September 6, 2024

Elizabeth Fine has been a thoughtful and strategic leader in the Governor’s Office the last 3 years and she will be missed.

The NYS Council welcomes Brian Mahanna and looks forward to working with him on matters of importance to New Yorkers with mental health and/or substance use conditions.

For Immediate Release: 9/6/2024
GOVERNOR KATHY HOCHUL

GOVERNOR HOCHUL APPOINTS BRIAN K. MAHANNA AS COUNSEL TO THE GOVERNOR

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the appointment of Brian K. Mahanna as Counsel to the Governor. Mr. Mahanna will begin his tenure later this month.

“As we work to make New York more affordable, more livable and safer, I’m excited to welcome Brian K. Mahanna to the Executive Chamber,” Governor Hochul said. “Brian is a skilled legal mind with years of experience in government and private practice, and I’m confident he is the right leader for our Counsel’s office. As she finishes her tenure in the Chamber, I’m immensely grateful to Liz Fine for her three years of guidance and friendship as well as her lifelong commitment to public service.”

Incoming Counsel to the Governor Brian Mahanna said, “I am honored to serve as Counsel to the Governor. I thank Governor Hochul for the trust and confidence she has placed in me, and I am excited to get to work for her and on behalf of the people of New York State.”

Brian K. Mahanna previously served as Chief of Staff and Deputy Attorney General in the Office of the New York State Attorney General, where he was responsible for the office’s operations and served as the primary liaison to the Governor’s office, the state legislature, state agencies, and other attorney generals on multi-state investigations and litigation. He also supervised the Attorney General’s major civil, regulatory and criminal cases, investigations, legal positions and initiatives. He previously served as a Senior Adviser to former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and as Chief of Staff and Counsel to New York City’s Deputy Mayor for Operations, and as Policy Director for Mayor Bloomberg’s 2009 campaign.

Mr. Mahanna also has a distinguished career in private practice. He is currently a Partner at WilmerHale, where he Co-Chairs the firm’s State Attorneys General practice and is Vice Chair of its Regulatory Department. Prior to joining the Attorney General’s Office, Mr. Mahanna practiced at Zuckerman Spaeder LLP working on complex civil and criminal matters with a focus on municipal and state government-related proceedings.

Mr. Mahanna is an active member of his community and in New York’s civic life. He is a trustee of the Citizens Budget Commission of New York, a member of the Board of Directors of the Citizens Union of New York, and a member of the New York City Bar Association’s Committee on New York City Affairs.

Biden-Harris Administration Announces $81.3 Million in Funding Opportunities
Last week, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), announced $81.3 million in grant awards, including more than $16 million to support the integration of primary and behavioral health care.

The announcement also included more than $24 million to expand the capacity of drug treatment courts, and additional awards to support Tribal behavioral health, advance prevention science, support communities of recovery, and connect people to care.

Check out the full announcement here:

Also, according to numerous sources NYS is applying for one of the (up to) 8 Integrated Behavioral Health (IBH) state-based model awards. The NOFO was announced by CMS in June. Awards are expected to be announced in December.

Here’s more:

CMS Announces Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) Application Period for the Innovation in Behavioral Health (IBH) Model
Today, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced the release of the NOFO application for the Innovation in Behavioral Health (IBH) Model.

The IBH Model is focused on improving the behavioral and physical health outcomes and quality of care for people with Medicaid and Medicare who experience moderate to severe behavioral health conditions. The model seeks to bridge the gap between behavioral and physical health by enabling specialty behavioral health practices to integrate behavioral health with physical health care and health-related social needs.

The IBH Model is a state-based model, led by state Medicaid agencies (SMAs), with a goal of aligning payment between Medicaid and Medicare for integrated care.

CMS will select up to eight SMAs to participate in the IBH Model, and these SMAs will use cooperative agreement funding to develop necessary infrastructure and capacity to implement the IBH Model. SMAs will recruit “Practice Participants” to deliver care, and they will receive funding to support necessary upgrades to health information technology, electronic health records, practice transformation activities, and staffing to implement the model. Award notices will be issued to selected SMAs in mid-December.

Resources to support states in the development of their application are available on the IBH Model Webpage, including:

• IBH Model Overview Fact Sheet
• IBH Model Fact Sheet on Model Benefits for State Medicaid Agencies (PDF)

For additional information on the NOFO process, including how to apply, please visit grants.gov. To stay up to date on how to register for the forthcoming NOFO webinar on July 11, 2024, upcoming model announcements, events, and resources, sign up for the IBH Listserv. For additional questions, you can reach the IBH Model team at IBHModel@cms.hhs.gov.