery, makes his story even more astonishing. Today’s distinction was just a small token in comparison to the enormous impact that Harvey has had in advancing the cause of the disabled community.”

Harvey is the Director of the New York Association of Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services, a position he has held since 1993. Over the course of his 30 years of professional service in the state’s public health system, Harvey has served in a variety of capacities from state hospital therapy aide to clubhouse rehabilitation program director. In the past decade, Harvey has helped support campaigns to advance community recovery services, employment-centered policies and incentives, prison mental health reforms, and new programs that aid the underserved. He also helped create and support the New York Association of Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services’ nationally acclaimed efforts to transform mental health care to support recovery wellness, employment and other self-determined community-centered goals.

Disabilities Awareness Day, an annual event in Albany, seeks to pay tribute to the efforts of exemplary individuals and to educate the public. The event offered four seminars on areas of interest to people with disabilities including courses on Medicaid grants, recent changes to disability laws, affordable and accessible housing, and senior health care. Several organizations were also present to hand out information about the products, programs, technology and services they provide and to answer questions.

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