The Coalition of Voluntary Mental Health Agencies, Inc.: Action Alert



	Support Medicaid and Cost of Living Increases for Community Mental Health: Send E-mails! Letters and Faxes are the most effective way to get your voice heard: send an online letter now! Instructions: Choose the representative(s) you wish to e-mail Use the sample message provided, or modify it Enter your name, address and email address (name and email required) Check the box if you wish to be copied on the emails sent Then click "Send"... that's it! The program will automatically complete the email with the appropriate salutation and will add your name to the end. To: (choose one or more) Governor George Pataki, gov.pataki@chamber.state.ny.us Senator Joseph Bruno, bruno@senate.state.ny.us Senator Thomas Libous, senator@senatorlibous.com Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, speaker@assembly.state.ny.us Assemblyman Martin Luster, lusterm@assembly.state.ny.us To find out who your Senator and Assembly Member are, use our Representative Finder Date: October 21, 2002 Subject: Support Increases for Community Mental Health! Dear (checked above): I am writing to strongly urge your support for the community mental health sector by passing a Medicaid fee adjustment and multi-year cost of living increase and reauthorizing the Community Reinvestment Act. The recent passage of the increases for healthcare workers is a testament to what can be accomplished when Albany works together. However, community mental health workers were excluded from that increase. Studies show that workers are leaving at alarming rates-turnover among direct care staff averages as high as 54%. As many as 3 of every 4 people who left had been with the agency longer than a year. For the consumers and families who rely on these services, it is particularly difficult. The relationships--so important for effective treatment--are wiped out every time a worker leaves. This just makes the long, hard road to recovery even longer and even harder. Mental Health Commissioner James Stone agrees, saying there is, "no question" high turnover impacts the quality of care. Sadly, at a time when the needs could not be greater, a self-financing stream called Reinvestment has expired. This provision would allow more than $35 million in untapped savings in mental health to be kept in the mental health system. When the need is so great who would think of sending it elsewhere? Please support community mental health by reauthorizing the Community Reinvestment Act, passing a Medicaid fee increase, and passing a cost of living adjustment. Sincerely, Your name (required): Your City and State: Your e-mail address (required): Check to copy (cc:) yourself on this e-mail. (The results may take a few seconds, but please only click "send" once)
	©2002 The Coalition of Voluntary Mental Health Agencies, Inc. mailbox@cvmha.org

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Support Medicaid and Cost of Living Increases for Community Mental Health: Send E-mails!