Budget season is in full swing in New York State. Governor Kathy Hochul’s “New York Dream” emphasizes public safety, housing shortages, a minimum wage increase that is indexed to rise with inflation, and mental health services. The budget is due on April 1st.
Budget Falls Short for Disability Services
For voluntary OPWDD-funded providers such as AHRC NYC, the budget once again fails to fully acknowledge our contributions to ensuring the health and safety of hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers with disabilities. Most notably, Governor Hochul’s initial budget only includes a 2.5% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for providers, far below the 8.5% COLA requested by advocacy groups to maintain the status quo of services and keep pace with inflation. The budget additionally does not include a Direct Support Wage Enhancement of at least $4,000 for staff members providing direct support in the non-profit sector, while alarmingly including a potential $4,000-$6,000 wage increase for state-employed workers.
Michael Del Broccolo with AHRC NYC’s Mario McKenzie, Jamel Alston, and Matthew Estep in Albany
A survey conducted by New York Disability Advocates (NYDA) in October 2021 found that nearly 70 percent of nonprofit agencies have seen an increase in staff vacancies since April 2021. Half of all providers reported they have been forced to close or reduce programming and 77% were unable to expand program offerings to meet needs, due to staffing shortages.
Our colleagues at NY Alliance for Inclusion and Innovation say, “The field was widely expecting that with the Hochul Administration, the OPWDD sector would not have to continue to fight for badly needed and overdue budget increases necessary simply to maintain existence. An 8.5% COLA is what the sector needs simply to maintain the status quo, which everyone widely recognizes is insufficient and inadequate. The Executive Budget falls woefully short.”
How to Get Involved in Advocacy
While Governor Hochul’s budget is positive in some capacities, it simply does not fully respect the direct care workers and service providers who support more than 85 percent of the state’s I/DD population. However, we have received key support from leaders in the legislature including Senators John Mannion, Jessica Scarcella-Spanton, and Nathalia Fernandez and Assemblymembers George Alvarez, Jodi Giglio, and Aileen Gunther.
AHRC NYC Employment & Business Services staff meet with Assemblymember Jodi Giglio in Albany
Budget negotiations will continue throughout the month of March. Contact your assemblymember and state senator via email, phone, letter, or via their social media accounts, and implore them to support an 8.5% COLA and the Direct Support Wage Enhancement proposal. If possible, visit their offices in person to further your message and tell your stories. Let your representatives and their staff members know how important direct care workers are in the lives of you and your loved ones.
Visit New York Disability Advocates for resources and legislative priorities.
