[NYAPRS Enews] NYAPRS State Budget March 28 Update

[Harvey Rosenthal]

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*NYAPRS NYS Budget Update*

March 28, 2019



Here’s an update of where things are concerning NYAPRS members’ priorities
for the 2019-20 NYS budget.



Negotiators for the Senate, Assembly and Senate continue to meet into the
evenings seeking to hammer out agreements on some key outstanding issues.
Their aim is to wrap up as much as they can tonight but it’s likely going
to all go down to the Sunday March 31 deadline.



Our Priorities



·        *2.9% Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA)*: our primary challenges
this week has been to make clear the difference between the pay hike for
direct support/care professionals that the 3 sides announced this past
Monday and the across the board COLA that we and our colleagues have been
seeking for the broader nonprofit human service sector.

It looks like the key players on all sides and some reporters are getting
it: the challenge is in finding the will, the funds and the fashion to roll
out this $140 million commitment, and how it might relate to the direct
care initiative.

Thanks to the hundreds of members from all of our advocacy groups who’ve
been jamming the phone lines. Stay tuned for more!



·        *Legislative Adds: *The 3 sides agreed that there was another $20
million over the Governor’s original budget for OMH, OASAS and OPWDD. We
are advocating for funds for the *housing rate hike *and *crisis
intervention team initiatives*, and are supportive of restoring the vet to
vet peer initiatives.



·        *Humane Alternatives To Long-Term (Halt) Solitary Confinement
Act:  *our campaign is working to see both houses pass their identical
bills that include a full ban on the use of solitary for people with
disabilities and others, and to insist on those provisions in negotiations
with the Governor.



·        *Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program*: we continue to
support the very strong advocacy that our friends in the Independent Living
community are waging against proposed cuts and regulatory changes that
would irreparably harm the CDPAP initiative. Yesterday, Health Committee
chairs from both houses expressed strong concerns.



·        *Restart Medicaid 30 Days Before Prison & Jail Release:  *groups
like NYAPRS are providing comment to the state’s proposed request to the
federal Medicaid agency (CMS) to initiate this landmark program.



·        *Increase Access to Mental Health and Substance Use Treatment*:
proposals to bolster parity protections and to reduce barriers to
behavioral health care are still in flux. More as we know more…



See our next posting urging your calls for the COLA to continue. Thanks you!
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