Facts About the "People First" Listening Forums

Why were forums held?

The "People First" Coordinated Care Listening Forums were announced by Governor Eliot Spitzer on April 26, 2007, as part of his effort to focus New York's health and mental hygiene service systems on the people they serve. The Forums were hosted by New York State commissioners:

  • Karen Carpenter-Palumbo, LMSW, Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS)
  • Richard F. Daines, MD, Department of Health (DOH)
  • Michael F. Hogan, PhD, Office of Mental Health (OMH)
  • Diana Jones Ritter, Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities (OMRDD)

What were the goals of the forums?

The Listening Forums were designed to promote coordination among New York's health and mental hygiene service systems. (In New York State, the Department of Mental Hygiene consists of three autonomous offices: the Office of Mental Health, the Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities, and the Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services.)

Specifically, the commissioners sought to do this by listening to the experiences and concerns of people using these systems, their families, advocates, providers, and local government. The commissioners are committed to drawing upon the collective wisdom of stakeholders to develop strategies to improve the coordination of services and supports for people with needs across the four systems.

Where were the forums held?

The Forums were held in New Paltz, Queens, Buffalo, Syracuse, and Plattsburgh. Each was two hours in length, with most of the time devoted to dialogue between the commissioners and attendees. The Forums were advertised widely through e-mail listservs, agency Web pages, word of mouth, and press releases.

How many participated in the forums?

Approximately 2,200 consumers, family members, providers, community members, and local government representatives registered at the five Forums. An additional 4,000 unique URL addresses were counted; it is likely that the actual number of participants is larger because groups often gathered to watch Webcasts. Finally, within each agency's Listening Forum Web page, there was a link to a mailbox where comments and concerns could be shared with the commissioners. The electronic mailboxes were developed to encourage people who were unable to attend the forums to participate in the process. Substantive concerns were raised by 179 persons who sent e-mails to the four agencies.

How is the information gathered at the forums being used?

As part of the People First Forums, comment cards were made available on the agency Web sites and at each Forum. On the comment cards, people recorded concerns, questions, and experiences to share with the commissioners. Additionally, the comment cards were used to organize the question-and-answer periods at the forums where people asked questions of or expressed views to the commissioners.

The comment cards hold a wealth of valuable information. They are the chief means by which the four agencies are identifying major themes and issues for attention and for which collaboration should yield improvements, particularly for people with complex needs that cross service systems. The agencies are also using information from the comment cards to send thank you letters to those who participated.

Nearly one-half of people who registered for the Forums completed comment cards. Table 1 provides a summary of participation in the process.

Table 1. Summary of Listening Forum Participation
Forum Location/Host Agency Number of Registrants Number of Comment Cards Number of Substantive E-Mail Comments Received by Host Agency Total Comments (Cards + E-Mails)
Plattsburgh/OASAS 274 84 48 132
New Paltz/DOH 350 89 39 128
Queens/OMRDD 800 203 30 233
Buffalo/OMH 330 259 62 634
Syracuse/OMH 406 313
Total 2,160 948 179 1,127

Will Governor Spitzer receive a listening forum report and recommendations?

Yes. The report is being prepared by the Commissioners and staff members and will be submitted to Governor Spitzer.