September 25, 2025
On Monday, the NYS Council was selected as one of New York’s Top 25 Trade Associations (of all kinds) by City & State. You can see the List in the online edition of City & State here:
City & State published a special edition (paper) magazine read by City & State subscribers throughout NYS and across the country, that featured the Top 25 Trade Associations (we are listed on page 36) here:
https://www.cityandstateny.com/latest-issue/?oref=csny-magazine-lander
We posted an announcement celebrating the achievements of our Association on LinkedIn here:
https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7375930152633151488/
Finally, here’s a link to the posting naming the NYS Council online that you can use on your social media platforms to help us celebrate this important achievement!
Please help us spread the word by posting/re-posting on your agency social media platforms!
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OMH Announcement, 9/25
The New York State Office of Mental Health has issued a Request for Proposals to launch an Intensive and Sustained Engagement Team in a New York State county where INSET services do not currently exist. We are seeking a qualified not-for-profit agency to launch one new peer-led INSET team.
INSET is a peer-led, voluntary, and community-based approach that provides 24/7, flexible support to adults who are underserved or haven’t found success in the traditional mental health system. It is also designed for people at risk of involuntary treatment or criminal justice involvement. INSET teams, led by peer support workers, focus on building trust, hope, and connection to help participants identify and achieve their life goals. The program aims to reduce hospitalizations, lengths of stay, and incarcerations, and connect individuals with chosen supports and communities.
Eligible applicants are not-for-profit agencies with 501(c)(3) incorporation located in New York State and operating in counties where INSET does not currently exist. This criterion excludes applicants seeking to implement INSET in Kings, Monroe, Nassau, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Suffolk, Sullivan, and Westchester, counties.
This is a vital opportunity to expand this proven model and provide continuous, compassionate peer support to those who can benefit from it. For more information about INSET, please visit: Intensive and Sustained Engagement Teams (INSET)
To view full RFP details, please visit: https://omh.ny.gov/omhweb/rfp/2025/inset/index.html
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Here’s an interesting guest opinion piece in The Leader from Eric Linzer, President and CEO of the NY Health Plan Association placing blame for higher insurance premiums on hospitals. (Remember: For general hospitals in NYS, Medicaid typically pays lower than the commercial rate where hospitals typically have more negotiating power). The Department of Financial Services (DFS) regulates insurance in New York State, and recently the Department announced its decisions regarding premium requests insurers applied for for their individual and small group market product lines, as they are permitted to do each May.
Guest Opinion:https://www.the-leader.com/story/opinion/2025/09/24/ny-hospitals-drive-higher-health-insurance-premiums-opinion/86223695007/
DFS response to Requested Rate Actions:https://myportal.dfs.ny.gov/web/prior-approval/ind-and-sg-medical/summary-of-2026-requested-rate-actions
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Last night we told you that Russ Vought, Director of the (federal) Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has turned the federal government shutdown standoff into a ticking time bomb for numerous federal workers and lawmakers in both parties. According to Politico, and in the Trump administration’s most aggressive pre-shutdown salvo yet, the OMB director is threatening to pursue mass firings at agencies if Congress fails to enact a funding bill to keep the government open past next Tuesday at midnight. Attached please find the draft Memo prepared by the Director for distribution to federal agencies in preparation for a federal shutdown.
About the Memo (attached): Democratic leaders were split on the scale of the threat. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer dismissed the memo as an “attempt at intimidation,” insisting any “unnecessary firings will either be overturned in court or the administration will end up hiring the workers back.” But House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries appeared to be taking the threat seriously in an X post addressed to federal workers in Virginia ahead of the commonwealth’s looming gubernatorial election. “Their goal is to ruin your life,” he said. Reminder: The government shutdown is now just six days away.
Backstory: President Trump this week declined to meet with congressional Democrats (Schumer, Jeffries) to negotiate a stopgap government funding deal. Last week, Republicans and Democrats blocked each other’s continuing resolutions. The Senate is scheduled to return from recess next week, two days before the funding deadline, and neither side has shown signs of budging.
Senator Schumer is again helming negotiations to fund the government beyond the end of the month. Republicans need Democratic votes in the Senate to keep the government open, and Schumer is hoping to use that leverage to secure concessions from the White House and Republicans on health care. There is risk to this strategy, however: If no deal is reached and the government does shut down, voters could blame Democrats for the resultant chaos.