OFFICE OF MENTAL HEALTH

Agency Mission

The Office of Mental Health (OMH) administers an extensive statewide mental health network, including community-based mental health services, 17 State-operated psychiatric centers for adults, six State-operated psychiatric centers for children, three forensic psychiatric centers and two research institutes. The number of adult psychiatric center beds has decreased from a high of 93,000 in 1954 to an expected low of 4,775 by the end of State Fiscal Year (SFY) 1999-2000. The inpatient mental health system serves 9,700 adults and children annually. Outpatient services are provided to an additional 37,000 patients. In addition to serving outpatients, OMH provides other community-based services, including sheltered employment and residential opportunities. There are more than 2,500 not-for-profit and proprietary mental health services providers in the community, meeting the needs of over 500,000 persons. All community-based providers are licensed and regulated by OMH.

Year-to-Year Change

The Executive proposes a net Funds of $12,581,000 or 0.7 percent. On an All Funds basis, the State Operations budget decreases by $4,065,000, or 0.4 percent. Aid to Localities appropriations increase by $13,646,000 or 2.12 percent. Capital Projects appropriations increase by $3,000,000 or 2.69 percent.

Legislative Changes

Assembly Ways and Means Committee staff projections indicate that, based on historical experience, $2,000,000 of the nonpersonal service appropriation can be taken as savings.

Consolidation of computer mainframe functions by the Office of Technology results in surplus nonpersonal service funds which can be taken as savings.

Legislative Proposals

The Assembly proposes a spending plan designed to promote development of a comprehensive, community based network of support services for the mental health system's clientele. The principle underlying the Assembly's proposal is that accessible, cost-effective services must be available for adults with serious mental illness and children and adolescents with serious emotional disturbances. As demonstrated by the Legislature's $40,000,000 housing initiative in the SFY 1998-99 budget, the Assembly is committed to addressing the acute need for housing to serve persons who are mentally ill and either living at home with elderly, frail parents or who are homeless. The Assembly regrets, however, the inability of the Governor and the Mayor of the City of New York to reach agreement on implementation of the housing initiative at a time when housing is desperately needed. The Assembly proposes the addition of $3,000,000 to expand supported housing beyond the $5,700,000 added to the funding base in the SFY 1998-99 budget. The Assembly also proposes a $4,000,000 expansion in funding for programs serving children and adolescents, with special focus on residential opportunities and the "wrap-around" services that support them. In addition, a two-percent inflation adjustment to State Aid is proposed for mental health service providers for an annual cost of $15,000,000. The Assembly also includes $900,000 for 410 new Supported Employment slots, as well as $1,500,000 for expansion to four sites of a demonstration project evaluating involuntary outpatient commitment.

The Assembly also provides for restoration of State funded positions in three important areas. The State-county Shared Staffing program has helped to relieve some of the financial burden placed on local governments caused by deinstitutionalization of the mentally ill. In certain rural areas, these staff provide the only available mental health services. The Governor's proposal eliminates this program entirely. The Assembly proposes an addition of $4,200,000 for this program.

The research done at two State operated Institutes has played a large part in helping mentally ill persons to live productive lives in their communities. The Assembly plan provides for 27 research scientist positions to continue being funded by General Fund appropriations at a cost of $2,300,000. The Assembly also proposes that all 144 psychiatric residency positions be maintained at full funding for a cost of $825,000. The doctors filling these positions are necessary to maintaining a high standard of psychiatric care, as well as to providing a valuable link to educational institutions.

The Assembly does not propose any changes to the Community Mental Health Reinvestment Act.