NYSHealth to Fund Mental Health and Substance Use Initiatives

The New York State Health Foundation (NYSHealth), a fund created with the proceeds of the conversion of Empire BCBS to for profit status, has announced that it is adding “Integrated Mental Health/Substance Use Services” as one of its priority areas. This initiative is divided into two components: integrating services and an initiative for returning veterans.

The following is from the NYSHealth website:

Nearly 1.4 million people in New York State suffer from co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders; however, individuals with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders rarely receive services that effectively address both of these issues. For years, the mental health and substance use systems of care have operated separately, and regulatory and financial barriers have restricted integration of these services. Not surprisingly, poor health outcomes are associated with co-occurring disorders in the absence of integrated care and individuals with co-occurring disorders are at higher risk for other serious medical problems, homelessness, violence, social isolation, and early death. NYSHealth has set as a priority area the integration of mental health and substance use services in New York State, and is dedicated to advancing potential solutions. As a component of this priority area, NYSHealth has identified returning Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans and their families as a high-need, sub-population whose broad mental health needs are not being met.

The Foundation is committing $10 million over the next 5 years for its Integrative Services initiatives and $2 million over the next two years for its Returning Veterans program.

ABC’s Priorities

James Norman, the president and CEO of Action for a Better Community, a Rochester-based “community action agency” and frequent collaborator with the Medical Center on a number of projects, has a piece in this week’s Democrat and Chronicle about his organization’s activities.

ABC, community partners build ladders out of poverty, ill health

During May, Community Action month, more than 1,000 grass-roots agencies nationwide celebrate the victories in the war against poverty and make a special effort to raise awareness about the challenges still facing communities.

The National Community Action Partnership in Washington, D.C., of which Action for a Better Community Inc. is a member, launched an ambitious campaign in January titled “Rooting Out Poverty.” This bold initiative draws from the experience of the national network of community action agencies. Including five action themes, the campaign is a call to action, inviting local agencies like ABC to take this national campaign to the local level. The five themes are:

• Maximize participation.
• Build an economy that works for everyone.
• Invest for the future.
• Maximize equality of opportunities.
• Ensure healthy people and places.

These themes are only the framework; the real work can only be done locally, tapping into this community’s ingenuity and collaborative spirit to find solutions for our unique challenges.