LAC Praises Governor Andrew Cuomo’s 2012 State of the State Address

NEW YORK, January 4, 2012 – The Legal Action Center (LAC) applauds Governor Andrew Cuomo for his leadership in championing smart, compassionate and cost effective approaches to the needs of people with HIV, people with addiction and mental health issues, and people involved in the criminal justice system.

The Governor and the Legislature deserve great praise for eliminating over 3,800 prison beds and 370 juvenile facility beds and expanding the role of prevention and community-based alternatives to incarceration (ATI). "Governor Cuomo, the Assembly and Senate have long supported expansion of addiction prevention, treatment and recovery and ATI programs, as well as drug treatment alternative to prison and other innovative approaches," said Paul N. Samuels, Director/President of the Legal Action Center. "These initiatives, together with critical public policy changes such as reform of the Rockefeller Drug laws, have made New York State the national leader in reducing crime, reducing incarceration, reducing criminal justice costs and improving public health and safety. We are delighted that the Governor will continue these enlightened and effective approaches."

Legal Action Center also praises the Governor and Legislature for the recent initiative that addresses chronic, high unemployment among disadvantaged inner-city youth with an innovative jobs program. Employment is a key to improving our State's communities, with many benefits such as reducing crime and improving health.

The Center supports the Governor's call for creating health insurance exchanges as a key feature of historic health care reform, including redesign of Medicaid for the state of New York. The Governor, Medicaid Redesign Team, Department of Health, Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services and Office of Mental Health have done a great job identifying and implementing reforms that will strengthen New York State's services for people with or at risk for substance use disorders, HIV/AIDS and mental illness.