The Alliance for Rights and Recovery

02/02/2026

Honoring the next generation of peer leaders at our Ohio Leadership Graduation in Columbus. Grateful for the commitment, vision, and heart of everyone who completed the Alliance Leadership Series.

02/02/2026

The staffing crisis in New York’s mental health and substance use agencies has reached a critical level. At The Alliance for Rights and Recovery (formerly NYAPRS), we believe that those who show up every day to support New Yorkers deserve a livable, stable wage.

Join us on Tuesday, February 10th for our annual Legislative Day. We are advocating for a 2.7% Targeted Inflationary Increase to ensure our programs stay open and our workforce stays strong.

How to get involved:

Prepare: Join our virtual briefing on Feb 5th at 1:00 PM to learn our 2026 policy priorities.

Show up: We have organized transportation from across the state including the Hudson Valley, North Country, and NYC.

Recovery is possible, but only if the services are there to support it.

More Here https://buff.ly/idr1FDZ

01/29/2026

Enough is enough—New Yorkers shouldn’t have to wait for life-saving mental health and substance use disorder care. Nearly half of New York’s public mental health outpatient clinics are backed up with long waitlists, while insurance companies stall and block access with endless red tape. No more delays. It’s time for New York to cut out the middlemen and send funding straight to lifesaving care. Our loved ones can’t wait.

01/28/2026

On Tuesday, February 10, hundreds of advocates from across New York State will head to Albany for the Alliance for Rights and Recovery’s Annual Legislative Day—and our 2026 policy priorities are officially live.
With federal funding threats, workforce instability, and growing unmet need, this is a critical moment to raise a strong, unified voice.
Our top priority this year: funding a 2.7% Targeted Inflationary Increase (COLA) to stabilize the behavioral health workforce and protect essential services.
👉 Get full details and sign up for a bus from your region here https://rightsandrecovery.org/annual-events/legislative-day/

Be there. Be heard. Help protect and strengthen the services that make recovery possible!

01/26/2026

The Alliance for Rights and Recovery is bringing together advocates from across New York State to advance our shared priorities for mental health and recovery.

On February 10, 2026, advocates will gather at The Egg in Albany for a full day of action that builds on the momentum of our Regional Forums and brings our collective voice directly to state leaders. The day will include:

A press conference calling for continued funding of Daniel’s Law non-police crisis response pilots and passage of the Treatment Court Expansion Act (A.4869 / S.4547)

A rally in the War Room at the Capitol demanding a 2.7% targeted inflationary rate increase for behavioral health agencies and their staff

Meetings with legislators and policymakers from across New York State

Our top priority this year is clear: fund a 2.7% targeted inflationary increase (COLA) to protect and strengthen community-based mental health and recovery services.

Read the full announcement, legislative priorities, and bus information here:
https://rightsandrecovery.org/e-news-bulletins/2026/01/26/alliance-releases-feb-10th-albany-legislative-day-priorities-and-bus-information/

Need a ride? Transportation is available from multiple regions across the state.
Shuttle and bus sign-up:
https://rightsandrecovery.org/annual-events/legislative-day/

Your voice matters. Join us in Albany and be part of the movement for change.

01/19/2026

Today, on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the Alliance for Rights and Recovery, alongside our Cultural Competence Committee, honors the enduring legacy of Dr. King and the civil rights movement that transformed this nation. Dr. King’s vision of justice, dignity, and collective responsibility continues to guide our work to protect and advance the rights of people with mental health challenges, disabilities, and others who have too often been marginalized or excluded.

Read the full post on our eNews: https://rightsandrecovery.org/e-news-bulletins/2026/01/19/honoring-dr-martin-luther-king-jr-keeping-the-fight-for-rights-justice-and-dignity-alive/

01/15/2026

The federal administration has abruptly canceled hundreds of Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA) grants nationwide, cutting off funding that supports lifesaving mental health, substance use, overdose prevention, peer support, crisis response, and homelessness services. These cuts were issued with no warning and are effective immediately.

Providers across the country are reporting that programs may be forced to shut down overnight, staff may be laid off, and people relying on these services could be left without support.

Take action now! Tell Congress to stop the SAMHSA grant cuts that would hurt our communities.
Add your voice and tell lawmakers: protect funding for recovery support: https://www.votervoice.net/NYAPRS/campaigns/132760/respond

Read more here: https://rightsandrecovery.org/e-news-bulletins/2026/01/14/action-alert-tell-congress-to-stop-the-samhsa-grant-cuts/

The federal administration has abruptly canceled hundreds of Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA) grants nationwide, cutting off funding that supports lifesaving mental health, substance use, overdose prevention, peer support,...

01/14/2026

Alliance Alert: The Alliance for Rights and Recovery is deeply alarmed by reports of the abrupt and widespread cancellation of Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) grants across the country. These sudden terminations threaten critical mental health, substance use, overdose prevention, and homelessness services that communities rely on every day. As the article details, these grants support front-line providers delivering lifesaving services, including peer support, naloxone distribution, crisis response, and recovery services. Pulling this funding without warning risks immediate service disruptions, program closures, and devastating consequences for people already facing immense barriers to support.

We are actively gathering more information from providers and partners to better understand the scope and impact of these cancellations, particularly in New York. If your organization has been affected by these SAMHSA funding cuts, we urge you to reach out to us directly (Lukes@rightsandrecovery.org). Hearing from providers on the ground is critical to ensuring elected officials have an accurate picture of how these decisions are impacting services, staff, and the people we support across the state. This information will help inform advocacy with congressional leaders and state officials as we push to stop these cuts and hold the federal administration accountable.

We will continue working closely with national advocates and policymakers to demand that the federal government follow through on awarded contracts and protect the funding that underpins our mental health and substance use safety net. These programs save lives, stabilize communities, and are essential to public health and recovery. We will continue to keep our members informed and share opportunities for advocacy as this situation develops.

Read more here: https://rightsandrecovery.org/e-news-bulletins/2026/01/14/breaking-alarming-samhsa-funding-cuts-threaten-critical-services/

01/13/2026

Harvey Rosenthal and Luke Sikinyi share their takeaways from Governor Kathy Hochul’s State of the State and what it could mean for recovery communities, families, schools, and community providers. Read More: https://buff.ly/fJOPBQO

01/13/2026

NOW: Alliance VP for Public Policy **Luke Sikinyi** speaking at our NYC Regional Forum in Brooklyn!

We’re live with advocates, providers, and community leaders coming together to address urgent issues impacting mental health, justice, and recovery.

Today’s forum is bringing powerful voices into the room to share insights from the field and identify the actions needed to strengthen our behavioral health system.

Join us on February 10 in Albany for Annual Legislative Day.
Each year, the Alliance for Rights and Recovery brings together recovery-minded mental health activists and professionals to discuss and advance real, tangible change.

Thank you to everyone joining us today and lending your voice!

01/13/2026

NYC Regional Forum — Join the Conversation

We’re bringing together powerful voices from across New York City’s behavioral health, advocacy, and policy landscape for an engaging and timely forum.

🎤 Featured speakers include:
• Harvey Rosenthal and Luke Sikinyi, Alliance for Rights and Recovery
• Ken Zimmerman, CEO of Fountain House & Mamdani Transition Team Member
• Jordyn Rosenthal, Community Access
• Christina Sparrock, NYC Mental Health Collective & Crisis Response Advocate
• Ismael Diaz, Center for Community Alternatives (CCA)
• Representative, Treatment Court Expansion Act Team
• Representative, Mayor Mamdani’s Office of Mass Engagement

Together, we’ll discuss advocacy priorities, policy developments, and collective action to strengthen mental health and justice reform efforts across NYC.

We look forward to connecting and building power—together.