Office of Mental Health

Initiatives To Serve Persons With Serious and Persistent Mental Illness

OMH has identified adults with serious and persistent mental illness as the group that most needs State-funded mental health treatment. In the past, this group was treated at State psychiatric centers, but when these centers were closed treatment was shifted to community-based programs. We examined the community-based services provided by OMH to this group of patients, as well as the methods used by OMH to fund these services. We found that limited improvements have been realized by OMH in its treatment of these patients and in its funding of this treatment. We noted that further improvements were possible, particularly in treatment funding. For example, research indicates that costs can be reduced if treatment is reimbursed through a capitated payment system (in which a single payment entitles a patient to receive certain services) rather than through the fee-for-service payment system used in New York.

For a complete copy of Report 94-D-27 click here.
For a copy of the 90-day response click here.