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April 14, 2015

Advancing Public Policies for People with Mental Illness, Chemical Dependency or Developmental Disabilities   

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Betsy Gorman, Editor
bg@clmhd.org




Webinars & Resources:
 
SAMHSA:

Webinar: Online Analysis of SAMHSA Public-Use Data With Survey Documentation and Analysis Thursday, April 23, 
1 PM here

Webinar: Update on the Design of Health Homes Serving Children  April 29th 2-5 here

Webinar: Understanding Health And Recovery Plans (HARPs)
April 21st 10AM here 

Up to $ 21.6 Million Available for the Offender Reentry Program

This program aims to expand and/or enhance substance use disorder treatment and related recovery and reentry services to substance-using adult offenders/ex-offenders who are returning to their families and community from incarceration in state and local facilities such as prisons, jails, or detention centers.


 

Up to $37.6 Million in Grants To Provide Treatment Services for Populations at High Risk for HIV/AIDS

This program aims to expand substance use disorder treatment, behavioral health care, and HIV services for high-risk populations including those from traditionally underserved communities.


 

New York selected to participate in Improving Diversion Polices and Programs for Justice-Involved Youth With Behavioral Health Disorders: An Integrated Policy Academy-Action Network Initiative here.

 

Urban Institute Report: The Processing and Treatment of Mentally Ill Persons in the Criminal Justice System: A Scan of Practice and Background Analysis 

 



CALENDAR OF EVENTS
  
April: 

Mental Hygiene Planning 
Th 4/16 11:30-2:00 
41 State St., Albany

OMH Agency Meeting 
Tues 4/28 10:00-Noon 
44 Holland Ave., Albany  

OASAS Agency Meeting
Tues 4/28 1:00-3:00
1450 Western Ave., Albany 
  

May:

Officers & Chairs Call
Wed. 5/6 8:00am
Call-in

CLMHD SPRING FULL MEMBERSHIP MEETING 
May 18-19, 2015 
Saratoga Springs, NY


Contact CLMHD for all Call In and Go To Meeting information, 518.462.9422

CMS: Modifications to Meaningful Use for 2015 through 2017: Realigning the EHR Incentive Programs to support health information exchange and quality improvement
 

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services issued a new proposed rule for the Medicare and Medicaid Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Programs to align Stage 1 and Stage 2 objectives and measures with the long-term proposals for Stage 3, to build progress toward program milestones, to reduce complexity, and to simplify providers' reporting. These modifications would allow providers to focus more closely on the advanced use of certified EHR technology to support health information exchange and quality improvement.  Read more. 

Audit finds NYS Department of Health makes multimillion dollar Medicaid mistake

 

 The State Comptroller's Office did an audit on the state's Medicaid Drug Rebate program. This is part of the Affordable Care Act where states can collect rebates from drug manufacturers. State officials found the New York State Department of Health did not collect nearly $120-million in available rebates over about a two-year period.

The State Comptroller's Office did an audit on the state's Medicaid Drug Rebate program. This is part of the Affordable Care Act where states can collect rebates from drug manufacturers. State officials found the New York State Department of Health did not collect nearly $120-million in available rebates over about a two-year period. Read more


Related:
Cuomo Reigns in Medicaid Spending

Five years into his term as New York's chief executive, it's time to give credit where credit is due: Gov. Cuomo has tamed the Medicaid beast.  Read more.  

CLMHD: Policy Internship- Developing a Youth Mental Health First Aid Support Network

 

CLMHD is developing a Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA) support network, a course designed to teach parents, family members, caregivers, teachers, school staff, peers, neighbors, health and human services workers, and other caring citizens how to help an adolescent (age 12-18) who is experiencing a mental health or addictions challenge or is in crisis. 

The YMHFA network will be developed to provide coordinated and strategic leadership, critical infrastructure, and the necessary implementation supports to facilitate the statewide growth of Youth Mental Health First Aid support network.

The internship is for up to 35 hours a week/hourly rate. This position is available from May 1st- September 4th. Resume and letters of interested to VQuinn@CLMHD.org by April 15th.

Justice Center: Sunmount client assaulted


 

TUPPER LAKE - Five employees of Sunmount Developmental Center face charges in connection with alleged abuse of a client and cover-up of the incident. All pleaded not guilty, according the New York State Justice Center for the Protection of People with Special Needs. Read more

For Mentally Ill Inmates, a Cycle of Jail and Hospitals
Michael Megginson has had 70 physical confrontations with officers in 18 months at Rikers Island

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was not a particularly violent crime that sent Michael Megginson to Rikers Island. He was arrested for stealing a cellphone.  But in jail, Mr. Megginson, who is 25 and has been in and out of psychiatric hospitals since the age of 6, quickly deteriorated, becoming one of the most violent inmates on the island.

 

In his 18 months there, he was constantly involved in some kind of disturbance, his records show. He fought with other inmates and officers; spit and threw urine at them; smashed windows and furniture and once stabbed an officer in the back of the head with a piece of glass.

At least twice, his bones were broken in beatings by guards.

 

He also repeatedly hurt himself, cutting his body all over, banging his head against walls and tying sheets and clothing around his neck in apparent suicide attempts.

 

There were times he became severely psychotic. He once stripped naked and broke the toilet in his cell, causing a flood. "I'm trying to save everybody from the devil with holy water," he said, according to jail records.

Read more

 

Join Text, Talk, Act: Because Mental Health Matters

On Tuesday, April 14, thousands of people across the nation will be participating in the Text, Talk, Act event. Will you participate too? It's simple. Gather together your friends, family, and/or neighbors at any time on April 14 for a conversation on mental health.

 

Host a dinner, organize a potluck, or have snacks and tea, but definitely bring your cell phones for a great conversation!

 

The next Text, Talk, Act event will take place on Thursday, May 7, in partnership with SAMHSA's National Children's Mental Health Awareness Day.

Please forward this email to promote and raise awareness, and create a sense of community support in your network.

Learn More About Text, Talk, Act

 

 

 

The Conference of Local Mental Hygiene Directors advances public policies and awareness for people with mental illness, chemical dependency and developmental disabilities.  We are a statewide membership organization that consists of the Commissioner/ Director of each of the state's 57 county mental hygiene departments and the mental hygiene department of the City of New York.

Affiliated