NYAPRS Lauds Advances in Criminal Justice, Housing and Employment Initiatives in Governor Hochul’s State of the State Address: Clarity on a 5.4% COLA and a $500 million Investment is Essential!
NYAPRS Note: In her first State of the State, Governor Hochul offered a number of proposals that NYAPRS and our members are very pleased to see, especially in the areas of criminal justice, housing and employment. But more details are needed, most notably with regards to funding for behavioral health agencies and our workforce. And while we’re pleased to see the creation of an Office of the Chief Disability Officer to serve as an advocate for the needs and rights of persons with disabilities, we believe that the Governor must go one step further and restore the broader Office of the Advocate for Persons with Disabilities.
In all, while there were a number of proposals in today’s address to celebrate, it’s imperative that the Budget make clear that there’s a 5.4% COLA and $500 million for our workforce, services and supports.
Here’re some initial details.
WORKFORCE
We’re encouraged by the Governor’s many references to support retention and recruitment of the healthcare workforce including “the significant goal of growing the workforce by 20 percent over the next five years” and to make a $4 billion in wages and bonuses, we are still very unclear about how much is going to address the full state of crisis in NY’s behavioral health workforce, services and supports! As we seek more details, we will continue our full out campaign for the 5.4% COLA and $500 million investment.
HOUSING
We were very pleased to see that Governor Hochul’s Housing Plan will create 7,000 units of supportive housing and preserve 3,000 units over the next five years — providing 10,000 units in all to further prevent homelessness and serve vulnerable and at-risk populations, including people living with serious mental health and addiction recovery challenges.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE
Support for Passage of the the Clean Slate Act
A huge NYAPRS priority, we hail Governor Hochul’s decision to push to see passage of the Clean Slate Act, providing for certain felony records to be sealed after seven years, and misdemeanor records to be sealed after three years, following the completion of a sentence. To be eligible for records sealing, an individual would have to have completed their prison sentence and community supervision; not have been convicted of a sex crime; and not since have acquired subsequent convictions in New York State or have pending charges during the waiting period. Reasonable exceptions will be made for appropriate categories of employment.
NYAPRS also is pleased to see the inclusion of a pilot a new approach to Transitional Housing For Post-Incarceration Individuals to secure suitable residences for parolees who might otherwise have been released into the shelter system and a restoration of the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) for Incarcerated Individuals
DISABILITY POLICY
Chief Disability Officer vs an Office of the Advocate for Persons with Disabilities
While we’re pleased to see the creation of an Office of the Chief Disability Officer to serve as an advocate for the needs and rights of persons with disabilities, we believe that the Governor must go a major step further and restore an entire fully staffed Office of the Advocate for Persons with Disabilities to ensure that all New Yorkers with disabilities are afforded full protections and supports by NYS government.
EMPLOYMENT OF NEW YORKERS WITH DISABILITIES
The Govern took a number of positive steps here including a number of priroties NYAPRS has raised through our membership on the state’s Most Integrated Setting Coordinating Council (MISCC), including:
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ensuring businesses remain committed to employing people with disabilities and have the necessary toolkits to do so;
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reducing barriers faced by companies in hiring people with disabilities, and by workers in finding these roles;
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leveraging federal and state tax credits;
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updating (and implementing!) the 2015 Employment First recommendations;
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making best use of existing State-funded training and employment programs, as well as Adult Career and Continuing Education Services-Vocational Rehabilitation (ACCESS-VR) and other educational programs; and
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expanding New York State Commission for the Blind’s Business Enterprise Program.
She also made specific reference to tying employment of people with disabilities to the work of the Regional Economic Development Councils, another NYAPRS priority.
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Enhance the New York Employment Services System (NYESS): This initiative will enhance NYESS, a unique partnership between the Office of Mental Health (OMH) and DOL that exists to support the employment services system in its entirety, regardless of disability sub-types or State agency affiliation.
Harvey Rosenthal, CEO
New York Association of Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services
518-527-0564