General Resources / Legal Resources / Medical
Resources / Briefing Papers / State Activity
Hospital Closures / Preventable
Tragedies / Press Room / Search
Our Site / Home
Advocates Praise Governor Pataki, Assembly
Speaker Silver, Attorney General Spitzer and Webdale Family for Passing Kendras Law
****************************************************************
Senate (49-2) and Assembly (142-4) pass bill by wide margin indicating overwhelming
support
New York, NY -- Kendra Webdales death was a tragedy. What came out of it is a miracle. The passage of Kendra's Law ushers in a new era of protection for the severely mentally ill and communities throughout New York. Kendra's Law moves us closer to a system where the severely mentally ill can receive needed treatment even when they become too ill to recognize their need for it. It will now be possible for families to treat their loved ones before they become dangerous, rather than being forced to wait until it is too late.
We thank Governor Pataki, Assembly Speaker Silver, and Attorney General Spitzer for working with the Webdales and Treatment Advocacy Center in formulating Kendras Law. We are delighted New York is joining with 40 other states in making this lifesaving form of community treatment available to its residents.
We also thank the broad coalition of mental health advocates and advocates for public safety that supported this bill: the Alliance for the Mentally Ill of New York State, Center for the Community Interest, Public Employees Federation, NYS Association of Chiefs of Police, Victims Services Agency and many others. We commend New Yorks six largest newspapers for their support of this vital legislation: New York Times, Albany Times Union, Buffalo News, Newsday, New York Post and Daily News. We note that Kendras Law passed the New York State legislature by 49-2 in the Senate and 142-4 in the Assembly indicating strong support.
We are particularly grateful to the Webdale family for their amazing efforts and to the political leaders for listening to the ideas of the Treatment Advocacy Center and incorporating our thinking in the legislation. Research in Washington, DC, Iowa, Ohio and elsewhere has shown Assisted Outpatient Treatment reduces violence and re-hospitalizations. A study at Bellevue Hospital demonstrated a 57 percent reduction in hospital days for patients receiving assisted outpatient treatment. Kendras Law helps patients live successfully outside hospitals rather than imprisoned in them. It also keeps communities safer.
We salute the Webdales and Edgar Rivera, along with Charles and Nadine Stevens and all the others who came forward to tell their personal stories. We thank the states leadership and their staffs, and look forward to working with them to continue to improve the quality of care for New Yorkers suffering with brain disorders.
Kendra's Law opens the door to freedom and renewed hope for the thousands of New Yorkers once held hostage by their psychosis. New Yorkers across the state will reap the benefits of this compassionate law.
# # #
The NY Treatment Advocacy Coalition is affiliated with the Treatment Advocacy Center in Arlington, VA. NYTAC helps coordinate the efforts of families and advocacy organizations working to help change laws so NY can treat its mentally ill citizens before they become a danger rather than waiting for after. For more information, call 703 294 6008.general
resources | legal resources | medical
resources | briefing papers | state activity
hospital closures | preventable
tragedies | press room | search
| home
The contents of TAC's website are copyrighted by the Treatment Advocacy Center unless otherwise indicated. All rights reserved and content may be reproduced, downloaded, disseminated, or transferred, for single use, or by nonprofit organizations for educational purposes only, if correct attribution is made. TAC is an I.R.C. � 501(c)(3) tax-exempt corporation. Donations are appreciated and are eligible for the charitable contribution deduction under the provisions of I.R.C. � 170. Please note that TAC does not accept funding from pharmaceutical companies or entities involved in the sale, marketing, or distribution of such products.
Treatment Advocacy Center (TAC), 200 N. Glebe Road, Suite 730, Arlington, VA 22203 703 294 6001/6002 (phone) | 703 294 6010 (fax) | www.treatmentadvocacycenter.org (website) [email protected] (general email) | [email protected] (press contact) [email protected] (webmaster) |