Remembering Max Schneier, Mental Health Advocate

Max Schneier

Max Schneier, J.D., one of SAMHSA's first National Advisory Council members and an internationally recognized advocate for people with mental illnesses, died in June after a brief illness. He was 85 years old. Friends, colleagues, and mental health professionals alike took time to remember Mr. Schneier.

SAMHSA Administrator Charles G. Curie, M.A., A.C.S.W., said, "Max Schneier put the issue of co-occurring mental and addictive disorders on the map—arguing that its time had come, long before many in our fields had the same realization."

Obituaries in the New York Times and the Los Angeles Times among others told the story of a man with a personal cause who gained the ear and the respect of mental health professionals and policymakers across the Nation.

"Max Schneier was the consummate advocate—totally committed, tenacious, and effective," said Herbert Pardes, M.D., president and chief executive officer of the New York Presbyterian Hospital, and a former director of the National Institute of Mental Health. "His persistent efforts helped shape how mental illness is defined today. He opened up the way for the mentally ill to get help, and he encouraged advocacy in this country."

Mr. Schneier was galvanized to action in 1969 by the serious mental illness of his daughter. Outraged by the obstacles his family encountered as they sought help, Mr. Schneier left his successful business and dedicated the rest of his life—more than 30 years—to his prodigious work as an unpaid activist.

His efforts brought impressive results. Motivated by his belief in psychosocial rehabilitation leading to recovery, he established three innovative community residence programs in New York and California.

"Max was a founding father of SAMHSA's Community Support Program," said Community Support Program Branch Chief Neal Brown, M.P.A. "And, for over 30 years he was a primary supporter of community mental health treatment and rehabilitation across the country."

"Max Schneier never backed down when he thought the cause was just," said Ruth Hughes, Ph.D., C.P.R.P., of the International Association of Psychosocial Rehabilitative Services (IAPSRS). "Over the years he continually fought for rehabilitation and recovery services for all people with mental illness."

From the point of view of consumers of mental health services, Mr. Schneier was a champion for the cause. "He was relentless," said J. Rock Johnson, J.D. "That is the best single word to describe him. He knew what was right, and he fought for us—rights protection and enforcement, services and support, accreditation standards—all focused on improving our quality of life."

He helped found the Federation of Parent's Organizations for New York State mental institutions, the first statewide advocacy group for families of people with mental illness. He was also instrumental in helping to create the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI) in 1979, a national mental health advocacy organization for people with serious mental illnesses and their families.

Soon after Mr. Schneier's death, the NAMI Web site posted anecdotes and recollections from staff members. Ron Honberg, NAMI's legal director, remembered Mr. Schneier's contribution in connection with a friend-of-the-court brief in a Florida case. "Max appointed himself as my personal law clerk and spent several days in a law library reading cases and finding obscure citations and precedents. He would call me at home at midnight, reading me quotes from cases and insisting I insert them into the brief. And of course, he was right on point!" Deciding that he needed to enhance his advocacy skills, Mr. Schneier earned a law degree in 1986 at the age of 69.

Mr. Schneier helped change the standards used by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) to evaluate hospitals providing psychiatric services, and worked to limit the use of seclusion and restraint in mental health facilities. "His powerful voice influenced the improvement of Joint Commission standards respecting psychiatric rehabilitation, discharge planning, and the treatment of co-occurring disorders, as well as many other important issues," said Paul M. Schyve, M.D., senior vice president at the JCAHO.

Irene Levine, Ph.D., professor of psychiatry at New York University School of Medicine and a former deputy director of SAMHSA's Center for Mental Health Services, said, "With his words, his pen, and his telephone, Max Schneier moved mountains and changed the landscape of mental health. In doing so, he reminded each of us of the power of one committed individual."

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