Yesterday, MHANYS testified at the Department of Health 1115 Medicaid Waiver Hearing. The focus of our testimony was on workforce. The testimony is listed below.
Glenn Liebman, CEO
Mental Health Association in New York State, Inc. (MHANYS)
Testimony to New York State Department of Health
1115 MRT Waiver Annual Public Forum
March 26, 2025
My name is Glenn Liebman and I am the CEO of the Mental Health Association in New York State (MHANYS). We represent 26 mental health based providers in 52 counties. Our office in Albany works with our members as well as being engaged in advocacy, training, and education.
Our number one priority for the last several years has been specifically around the workforce. We have been engaged in many statewide campaigns around this issue, most notably this year we are very involved with the advocacy for the additional 7.8% funding investment for mental health and other human services sector. ‘We can’t wait for 7.8’ has been our rallying cry.
After the 1115 came out, we felt a level of enthusiasm for the mental health workforce. Though we were disappointed by DSRIP and the lack of funding for mental health and workforce, we felt that this was going to be different. We remain hopeful that the State through the 1115 will be able to provide existing funding despite the looming March 2027 deadline.
We are supporting two major changes specifically around the behavioral health workforce.
Career Pathway Training Funding
There has been a commitment of $646 million dollars for Career Pathway Training. We urge support from the Department of Health working with the three Workforce Investment Organizations that one quarter of this funding be utilized specifically for behavioral health.
As Governor Hochul has said, “The Mental Health crisis is the defining challenge of our time.” With her support, there has been over one billion dollars dedicated to mental health in New York.
With the influx of new innovative mental health programs across the State and additional funding for existing programs, there is a huge workforce shortage. If we are to successfully operationalize this vision, we need the staff to make this happen.
Funding for the workforce has long been an issue that represents a strain on providers dedicated to supporting peers in their recovery. We have long had an underfunded system of care.
We believe that utilizing a quarter of the CPT Funding for behavioral health will help support the work of our community. It is a commitment of $160 million.
Peer and Paraprofessionals should be included as a category in Section 12.5 in the Special Terms and Conditions of the Waiver
The inclusion of social workers, mental health counselors, CASAC’s and community health workers is an important recognition.
Under section 12.5, CPT Professional Education Programs, it is stated that the State may identify additional health care occupations that may emerge as part of the state’s initiative to address health related social needs for inclusion for career pathway training.
Not including peers and paraprofessionals is inconsistent with the 1115 vision of a workforce that is inclusionary.
Peers: There has been a number of studies indicating how individuals with lived experiences are better able to provide recovery services for individuals that have been traditionally difficult to engage. Governor Hochul and the New York State Office of Mental Health have been strong proponents of the peer movement. The New York State Office of Mental Health Webpage states, “The work of Certified Peer Specialists, Credentialed Family Peer Advocates and Credentialed Youth Peer Advocates is a necessary complement to the work being done by therapists, case managers and other members of the treatment team.”
Paraprofessionals: The New York State Office of Mental Health recently created the position of Community Mental Health Support Specialist (CMHSS). This is an outgrowth of the movement to insure paraprofessionals have a role in working with clinicians to help individuals achieve success through recovery. The CMHSS would provide support through connecting individuals with licensed professionals, support client engagement in treatment, problem solving and self-management skills as well as addressing client’s social needs.
We urge the Department of Health to include peers and paraprofessionals as part of the category of Frontline Public Workers. In addition, we urge the Department of Health to insure that a minimum of 25% of all Career Pathway Training Dollars be dedicated to behavioral health.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
