"People First" Coordinated Care Listening Forums
Putting YOU at the Center of New York's System of Care

"Our agenda is based on a single premise: patients, not institutions, must be at the center of our health care system. That means that every decision, every initiative and every investment we make must be designed to suit the needs of patients first. The result will be a high-quality health care system at a price we can all afford." - Governor Eliot Spitzer

Please join these New York State Commissioners in a dialogue to discuss the needs and desires of individuals and their families and your ideas about ways to better serve New Yorkers:

Commissioner Ritter from OMRDD, Commissioner Hogan from OMH, Commissioner Carpenter-Palumbo from OASAS, and Commissioner Daines from DOH announce the availability of the Report on the People First Coordinated Care Listening Forums held across New York State in 2007. This report provides analyses on what was heard from people, families, providers, and counties, and outlines the steps for developing a coordinated approach to services delivery within and between the Mental Hygiene and Health services systems in supporting people with multiple disability needs.

Governor's Press Release

Press Release 05/14/07 - New Paltz

Press Release 06/19/07 - Buffalo

Press Release 06/20/07 - Syracuse

Letter to the Participants

Facts About The People First Listening Forums

Please share your comments and concerns - Providing the best possible services for all New Yorkers is our main priority. We are interested in what your experiences are about access, quality, and coordinated care. Please plan to attend the forum nearest you and share with New York State Commissioners your experiences. You will be asked to complete a card describing your experiences with these services.

• If you plan to attend, you may choose to fill out the card in advance. Please bring two copies.

Statewide Forum schedule:

• 5/14/07 - New Paltz Forum
• 6/6/07   - New York City Forum
• 6/19/07 - Buffalo Forum
• 6/20/07 - Syracuse Forum
• 7/13/07 - Plattsburgh Forum

State Agency contacts:

• Department of Health (DOH)
  Commissioner Richard F. Daines, M.D.
  E-mail: dohweb@health.state.ny.us
  Website: www.nyhealth.gov
• Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS)
  Commissioner Karen M. Carpenter-Palumbo, CSW
  E-Mail: public.affairs@oasas.state.ny.us
  Website: www.oasas.state.ny.us
• Office of Mental Health (OMH)
  Commissioner Michael F. Hogan, Ph.D.
  E-Mail: transformation@omh.state.ny.us
  Website: www.omh.state.ny.us
• Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities (OMRDD)
  Commissioner Diana Jones Ritter
  E-Mail: public.affairs@omr.state.ny.us
  Website: www.omr.state.ny.us