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The Center for Policy, Advocacy & Education

What's New

  • Read Herb Ruben's and Kimberly Williams' new article, "Veterans, Families Deserve Expanded Care," from the June 23, 2010 edition of The Albany Times Union.
  • Read Michael Friedman's recent article,  "Behavioral Health Challenges in Home Health Care," from the Spring 2010 edition of the Community Health Care Services Foundation.
  • Read Michael Friedman's and Kimberly William's contribution to a new book, "Case Management for Older Persons in Disasters."
  • Read a scientific article co-authored by Michael Friedman, "High Occurrence of Mood and Anxiety Disorders Among Older Adults," posted here.
  • Read a new opinion essay by Michael Friedman, Kimberly Williams and Lisa Furst, "Paranoia is a Barrier to Aging in the Community," from the Spring 2010 edition of Mental Health News, posted here.

 

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

Contact Us

For further information on the Center, contact Center Director Michael B. Friedman 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

The Mental Health Association of New York City, Inc.
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