February 15, 2023

Good morning,

3 docs attached:

1) BH Advocates Group one pager w/ Talking Points on COLA = 8.5% plus $500M ‘ask’

2) NYS Council COLA plus Rate Increase Talking Points

3) Press Release re: today’s BH Rally at the Capitol re:  8.5% + $500M ‘ask’ (please feel free to share w/ media outlets

ACTION NEEDED TODAY!

Our organization is partnering with 12 statewide behavioral health advocacy organizations to ask the Legislature to make an 8.5% Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) and a $500 million rate increase for unrestricted flexible funding for licensed and/or contracted services for the adult and children’s behavioral health workforce, services and supports a priority in the SFY 2024 budget.

Please take a moment out of your busy schedules to send a letter to your legislators, per the link below.

Feel free to pass this link on to your staff, colleagues, families and other interested stakeholders.

Thank you in advance for your support of the mental health and substance use disorder sector! Your voice will make a difference!

SEND YOUR LETTER BY CLICKING HERE!   https://naminys.quorum.us/campaign/45013/   (please note: Add your full address, city, state, zip in the address bar)