The Executive Budget recommends the net reduction of 296 FTEs in SFY2001/02. The estimated FTE workforce will be 18,243 positions on March 31, 2002. The Executive Budget also recommends (analysis as of January 16, 2001):

• A net reduction of 296 FTE’s in 2001, 346 from Adult Services, 10 from Administration, and 2 from Children and Youth Services, offset by an increase of 59 positions in Maintenance Undistributed / Special Revenue Funds-Other, which reflect staffing for adult transitional residences on the grounds of State PCs. It is unclear what positions are being transferred from the General Fund to the Special Revenue Fund. 150 funded vacancies that were previously temporarily assigned to various psychiatric centers to support programs during periods of significant census decreases will be eliminated. PEF believes these positions are included in the 346 identified Adult Services reductions. Despite a reduction of 10 FTEs in the Administration Program, the budget shows a 21.8% increase ($6.8 million) in personal services for this program, with no explanation for this inconsistency.
• Over the next three years 725 inpatient beds will close, including 240 psychiatric beds in 2001/02. The budget indicates that OMH will keep open an average of 150 additional beds beyond its projection of bed needs from 2001-2 through 2003-04.

• Two psychiatric centers will close:

• Hutchings PC (236 PEF members) will close on January 1, 2003 after consolidation with Mohawk Valley PC

• Middletown PC (189 PEF members) will close on January 1, 2004 after consolidation with Rockland PC

Details on staff impact are not yet available, however comments by OMH indicate that transfers to OMH and other state agencies will be accomplished through voluntary transfers, without layoffs.

• The following children’s’ PCs will relocate to the grounds of adult PCs as separate autonomous entities with separate and secure entrances and exits, as well as separate treatment, program, educational and recreational space:

• Western NY Children’s PC (110 PEF members) will relocate to Buffalo PC on April 1, 2002

• Sagamore Children’s PC (160 PEF members) will relocate to Pilgrim PC on January 1, 2003

• Rockland Children’s PC (151 PEF members) will relocate to Rockland PC on January 1,2003

• Queens Children’s PC (163 PEF members) will relocate to Creedmoor PC on October1, 2003

• Kirby Forensic PC (112 PEF members) will be consolidated into buildings at Manhattan PC on July 1, 2003
• OMH has stated that there will be no change of the number of beds because of these relocations. They have also stated that only administrative and ancillary operations will be consolidated with the adult facilities. The relocations will provide savings through administrative efficiencies (sharing administrative and support functions) and avoidance of capital renovations ($57 million in new capital appropriations are included in this budget for renovations related to consolidations and relocations, avoiding an estimated $168 million in capital costs required for those facilities at their current locations).
• Transition of shared staff funding to counties over a three-year period. According to budget documents, $3 million will be appropriated in the first year of this plan, increasing to over $12 million in the final year. The budget bill, however, shows a local assistance appropriation of $12.2 million for the transition of shared staff to local auspices pursuant to a chapter, with the funds transferred to OMH if the chapter is not passed. The proposed Article VII bill provides that as shared staff positions become vacant, appropriations will be made available to the local governmental unit in which such services were provided. Any OMH employee still providing shared staff services on March 31, 2004 will be reassigned to state–operated programs. The bill exempts from the definition of shared staff those OMH staff who provide services in programs operated by counties, not-for-profit agencies, or hospitals whose positions were originally funded by the Community Mental Health Reinvestment Act.
• A new Community Mental Health Support and Workforce Reinvestment Act, (replacing the Community Mental Health Reinvestment Act, which expires September, 2001) which will redirect savings ($64 million) from State bed closures ($41.6 million) (for which the one year notice provision is deemed satisfied) and relocations ($22.5million) to support the cost of a 2.5% annual COLA increase for three years for community mental health programs and provide a 10% increase in the Medicaid fees the State pays to mental health clinics, day treatment services and other licensed Article 31 outpatient programs. Also authorizes the development and operation of up to 104 State-operated adult transitional housing beds and 40 State-operated children’s crisis residence beds on the grounds of State psychiatric centers (funding proportional to actual State appropriation reductions resulting from adult inpatient bed closures, expected to cost $7.7 million when fully operational). A separate capital appropriation of $13 million is made for these beds.
• An increase of $3.6 million in the Enhanced Community Services Program for state-operated adult transitional residences on the grounds of state psychiatric centers, children’s mobile mental health teams at Office of Children and Family Services facilities, and monitoring and oversight of community mental health programs.

Last Updated on 1/18/01