The Mental Health Association of Westchester (MHA) is pleased to announce the recent appointment of former New York State Senator David Carlucci to its Board of Directors.

“We are thrilled to welcome Senator Carlucci to our Board of Directors, where his passion and rich experience will support our mission of advocacy, community education and direct services,” said MHA Chief Executive Officer Charlotte Östman, LCSW-R. “His strong commitment to improving mental health and reducing barriers to substance use disorder treatment has surely saved lives. From passing legislation to establish task forces addressing youth suicide among Latinx, Black and LTGBTQ communities, to passing laws to make Naloxone more accessible and to encourage individuals to administer the life-saving treatment without fear of arrest, Senator Carlucci has an admirable track record of advocacy and action. As we continue to expand our programs and services in Rockland County, we value his depth of perspective there. We look forward to his leadership as a member of our Board of Directors.”

For the past decade, under both Democratic and Republican majorities, Senator Carlucci has been an influential voice and leader in shaping mental health and substance use policy as the State Senate Mental Health Committee Chair and Co-Chair of the Addiction Task Force. During his terms, he passed 167 bills into law and significantly influenced mental health and substance use disorder regulations. Since leaving office in January 2021, Senator Carlucci has continued to use his expertise through consultation work with organizations. He was recently recognized by City & State as a member of the inaugural Mental Health Power 50, a group of influential public officials, academics, health care professionals, advocates and activists dedicated to raising awareness and improving mental health services. A graduate of Rockland Community College and Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations, Senator Carlucci is a native of New City, where he currently resides with his wife and two children.

"I am honored and thrilled to join the MHA Board and to bring the expertise I have obtained on the Local, Federal, and State level of government,” said Senator Carlucci. “During this critical time, the services that MHA provides to our community are essential. I look forward to working with MHA’s extremely talented staff and Board to increase services and see that all our neighbors get the help they need."