Below is a note from ACL Board Chair, John Warren about the July retirement of Toni Lasicki, the longtime ACL Executive Director. I have known Toni for many years and I can say, without a doubt, that when you talk about mental health and housing in New York, she is the first person who comes to virtually everybody’s mind. In running ACL for almost twenty years, Toni has been a forceful, passionate and articulate advocate for the needs of housing providers and the peers and recipients they represent. Her single minded determination has been a major factor in changing the funding of housing in New York. Much has been accomplished through ACL’s partnership’s with the State and the Legislature, but there is still much more to do as she would be the first to acknowledge. That is why she is leading the Bring It Home campaign which will result in real change to the financing of mental health housing in New York.
Toni, her deputy director Doug Cooper, and the rest of the impressive ACL team have also looked at mental health globally and they have been very involved in a campaigns around workforce, parity, licensure, and anti-discrimination efforts.
On a personal level, Toni is a pleasure to work with—funny, compassionate and a great intellect. We will miss her come July but I have a feeling she will still be fighting for mental health services for many years to come. Now let’s all ‘Bring it Home’ in 2020
Dear Friends,
Toni Lasicki has informed the ACL Board of Directors of her decision to retire in July of 2020.
It has been nineteen years since Toni first brought her leadership, advocacy skills, depth of knowledge, and deep commitment to housing for people with serious psychiatric disabilities to ACL. She has succeeded in building a highly successful advocacy organization for behavioral health housing in New York State. Her efforts, the work of her outstanding professional staff, along with ACL’s ongoing collaboration with the State Office of Mental Health has created an expectation that the development and ongoing support of the finest housing resources in the world for persons challenged with mental health issues should be a priority for the state.
Toni has been tireless in her advocacy for our most vulnerable citizens and their right to a safe, secure and supportive place to live in our communities. During her tenure Toni has ensured ACL’s voice in the state budget decision making process, while creating a respected professional partnership with the Office of Mental Health, other state agencies and LGU leadership. She has been fierce in advocacy that is anchored in irrefutable facts. Toni has made ACL a formidable force in Albany while providing sterling service, advice and support to its membership. She and her staff are always there whenever any member needs to address a challenge with funders, seek support in serving persons with significant needs or simply find a sympathetic ear. We are fortunate to have had the gift of Toni’s stewardship.
Toni’s legacy is manifold, but the excellent staff she leaves in place is the foundation of our future success, and, a guarantee that our advocacy will continue unabated and that the Annual Conference and May Symposium will continue to be highlights of each of our working years.
We look forward to continue to partner with Toni in the coming months!
We know you will join us in wishing Toni a wonderful retirement come July and many years of peace and happiness.
Looking forward to seeing all of you at the Sagamore!
Sincerely,
ACL President John J. Warren and the ACL Board of Directors
