“The New York State Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare, our board of directors and 165 member agencies are deeply disappointed by the recent passage of President Trump’s draconian  budget bill (H.R. 1) that will have a devastating impact on the progress New York State has made over several decades to ensure New Yorkers have access to all types of healthcare including mental health and substance use disorder prevention, treatment, recovery and harm reduction services.

H.R. 1 represents a massive transfer of financial wealth to the richest Americans while it simultaneously shifts major costs from the federal government to individual states and decimates the healthcare safety net.  It is estimated that New York State will lose over $10 billion in federal funding that currently supports coverage for eligible people and maintains an accessible health care delivery system.  Over the next decade, the bill cuts federal Medicaid spending by over $1 trillion, Medicare by $500 billion, and diminishes Affordable Care Act (ACA) premium subsidies. Coverage losses will result in higher out-of-pocket costs, more medical debt, and more evictions as individuals and families struggle to keep up with the cost of healthcare, and while New Yorkers without coverage forgo appointments that will ultimately drive-up costs for more acute services further down the line and greatly increase uncompensated care.”

Read the full statement here.

The NYS Senate and Assembly have adjourned the 2025 session.

Linked here is a complete list of all bills the NYS Council tracked this session, with status. (Note: if a bill passed both houses the status will be listed as “returned to Senate (or Assembly),” otherwise it will list the committee it remained in when the session adjourned.)

Most recently, the Governor signed into law A8045 – Bronson, which the NYS Council supported.  This legislation extends certain provisions authorizing certain mental health practitioners, marriage and family therapists, and psychoanalysts, to engage in diagnosis and the development of assessment-based treatment plans.

To view the text/memo for any bill, click here to search by bill number.

In a recent Crain’s Health Pulse article, Lauri Cole, NYS Council Executive Director, was quoted on the NYS Council’s ongoing concerns over health plan non-compliance with the new commercial rate mandate. Many plans are still not paying the new rates, and they are using delay tactics that appear to be acceptable with state regulators, despite the fact that the law was effective January 1, 2025.

Although many health plans provided excuses for why they are not complying, or incorrectly stated that the state never provided plans with specific rate information, the article was important in elevating the problem for all to see.  The state has provided detailed rate information for every conceivable rate code combination to the health plans on November 22 of last year. It’s publicly available on OMHs website and has been since last year.

The article, for those with a Crain’s subscription, is available online here.

Lauri Cole, NYS Council Executive Director, was recently presented with the Behavioral Health Advocacy Award from Mental Health News Education at their Annual Leadership Awards event. The MHNE Annual Leadership Award event celebrates outstanding leaders making a difference in people’s lives.

In the Event Journal, MHNE noted that “Our five honorees have had a tremendous impact on the behavioral health and autism communities, devoting their careers to making a difference in people’s lives, and we are honored to recognize their leadership and commitment to people living with autism, mental illness, and substance use disorders.”

Lauri accepted the award on behalf of the NYS Council members’ that constantly demonstrate courage, integrity and strategic ‘smarts’ despite the odds.