[NYAPRS Enews] Community-Based Primary Care, Home Care, And Behavioral Healthcare Workforce Advocates Call On The Governor For Immediate Investments

[Harvey Rosenthal]

NYAPRS Note: Earlier this year the sale of nonprofit health insurer Fidelis to for profit Centene Corporation created a financial windfall for New York that the state is using to bolster several healthcare sectors but leaving out community-based primary care, home care, and behavioral healthcare service providers. Unaddressed rising job vacancies and turnover rates have resulted in a full scale access to care crisis for our organizations and, accordingly, a broad coalition including NYAPRS are calling on Governor Cuomo to commit $169 million of these funds to help our sector to retain our dedicated workforce via retention bonus, paid training and related financial incentives. See an attached copy of the news released we distributed today, which you can also view below. Look here for more developments.



PRESS RELEASE





FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 8, 2018



CONTACT:

Lauri Cole, NYS Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare, 518-461-8200 Andrea Smyth, NYS Coalition for Children’s Behavioral Health, 518-795-5270





COMMUNITY-BASED PRIMARY CARE, HOME CARE, AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTHCARE WORKFORCE ADVOCATES
CALL ON THE GOVERNOR FOR IMMEDIATE INVESTMENTS



ALBANY, NY – Today, in response to the news that New York’s hospitals and nursing homes are getting approximately $675 million for Medicaid rate increases to cover workforce salary and benefits, leaders from membership associations representing New York’s community-based primary care, home care, and behavioral healthcare workforce are pressing not to be ignored. A group of 11 organizations called on the Cuomo Administration to deliver an immediate investment in primary care, home care, and behavioral healthcare workers who touch the lives of millions of New Yorkers every day.



The group repeated a recurring request that at least 25% of health care investments be directed toward less costly community care. Twenty-five percent of $675 million (state share) would be about $169 million.



Unaddressed rising job vacancies and turnover rates have resulted in a full scale access to care crisis for community-based primary care, home care, and mental health and substance use disorder services.



The group agreed, “Our workers deserve an immediate infusion of resources to slow the crippling erosion of the community care workforce. Retention bonuses could hold workers in place until longer term community workforce solutions can be implemented. Paid training and similar incentives may help with recruitment.”



For years, community organizations have been highlighting the negative consequences that workforce shortages are having on public health crises including increasing suicide and opioid overdose rates, a growing number of children in homeless shelters, rising incarceration rates, and limited access to more intensive mental health treatment options in many communities. An immediate investment in the community based workforce is critical to ensure the success of the Administration’s healthcare policy priorities and reinforces the centrality of these providers to the healthcare system.







New York State Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare • Home Care Association of New York State

v Community Health Care Association of New York State • Mental Health Association of New York State

• Association for Community Living • NYS Coalition for Children’s Behavioral Health • New York Association for Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services

• Hospice and Palliative Care Association of New York State • The Coalition for Behavioral Health Agencies

• NYS Association of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Providers • Council of Family and Child Caring Agencies

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