Office of Consumer Affairs
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Mission
The Office of Consumer Affairs (OCA) of The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (NYCDOHMH), Division of Mental Hygiene, responds directly to consumers needs in three distinct disability areas: mental health, mental retardation / developmental disabilities and chemical dependency. OCA has a dual mission: (1) To ensure that consumer voices and perspectives are heard and integrated at all levels of the DOHMH’s Division of Mental Hygiene and (2) To empower consumers through education and exposure to resources. Furthermore, we are working towards incorporating recovery principles and practices into the City’s mental health system, including the Division of Mental Hygiene. For more information on recovery, click here.
Every individual deserves the opportunity to fulfill his or her potential no matter what their disability and the OCA makes every effort to educate consumers about their rights, but also to advocate on their behalf. Likewise, the OCA informs service systems and departmental operations of the practical needs facing our community.
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Roles and Functions
We partner with the consumer community and it is their direct input that informs our choices about where to apply energy, resources and innovative programming. Some of the ways in which we serve the community are by providing the following:
- User-friendly, consumer-oriented information and
referrals
- Internet access and use of our library
- Scholarships for attendance at conferences and
seminars
- Leadership skills development
- Public speakers at forums and special events
- An art gallery with annual exhibitions displaying works by consumer artists
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Recovery
Recovery as it applies to people with psychiatric disabilities, “is a process, sometimes lifelong, through which a consumer achieves independence, self-esteem and a meaningful life in the community.” (Power and Manderscheid). The NYC mental health services system has begun to support recovery for mental health consumers. DMH is pursuing opportunities within New York City to promote a more recovery-oriented mental health system in the following ways:
- Educating DMH staff and mental health community
stakeholders on recovery-oriented principles and practices
- Incorporating recovery in the local governmental plan
by including input from both consumers (a key element) and family members
- Gathering data directly from consumers to inform DMH
decisions on how to improve mental health services. Consumers participate in
Quality IMPACT workgroups that develop new quality improvement initiatives,
and complete perception of care surveys that drive quality improvement efforts
- Designing and implementing a Recovery Pilot Project that will incorporate peer recovery facilitators into the programmatic staff of two selected continuing day treatment programs (CDTs) to promote recovery-oriented services
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Contact Information
We maintain an open atmosphere and welcome your inquiries and comments. Please feel free to contact us to make an appointment, to view our library or art gallery, or simply say hello.
If you have concerns or requests for further information, please contact us:
By telephone at 311, New York City’s phone number for government and non-emergency services or directly at the Office of Consumer Affairs at 212-219-5393, or by e-mail at cwhitmo1@health.nyc.gov.
For mental health or substance abuse treatment referrals call:
LIFENET: 1-800-LIFENET (1-800-543-3638) (1-877-AYUDESE en Espanol; 1-800-543-3638 for Asian-speaking populations) is a toll-free, confidential help line that provides callers with information and referrals for those seeking services to mental health and substance abuse resources throughout the New York City area. LIFENET operates 24 hours per day / seven days per week.
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