Albany – Senator Ken LaValle and Assemblyman Fred Thiele announced they secured $175,000 in the Final 2015-16 New York State Budget to expand the ongoing South Fork Behavioral Health Initiative.

Last year, Senator LaValle and Assemblyman Fred Thiele assembled a South Fork Behavioral Health Roundtable to discuss the growing mental health and suicide crisis facing school-aged children in our area. Since then, the Legislators have been joined by Suffolk County, Southampton Hospital, Stony Brook Hospital, South Fork Towns, South Fork School Districts, Family Service League and other mental health care providers in securing funding, designing and then implementing a new, unprecedented community-based effort. Senator LaValle and Assemblyman Thiele secured the initial $150,000 of seed money in the 2014-15 State Budget, and were later joined by local partners in raising a total of $270,000 by the end of 2014.

This new $175,000 will help implement Phase 2 of the proposal which expands the crisis services and clinical staff availability established in Phase 1 as well as establishing a new Community Behavioral Healthcare Collaborative.

Senator LaValle said, “It’s vitally important that we continue to provide state funding for crucial mental health crisis services for the East End. This has been a priority since the creation of the task force, who made recommendations and formulated a plan towards adequately addressing the issue. Assemblyman Thiele and I are pleased to be successful in securing additional state funds to continue this program providing these crucial mental health services for another year.”

Assemblyman Thiele noted, “The amount of progress our community has made in addressing this crisis over the last year is incredibly inspirational. I am proud that Senator LaValle and I were able to secure additional State funding to expand the breadth and scope of mental health services in our schools.”

“On behalf of the South Fork Behavioral Health Initiative, I would like to thank NYS Senator Ken LaValle and Assemblyman Fred Thiele for their support in securing an additional $175,000 in the NYS 2015-2016 budget,” said Robert S. Chaloner, President and CEO, Southampton Hospital. “These funds will enable us to continue our efforts to provide critical mental health services for adolescents on the East End.”

Adam Fine, Principal of the East Hampton High School and regional advocate for enhanced mental health services noted, “This really is a testament to having State Legislators tuned into local matters and the hard work of Senator LaValle and Assemblyman Thiele. Given the wealth of other matters and issues affecting our State, it is unbelievable that our little corner of the State can receive funding, two years in a row. When government works like this, we can save lives.”