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Governor Hochul Announces Agreement on FY 2026 State Budget
Governor Kathy Hochul on Monday announced an agreement has been reached with legislative leaders on key priorities in the Fiscal Year 2026 New York State Budget. “I promised New Yorkers to fight like hell to put money back in their pockets and make our streets and subways safer. That’s exactly what this budget will do,” Governor Hochul said. “Working with our partners in the Legislature we’ve reached an agreement to pass a balanced, fiscally responsible budget. Good things take time, and this budget is going to make a real difference for New York families.” With a conceptual agreement in place, the legislative houses are expected to pass bills that will enact these priorities in the coming days. Based on a preliminary assessment of the negotiated changes to the Executive proposal, the total Budget for FY 2026 is currently estimated at $254 billion. The FY 2026 Budget does not raise income or statewide business taxes, maintains record State reserves to safeguard state finances and grants the Governor the powers necessary to make future adjustments if actions by the federal government require. Read more here.
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State Priorities in Serving Children and Youth with Chronic and Complex Health Needs
Children and youth with chronic and complex needs, including disabilities, medical complexities, chronic illnesses, and behavioral health disorders, require specialized care that is often inaccessible due to fragmented systems and limited availability of services. From 2022 to 2023, only 13 percent of children and youth with special health care needs (CYSHCN) received care in a well-functioning system. Children with complex conditions experience even greater challenges, with only 11.7 percent reporting well-functioning systems. To improve systems of care for children and youth with chronic and complex needs, states are implementing an array of policies and leveraging various strategies — including legislation, demonstration projects and pilots, and programmatic changes — across Medicaid, public health, behavioral health, and other programs. Read more here.
Related: Federal and State Reimbursement for Youth Behavioral Health Services
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Operator of NYC’s Mental Health Crisis Hotline Warns of Layoffs Without More Funding
The nonprofit that operates New York City’s 988 crisis and suicide hotline said it will have to lay off up to a third of its roughly 300-person staff in the coming months due to a more than $10 million shortfall — unless the city steps in with funding. “ Our concerns are [that] if we miss somebody's call, does that escalate?” said Brenda Tong, chief program officer at Vibrant Emotional Health, the nonprofit. “Does that turn into a 911 call? Does that turn into a hospitalization?” The federal government in 2022 established 988 as the national number to call for a mental health crisis, but callers are routed to locally operated centers so they can be connected to counselors and services in their area. NYC 988 replaced NYC Well, a crisis service established under former Mayor Bill de Blasio that was also operated by Vibrant Emotional Health. Read more here.
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Union Calls on State to Bolster Mental Health Support for Troopers
Following a series of high-profile, dangerous incidents involving its members, the New York State Troopers PBA is calling on Gov. Kathy Hochul and state lawmakers to pass legislation mandating the creation of a State Police critical incident leave policy to help Troopers cope with the extreme stress and trauma these interactions can cause. Sponsored by state Sen. Jeremy Cooney and Assemblymember Patrick Burke, the bill (S2681/A6452) would require new State Police policy that establishes up to 30 days of paid leave to ensure that Troopers have sufficient time to process and recover from their direct involvement in a dangerous use of force incident that led to death or serious injury of another person. Up to 15 days of paid leave would be available for Troopers indirectly involved in these incidents. Read more here.
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Charlie Health Debuts Virtual SUD, Medication-Assisted Treatment for High-Acuity Patients
Charlie Health, a virtual high-acuity behavioral health provider, has added a new substance use disorder (SUD) treatment program to its service offerings. The program is catered to individuals with co-occurring mental health and SUD conditions. This new offering will be available to all patients and be supported by Charlie Health’s in-network integration with most major health plans and Medicaid in nine of the 37 states the company operates in. Charlie Health made a name for itself by offering virtual intensive outpatient programs (IOPs). The virtual SUD treatment pathway consists of nine hours of weekly group therapy, as well as individual counseling and family sessions. It will also offer medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for teens and adults, including buprenorphine or naltrexone. Read more here.
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The Mental Health Crisis Ministers Struggle to Talk About
Nicholas Davis thanks God he’s still alive. That wasn’t his plan. He was a young man serving as senior pastor at a Presbyterian church in Southern California. And he was drowning in anxiety, depression, and thoughts of suicide. What started as a mundane case of overwork or maybe burnout became something much more dangerous. “It was a very busy season,” Davis told Christianity Today, “kind of taking on too much and not realizing that I was in the midst of too much.”
He had never struggled with mental health growing up. In 2015, though, it just felt as if his mind was shutting down and his body was overwhelmed with an impossible weight. He barely slept for weeks. But it eventually subsided. Then, in 2019, life at the Presbyterian Church in America was very busy, and it happened again. “I bit off way too much and kind of hit a wall,” he said. “I had never had a panic attack before, so I thought it was a heart attack.” Read more here.
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Fighting the Opioid Crisis in the ED
In 2021, an estimated 2.5 million people had opioid use disorder (OUD), and only 22% of them received medications to treat it. The sheer scale of the opioid crisis fuels its continued growth, like a storm creating its own wind. “It expands and expands as new people are drawn in through social connections and networks,” said Andrew Herring, M.D., an emergency, pain, and addiction physician in Oakland. The only viable solution, according to Herring, is one that can match that scale. “And the only reasonable intervention that we really have that can safely and pragmatically meet the scale of the need is buprenorphine,” said Herring, an attending emergency physician and associate director of research at Highland Hospital-Alameda Health System, where he also serves as medical director of the substance use disorder treatment program. Though an opioid itself, buprenorphine is safe, has lower abuse potential compared with other opioids, and ensures greater safety in case of overdoses. It provides a reasonable path for the millions of people living with OUD to begin their transition away from the illicit market, Herring said. But buprenorphine can’t be the solution if it doesn’t reach patients. Read more here.
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UPCOMING EVENTS & TRAININGS
Building Community Care Hubs to Address Health-Related Social Needs: Lessons from New York and North Carolina Medicaid
April 30, 1 - 2 pm, Center for Health Care Strategies
Navigating VBC Negotiations: Turning Complexity Into Opportunity
April 30, 1 - 2 pm, Onecare Population Health Academy
Integration in Action: Overcoming Workforce Challenges in the Integrated Health Field
April 30, 2 - 3 pm National Council for Mental Wellbeing
Using COSSUP Grants for the Often Forgotten Ones
April 30, 2 - 3:30 pm, COSSUP
Person-Centered Care: Applications in Day-to-Day Practice
April 30, 2 - 4 pm, NCROTAC
Code of Ethics Training for Youth Peer Advocates
May 1, 12 - 1:30 pm, MCTAC/CTAC
Firearm Safety for Suicide Prevention Workshop for Facilitators (In-Person/Virtual)
May 5, 9 am - 2 pm, NY Health Foundation
Assessing the Impact of Medicaid Cuts on Children and Youth
May 6, 3:30 - 4:30 pm, Manatt Health
Collaborative Care: Strengthening Provider Relationships with Autistic and Neurodivergent Population
May 7, 1:30 - 3 pm, School Mental Health Resource Training Center
Redefining Recovery: Insights into Gambling and Substance Use Disorders
May 7, 3 - 4:30 pm, NAADAC
Reducing Suicide Risk Through Primary Care
May 8, 2 - 3 pm, Shatterproof
Mind the Gap - Closing the Divide Between Psychosis and Psychotherapy in the U.S. Mental Health System
May 8, 4 - 5:30 pm, NAMI
2025 MHANYS Family Mental Health Network Summit (Virtual)
May 9, 10 am - 3:30 pm, MHANYS
EMS and Overdose Prevention: Innovative Strategies to Save Lives
May 9, 2 - 3 pm, NCSL
Navigating Non-Suicidal Self-Injury (NSSI) with Families: Clinical Insights into Self-Injury, Youth Needs, and Caregiver Support
May 15, 11 am - 1 pm, MCTAC/CTAC
Youth & Young Adults with Serious Mental Health Conditions – Reflections of 30 Years: Part 1
May 12, 12 - 1 pm, Transitions ACR
Navigating Pharmacotherapy: Co-occurring Bipolar Disorder and Opioid Use Disorder
May 15, 3 - 4 pm, SMI TTAC
Mental health in local New York communities: A conversation with the Directors of Community Services in Genesee, Seneca, and Wayne Counties
May 20, 12 - 1 pm, NYSPHA
Measurement-Informed Care and the Collaborative Care Model (CoCM)
May 22, 2 - 3 pm, National Council for Mental Wellbeing
Co-response Hiring and Workforce Guidance
May 22, 2 - 3:30 pm, CSG Justice Center
2nd Annual Documentation Event - IN-PERSON
May 29, 9 am - 3 pm, Crown Plaza, Albany, MCTAC
Youth & Young Adults with Serious Mental Health Conditions – Reflections of 30 Years: Part 2
June 2, 12 - 1 pm, Transitions ACR
An Affirming and Effective Substance Use Disorder Curriculum for the LGBTQ+ Community
June 4, 12 - 1:30 pm, NAADAC
Advancing licensure: Growing the mental health care workforce
June 12, 2 - 3 pm, Kaiser Permanente
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CLMHD CALENDAR
MAY
CLMHD Executive Committee Meeting
May 7: 8 - 9 am
Addiction Services & Supports (ASR) Committee Meeting
May 8: 11 am - 12 pm
Mental Health Committee Meeting
May 8: 3 - 4 pm
LGU Clinic Operators Call
May 13: 10 - 11 am
Quarterly LGU Clinic Billing Staff Call
May 13: 11 am - 12 pm
Developmental Disabilities Committee Meeting
May 15: 1 - 2 pm
Children & Families Committee Meeting
May 20: 11:30 am - 1 pm
Membership Call
May 21: 9 - 10:30 am
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