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Many drug and alcohol residential programs and half-way houses have been asking how they can cooperate with census takers, as they make their rounds in 2010, without violating the federal confidentiality law and regulations. The Legal Action Center called the Census Bureau to determine exactly what information census takers will be seeking and how they plan to approach residential treatment programs. We believe we have found a way for programs to cooperate fully with census takers without jeopardizing the confidentiality of their patients' identities. |
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On Monday, February 8, 2010, New York State Senate Finance Committee Chair Carl Kruger, and Assembly Ways and Means Committee Chair Herman "Denny" Farrell conducted the joint budget hearing focused on funding for public protection and keeping communities safe. A panel of criminal justice agencies, led by Deputy Secretary Denise O'Donnell from NYS Division of Criminal Justice Service and including Parole and Corrections testified on public protection budget issues. Legal Action Center Director of New York State Policy Tracie M. Gardner testified at the hearing on behalf of of the ATI and Reentry Coalition. To read her testimony, or to download the pdf, please "Read More. |
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Health Care Reform Update: Although Congress has shifted its agenda from health care to stimulating job growth, Congressional leaders continue to explore ways to pass health reform. Democrats may try to persuade the House to pass the Senate bill as is and use the filibuster-proof reconciliation process in the Senate to make certain fixes demanded by the House, or they may attempt to develop a scaled-back bill that can pass both chambers. LAC continues to monitor the situation closely while working with our Congressional allies to ensure that addiction and mental health are equitably included in any reforms considered by Congress.
Parity Regulations Released: On Friday, January 29th, the Departments of Health and Human Services, Treasury, and Labor released the “interim final” rule and regulations governing implementation of the Wellstone/Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act. The regulations include a number of strong provisions consistent with Congressional intent to improve access to critically important addiction and mental health treatment for millions of Americans. The rule will become effective April 5th and applies to group health plans and issuers with plan years beginning on or after July 1, 2010. Please click here for a summary of major provisions of the interim final parity rule. |
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Project Highlights
■ National Advocacy Campaign
The Legal Action Center (LAC) and State Associations of Addiction Services (SAAS) have joined forces to launch the National Advocacy Campaign, our major new national initiative to educate policymakers and advocate for public policy reform at the federal, state, and local levels to achieve two over-arching goals:
- Eliminate discrimination against people in recovery from addiction who are fully qualified for employment, insurance, housing, education, and life’s other necessities.
- Greatly expand and improve the availability and quality of prevention, treatment, and recovery support services, and increase research and the application of recovery-focused scientific findings in communities across the country
Learn more about the campaign and how you can get involved here.
■ Legal Action Center’s H.I.R.E Network Releases a National Blueprint for Reentry
The National Blueprint for Reentry: Model policies to promote the successful reentry of individuals with criminal records through employment & education is a comprehensive plan to improve employment and educational opportunities for people with criminal records.
■ After Prison: Roadblocks to Reentry. A State-by-State Report Card
A landmark two-year study of the legal obstacles that people with criminal records face when they attempt to reenter society. In order to help advocates eliminate these unfair roadblocks, the Legal Action Center has developed advocacy kits on 12 critically important policy, funding and legal issues that can be used to remove nearly all of the most harmful roadblocks to re-entry.
More on Roadblocks to Rentry
More on the Advocacy Tool Kits