NYAPRS is deeply disturbed that the Legislature did not heed our prolonged and persistent call for a 8.5% COLA. We completely agree with our friends and colleagues, Northern Rivers’ Bill Gettman and MHANYS CEO Glenn Liebman in the passionate and powerful statements they released today (see below). NYAPRS will issue our own statement tomorrow. See below for a partial list below of items in the Health and Mental Hygiene bill that is being debated with now in the NYS Senate.
Bill Gettman
“The news of a 4% Human Services COLA in the final New York State budget leaves us disappointed, but not shocked. We join other Human Services providers throughout New York state in expressing our extraordinary frustration with and overwhelming sadness over another New York State budget that underfunds vital staff and programming. We do so while remaining completely aware that our passion, along with our advocacy, all too often are met with platitudes rather than action by too many of those with the power to effect real change.
“The 8.5% Human Services COLA featured in both the Senate and Assembly budget proposals gave us hope, and we truly appreciate the work of those elected officials who fought for this necessary and long-deserved measure of support. Sadly, in the final budget, funding that would simply have sustained critical mental health, substance abuse, senior-supporting, child welfare. Hunger-fighting, abuse-preventing programs at a level commensurate with inflation in today’s economy was traded away.
“To be fair, the 4% COLA in the final budget is an increase for some programs and better than zero. We appreciate some measure of acknowledgement from our elected officials. We also appreciate the collective efforts of the many voices throughout the state who advocated for the clients we serve and the need to be present across NYS. We truly do not know what else we can do to convey the severity of our situation; that said, our sector will continue to give our all each day. The New Yorkers who depend on us deserve no less.”
Glenn Liebman
Brief History: For the last seventeen years, there has been a COLA statute on the books for the human service workforce. Virtually every year, besides two, the COLA was notwithstood (meaning it was not added to the State budget). Translation is that our sector has lost 30% of funding over that time period. Can you imagine how much different lives of people we work with would be if they had that kind of funding. Smaller waiting lists, less emergency room visits, less incarceration and most importantly less deaths of despair due to overdose and suicide completion. Last year, Governor Hochul came into office and provided the largest one-year COLA ever at 5.4%. It was much needed and greatly appreciated. In this year’s Executive Budget, the Governor provided a 2.5% COLA for the Human Service Sector. The CPI was 8.5% so advocates continued to call throughout budget for an additional 6.5% increase. Both Houses added the 8.5% total in their One House bills. During final negotiations, the Legislature added 1.5% instead of the 6% needed to get to 8.5%. The total is 4% across the sector.
Reaction: The reaction is frustration and anger. Despite the entire sector speaking with one voice, despite massive grassroots campaigns, despite great champions in the Legislature, despite multiple media appearances, to only add 1.5% to a workforce that is largely comprised of a workforce of workers of color (75%) and women (70%) is very disappointing. Hospitals got an additional 2.5% on top of a 5% increase, and nursing homes and assisted living facilities also received a 1.5% on top of a 5% increase, so other choices on investments were clearly made. They are deserving of the increase, but where is the fairness and equitability for human service providers?
How to Change the Dynamic: While we had real champions in the Legislature, we clearly did not have enough. To include a 6.5% increase in the one house bills and at the end of day, only providing a 1.5 % increase is not acceptable to the hard working women and men in the not for profit sector. We need to bring our concerns to each individual legislator. Let them know that we are disappointed that there was only a 1.5% increase in the COLA this year.
Tools for Change:
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Assemblymember Gunther has introduced a bill that calls for a Retirement Study Bill for the not-for-profit sector. The main way we can retain people in our field is by providing them with an attractive benefit package. We will also be seeking a Senate sponsor.
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Senator Brouk has introduced a bill that includes a yearly COLA tied to the CPI. We need legislative support so it passes both houses.
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Voter Empowerment: Despite doing all the things that check mark successful campaigns—-unity, grass roots efforts, media hits, communication with Legislators, our campaign only had a 1.5% COLA increase to show for it. Given that we do not have a lot of money for political contributions, we must instead focus on voter empowerment. We will be working with our community colleagues to do this around New York State.
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Changing the current dynamic is possible. We have empathetic leaders, both in the Executive and the Legislature. We must do our jobs to coalesce them around the understanding that nothing that we want to accomplish is possible without a strong and stable workforce. We must continue to raise our collective voices in support of our goals.
To the hundreds of thousands of you that called, sent letters, emails, tweets, and showed up in person we thank you. We will ask you to redouble your efforts in the future, as we redouble our own.”
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Here are other provisions in the FY 2023-24 budget bill that is being debated right now in the Senate. We’ll issue our own analysis tomorrow.
Some items in the Health and Mental Hygiene Budget Bill
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$14 million for the recruitment and retention of psychiatrists and psychiatric nurse practitioners and other licensed clinicians including psychiatric inpatient units of general hospitals, comprehensive psychiatric emergency programs, crisis, residential and outpatient programs
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$60 million for the administration, design, installation, construction, operation, or maintenance of a 9-8-8 suicide prevention and behavioral health crisis hotline system to operate crisis call-centers and the provision of acute and crisis services for mental health and substance use disorders by directly responding to the 9-8-8 hotline
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$3,250,000 for Individual Placement and Supports (IPS)employment program
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$64,500,000 for the provision of education, assessments, training, in-reach, care coordination, supported housing and the services needed by residents of adult homes with psychiatric disabilities, including those who are discharged from adult homes
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$2.8 million for the expansion and evaluation of the Intensive and Sustained Engagement Treatment (INSET) program from 1 to 3 INSET programs
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$49,273, 000 for the creation of new Transitional Housing Beds and Residences, Safe Option Support Critical Time Intervention (SOS CTI) teams, and Critical Time Intervention (CTI) teams
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$1 million for the Daniel’s Law Task Force
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119,500,000 for adjustment to commercial managed care premiums for the expansion of state community hubs and voluntary operated services for adults and children, including, but not limited to, expanding crisis and respite beds, home and community based services waiver slots, supported housing, mental health urgent care walk-in centers, mobile engagement teams, first episode psychosis teams, family resource centers, evidence-based family support services, peer-operated recovery centers, suicide prevention services, community forensic and diversion services, tele-psychiatry, transportation services, family concierge services.
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$178,000 for the comprehensive care centers for eating disorders program
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$2 million to expand access to eating disorder treatment
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250,000 for a Maternal Mental Health Workgroup
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$1 million for suicide prevention efforts for veterans, first responders, law enforcement and corrections officers
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$7,715,000 for the Joseph P. Dwyer Veteran Peer to Peer Services Program, amount to a range of $52,000 to $185,000 for counties in NYS, with 4$00,000 for NYC
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$300,000 for the Veteran’s Mental Health Training Initiative
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$2 million for Crisis Intervention Teams
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$10,000,000 for Student Mental Health Support Grants to School Districts