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Need-to-Know News: Feb. 10, 2012

February 10, 2012

The leading story in the Feb. 13 edition of Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Weekly features comments from the Coalition for Whole Health on the Essential Health Benefits Bulletin issued by the Department of Health and Human Services in December. Follow this link to read the comments from the Coalition, which LAC co-chairs.

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February 03, 2012

LAC State Policy Director Tracie M. Gardner testified before the Joint Public Hearing on Public Protection this week to present the recommendations of the NY ATI/Reentry Coalition. Read the full recommendations here, or see video of the hearing.
The New York Observer is featuring a profile of LAC Board Member Doug Liman in anticipation of his new show on MTV.

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January 27, 2012

Finalized its recommendations to fully include mental health and substance use disorder services within the Essential Health Benefits framework of the Affordable Care Act. If your organization would like to sign on to the recommendations, please contact Sherie Boyd at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
Drafted comments on the Essential Health Benefits Bulletin released by the Department of Health and Human Services last month. To sign on to the comments, please contact Sherie Boyd at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) before the Jan. 31 deadline; we also encourage you to use our comments as a template to submit your own.
Submitted a letter to HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius — on behalf of more than 75 national, state and local groups in the SUD and MH communities — asking for the data HHS used to develop the Essential Health Benefit Bulletin, and for more time for organizations to provide comment.

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January 20, 2012

After an analysis of Governor Andrew Cuomo's new budget plan, we were pleased to issue a statement this week supporting the proposal as a sensible path for New York State in answering the needs of people with HIV, people with addiction and mental health issues, and people involved in the criminal justice system.

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January 06, 2012

The Legal Action Center issued a press release praising Governor Cuomo's 2012 State of the State Address and New York State's impressive list of achievements during the first year of his term.
The Legal Action Center would like to congratulate Marsha Weissman, the Director of the Center for Community Alternatives (CCA), for being awarded the 2012 Sara Tullar Fasoldt Leadership and Humanitarian Award for her outstanding leadership and significant contributions to the field of community corrections. The Award will be presented next Thursday, January 12. The award symbolizes the life and work of Sara Tullar Fasoldt, former head of the NYS Division of Probation and Correctional Alternatives, who succeeded in immeasurably strengthening and improving the field of community corrections.
Paul Samuels, LAC's Director and President, is quoted in an article in this week's Alcohol & Drug Abuse Weekly regarding the Department of Health and Human Services's (HHS) bulletin regarding the Essential Health Benefits package included in the Affordable Care Act. Paul is quoted as saying that “[t]he HHS bulletin firmly establishes the requirements of parity, so that SUD and MH coverage is required for all types of services where other medical/surgical care is covered.”

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December 30, 2011

A Message from LAC President and Director:

The establishment and protection of rights for people with histories of addiction, criminal justice involvement, and HIV/AIDS through cutting-edge policy advocacy, precedent-setting litigation, direct legal services and public education has been a hallmark of LAC for almost 40 years. Now more than ever, we need to stand strong and speak out against discrimination and inequality. Stand with us by making your year-end gift today.

Your support is critical to the work we do and the people we serve, which is why I'm asking you to support our year-end campaign. It is a time when your donation can have an even greater impact; I urge you to give generously.
Wishing you and yours happy holidays and a healthy and prosperous New Year.

Sincerely,

Paul N. Samuels
President/Director
On December 19, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) held a public meeting to announce the release of a second round of FAQs to help substance abuse treatment providers understand how to apply the federal substance abuse confidentiality regulations (42 CFR Part 2) to electronic health records. At the meeting, Dr. H. Westley Clark, the Director of the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT), publicly acknowledged LAC's assistance in drafting the new FAQs. SAMHSA also announced that they would post the proceedings of the public meeting on their website.

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December 23, 2011

A Message from LAC President and Director:

The establishment and protection of rights for people with histories of addiction, criminal justice involvement, and HIV/AIDS through cutting-edge policy advocacy, precedent-setting litigation, direct legal services and public education has been a hallmark of LAC for almost 40 years. Now more than ever, we need to stand strong and speak out against discrimination and inequality. Stand with us by making your year-end gift today.

Your support is critical to the work we do and the people we serve, which is why I'm asking you to support our year-end campaign. It is a time when your donation can have an even greater impact; I urge you to give generously.
Wishing you and yours happy holidays and a healthy and prosperous New Year.

Sincerely,

Paul N. Samuels
President/Director

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