Co-chairs Simon, Senator Fernandez outline mental-health budget priorities at joint hearing

Albany Co-chairs Assemblymember Joanne Simon and State Senator Natalia Fernandez opened a joint General Conference on Mental Hygiene hearing that laid out funding priorities and procedural rules as the Legislature heads into budget negotiations.

The co-chairs and members from both houses emphasized workforce and continuity of services for people with mental illness, substance-use disorders and developmental disabilities. An unnamed lawmaker urged adding two Senate items not in the Assembly plan: $7,500,000 for workforce recruitment and retention for alcoholism and substance-use services and $2,500,000 for a voluntary recovery-ready workplace certification program. "The governor vetoed it and said it would cost $2,500,000," the lawmaker said. "When I say that to people, they raise their eyebrows." (Lawmaker)

Senator Kansadari Fitzpatrick, the committee's ranking member, highlighted several specific line items included in one-house budgets she supports, including $10,000,000 for state-operated assertive community treatment (ACT) teams, $7,500,000 for an OASIS workforce recruitment and retention initiative, and $15,000,000 for Daniel's Law community crisis response pilot programs. "I support strategic investments in mental hygiene programs in the one-house, such as the $10,000,000 for state-operated assertive community treatment teams," Fitzpatrick said.

Assemblymember Angelo Santa Barbara, chair of the Assembly committee on people with disabilities, praised inclusion of a 4% targeted inflationary increase for human-service providers and stressed the effect of workforce shortages on families. He said he has heard from self-advocates and providers and described the budget choices as concrete matters for New Yorkers who rely on stable services. "Families across New York State are counting on us to get this right," Santa Barbara said.

Other members and speakers from both houses voiced support for peer-support programs and youth-focused initiatives, including a teen mental-health first-aid effort, and urged careful implementation so funding reaches frontline programs. Speakers repeatedly cited the Justice Center for People With Special Needs and named the agencies the subcommittee will review, as read in the hearing: Department of Mental Hygiene; Office of Addiction Services and Support (referred to in the transcript as "OASIS"); Office of Mental Health; Office for People With Developmental Disabilities; State Council on Developmental Disabilities; and the Justice Center for People With Special Needs.

The co-chairs also set subcommittee procedures in place: co-chairs will determine parliamentary procedure unless the general conference specifies otherwise; procedural disputes go back to the general conference; alternates may attend but may not vote unless designated to fill an excused vacancy; and proxy voting is prohibited. Jeffrey Chen and Kesha Murray were named recording secretaries for the Assembly and Senate, respectively.

The hearing clarified priorities but produced no formal motions or votes. Staff were directed to continue consultations with members as budget negotiations proceed; the co-chairs closed the hearing without a decision on disputed items.