The Center for Policy, Advocacy & Education

• About the Center
• Advocacy Handbook & Agenda
• Position Papers, Testimony and Opinion Essays
• The Geriatric Mental Health Alliance of New York
• Legislative Action
• Contact Us

What's New

• See Kimberly Williams' new Huffington Post article, "As the Economy Lags, Mental Health Must Be a Priority" (posted December, 28, 2011)

• Read a Huffington Post article on "Steve Jobs and Bullying" by Kimberly Williams and Lisa Furst (posted November 2, 2011)
• View Kimberly Williams'  Huffington Post article on "Getting Rid of Addiction Stigma" (posted October 3, 2011)

• Read Integrate Physical and Behavioral Health Services: An Advocacy Agenda
• See Kimberly Williams' Huffington Post article, "A Message for 9-11 Families: You Are Not Alone" (posted May 4, 2011)

About the Center for Policy, Advocacy and Education

History

Since the Mental Health Association movement's founding in the first decade of the 20th century, MHAs have provided leadership in the development of mental health policy by focusing on the most pressing needs of people with mental health problems and by building cooperation among the constituencies which make up the mental health community. In keeping with this tradition, The Mental Health Association of New York City and The Mental Health Association of Westchester County joined together in 2003 to establish The Center for Policy and Advocacy to promote the development of, and to advocate for mental health policies which anticipate the mental health needs of the next decade or longer. In 2009, we became the Center for Policy, Advocacy and Education of New York City.

Goals

The Center seeks to improve mental health policy through:

• The development of long-term mental health policy recommendations
• Advocacy for improvements consistent with these recommendations
• Serving as a center for mental health policy information (a "data bank") for policymakers, advocates, journalists, and others who need information essential to making responsible mental health policy decisions
• Providing consultation and training regarding policy, finance, management, and advocacy for organizations, advocates, and policy makers concerned about mental health
• Fostering improved communication and cooperation among stakeholders in the mental health system throughout the Metropolitan New York City area
• Enhancing public awareness of critical mental health policy and funding issues

Center Director

Kimberly A. Williams, L.M.S.W., is the Center Director.  In that capacity, she is also Director of the Geriatric Mental Health Alliance of New York, which she co-founded in 2004.  She serves on numerous advisory and planning groups such as The National Coalition on Mental Health and Aging, Stronger Families New York Coalition, the New York State Department of Health's Long-Term Care Advisory Council, the New York City Adult Protective Services Advisory Council, and One Stop Senior Services, where she a member of the board. She also teaches at New York University's School of Social Work. She received her MSW in Social Work from Columbia University.

Advocacy Handbook & Agenda

Speak Out!, prepared by Michael B. Friedman, LMSW, is a handbook about advocacy for changes in the mental health system. Reproduction of this manual, in whole or in part, requires the permission of the author. He can be reached at center@mhaofnyc.org.

Speak Out! consists of six chapters and additional resources which you may access from here. To assist you in your advocacy work, we also encourage you to access our Advocacy Toolkit.

Position Papers, Testimony and Opinion Essays

• The Mental Health Association of NYC's Mental Health Policy Priorities for 2012
• The Mental Health Association of NYC's Mental Health Policy Positions for 2012
• The Mental Health Association of NYC's response to Gov. Paterson's Deficit Reduction Plan.
• The Mental Health Association of NYC's Mental Health Agenda for the 2nd Decade of the 21st Century
• Access to Psychiatric Medications
  Testimony to the NYS Department of Health's Medicaid Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee, by Kimberly Williams, Fall 2010.
  Don't Restrict Access to Psychiatric Medications, by Michael B. Friedman, May 2003
• Children and Adolescents
  A Reminiscence of the Development of Child Mental Health Policy in New York State,
  by Michael B. Friedman, Summer 2007
• Co-Occurring Disorders
  Physical and Mental Health Nexus, by Michael B. Friedman, Kimberly Williams and Lisa Furst, Fall 2010
• Cultural Competence
  Barriers to Financing Cultural Competence, by Michael B. Friedman, Fall 2004
• Family Support
  Mental Health Needs in Kinship Care Should Be A Priority, by Michael B. Friedman, Fall 2010
  My Aunt and Me: Implications For Geriatric Mental Health Policy, by Michael B. Friedman, Winter 2008
• Finance
  The Geriatric Mental Health Alliance of NY's Response to the Executive Budget
  Testimony to the Medicaid Redesign Team, by Kim Williams, February 2011
  Mental Health In A Time of Economic Crisis, by Michael Friedman, Spring 2009
  Save Money, Save Lives, by Michael B. Friedman, Spring 2007
  Use Medicaid for Growth, Not Just to Avoid Cuts, by Michael B. Friedman, Winter 2005
• History of Mental Health Policy
  Clifford Beers: The Origins of Modern Mental Health Policy, by Michael B. Friedman, Fall 2002
• Housing
  Behaviroal Health Challenges in Home Health Care, by Michael B. Friedman, Spring 2010.
  Make A Full Commitment to Housing, by Michael B. Friedman, Summer 2004
• Integration
  Integrate Physical and Behavioral Health Services: An Advocacy Agenda, Summer 2011
• Life Expectancy
  Schizophrenia, The Mortality Gap, and Suicide, by Michael Friedman, Winter 2010
• Long Term Care
  New York's Long-Term Health Care Challenge, by Kimberly Williams, Winter 2010
  How About Recovery For People With Psychiatric Disabilities In Long-Term Care?, by Kimberly Williams and Michael Friedman, Summer 2009
• Paranoia
  Paranoia is a Barrier to Aging in the Community, by Michael Friedman, Kimberly Williams and Lisa Furst, Spring 2010.
• Parity
  Where Is The Mental Health In Health Care Reform, by Michael Friedman and Lloyd I. Sederer, MD, Fall 2009
  We Need A Sound Bite For Mental Health. Please Send Suggestions, by Michael Friedman, Fall 2009
  Physical Health Should Be A Priority Of The Mental Health System And Mental Health Should Be A Priority Of The Health System, by Michael Friedman, Fall 2008.
• Planning
  Include Mental Health in an Age-Friendly New York, by Kimberly Williams, Summer 2010
• Policy Addresses
  First Annual MHA-NYC Policy Address, by Michael B. Friedman
• State Psychiatric Centers
  Beyond the Politics of Hospital Closures, by Michael B. Friedman, Spring 2004
• Stigma
  Stigma, by Michael B. Friedman, Winter 2006
  Estigma, por Michael B. Friedman, Invierno 2006
• Terrorism
  New York: 9/11 and After, Giselle Stolper and Michael B. Friedman, April 2003
  Terrorism in New York City: The Mental Health Impact of 9/11, Giselle Stolper and Michael B. Friedman, May 2002
  Mental Health Needs of Children and Adolescents After Terrorism, Testimony, March 22, 2002
  Terrorism and the Implications for Mental Health Planning, Testimony, January 24, 2002
• Veterans
  Meeting the Current and Future Demand for Mental Health Resources by the Veteran Community in NYC, by Kimberly Williams, September 2010
  Veterans, Families Deserve Expanded Care, by Herb Ruben and Kimberly Williams, June 23, 2010.

Contact Us

For further information on the Center, contact Center Director Kimberly Williams by phone at 212-614-5753, or by email at center@mhaofnyc.org.

Correspondence can also be sent to:
The Center for Policy, Advocacy and Education
Mental Health Association of NYC
50 Broadway, 19th Floor
New York, NY 10004