ALBANY, N.Y. — Twelve state advocacy groups hosted a rally at the New York State Capitol Monday morning to ask legislators and New York Governor Kathy Hochul to make changes to her 2024-2025 State Fiscal Year’s budget.

According to the Mental Health Association in New York State’s press release, the advocacy groups want Governor Hochul to include a 3.2 percent increase in the Cost of Living Adjustment.

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“In the 40 years that have passed since our current mental health housing models were created, everything has changed—except the models,” said Sebrina Barrett, Executive Director of the Association for Community Living. “We cannot provide adequate care and support to those we serve under the parameters set in the 1980s.”

They also ask that Governor Hochul provides $500 million in investments for mental health and substance use disorder services.

“Across New York, our staff are working tirelessly to mitigate the impacts of the overdose epidemic and increased rates of suicide affecting New Yorkers in crisis proportions,” said Lauri Cole, Executive Director, NYS Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare. “There are significant waiting lists to access mental health and substance use disorder services through the public mental hygiene system. This is due to a variety of factors including inadequate rates and a lack of consistent investment in the needs of our current and future workforce.”

Allegra Schorr, President of the Coalition of Medication-Assisted Treatment Providers and Advocates (COMPA) also said that, “New York continues to struggle with the increase in deadly overdoses across the state and it is vital that the State support policies and provide funding that increase access to medications for OUD and remove barriers which impede that access.”