Tag Archives: budget
Start fixing it now: Meet the Needs of People with Developmental Disabilities in New York State
Start fixing it now
Meet the Needs of People with Developmental Disabilities in New York State
Authored by: Jim Karpe, NYC FAIR member
Download .PDFs: START FIXING IT NOW, DETAILED CONTACT METHODS TO FIX IT & FAMILY LETTERS TO FIX IT
Sometimes you have to be fierce. Massive changes are underway in the service system for people with developmental disabilities. The disruption is already being felt. The lives of our family members are at stake. Many of us have been speaking out, but so far we are not being heard by those who make policy and our government leaders. We need to speak louder. We need letter writing campaigns, petitions, and rallies, whatever it takes. The consequence of not speaking out is damaged lives.
In my nightmares, after I am gone my low-IQ son becomes homeless and sleeps in the corner of a subway car. In Tony’s nightmare, his autistic son runs onto a highway and is struck by a car. Elinor’s nightmare is that her daughter has a drop seizure and falls down the stairs.
Katherine’s nightmare has already become reality. Her 56-year-old son happily worked for over two decades at a sheltered workshop. The doors closed in 2015. Without another equivalent worthwhile activity, his sense of self is diminished, and he is becoming increasingly depressed.
This is not about this year’s budget, or next year’s priority list. This is about our children’s lives. Unmet needs have many faces, and most of those faces are hidden. There are babies with disabilities who are not getting early intervention, Teen-agers in the corner of an inappropriate classroom. There are adults still waiting in their aging parent’s homes after 15 years on the residential “priority list”. Some people are regressing in a day program because their workplace was shut down. Worse yet there are those completely unserved because their parents gave up after the second or third or fourth rejection to access services.
The painful truth is that due to their disabilities, most of our children may not ever be able to complain in a meaningful way, we must be their voice to get things done. It is up to us. .
Start fixing it now. Here is what you can do to help right now:
- Send letters to our legislators and policy makers in State and National government. Let them know what is keeping you up at night. Tell them how you want your loved one with a developmental disability to continue to receive and choose the services that they want and “one size does not fit all”. Use samples from following pages, or write your own.
- Share this with at least one relative, neighbor, caregiver and friends. Ask them to send a letter.
- Stay in touch. For current action alerts, see www.nycfair.org.
In New York State, over one hundred thousand people with disabilities get services. Many started out with two parents, and most have sympathetic relatives, neighbors, caregivers, and friends… altogether we are a very big voting block.
It is time to flex our political muscle. The NYC FAIR web site also has more background material including “Terrified About the Future” and “How Did We Get Here”
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Sample Letters In support of People With Developmental Disabilities
In the following attachments you will find sample letters.
“Detailed Methods to Fix It” includes two letters with many factual references.The first letter is addressed to New York State Governor Cuomo, OPWDD, Medicaid Director Jason Helgerson, and State Legislators. The second to Federal CMS Director Wachino, President Obama and our Federal Legislators. Below and in the attachments are addresses for mailing and e-mailing.
“Family Letters to Fix It” contains suggestions for the very personal touch. Create your own letter or use these examples as a starting point.
Send your letters Now. Please copy NYC FAIR on your submission by mail or email.
BELOW IS CONTACT INFORMATION. CLICK HERE FOR SAMPLE LETTERS
Contact information included in both attachments.
Contact info: State
The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo; Governor of NYS; NYS State Capitol Building; Albany, NY 12224
Kerry Delaney; Acting Commissioner OPWDD; 44 Holland Avenue; Albany, New York 12229
Jason Helgerson; Medicaid Director; NYS Dept. of Health; 1 Commerce Plaza- Ste 1211; Albany, NY 12210
NYC FAIR; c/o E. Rufer; 201 East 17th Street Apt 2G; NY, NY 10003
To get your State representatives address info, go to:
www.nysenate.gov/find-my-senator
assembly.state.ny.us/mem/search/
Can also email to:
Gov. Cuomo Submit msg on-line at: www.governor.ny.gov/contact
Kerry Delaney Commissioners.Correspondence.Unit@opwdd.ny.gov
Jason Helgerson jah23@health.state.ny.us
NYC FAIR testimony@nycfair.org
Contact info: Federal
President Obama; The White House; 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW; Washington, DC 20500
Director Vikki Wachino; CMS; 7500 Security Boulevard; Baltimore, MD 21244
Office of Inspector General; U.S. Dept. of HHS; 330 Independence Avenue, SW; Washington, DC 20201
Senator Kirsten Gillibrand; 478 Russell Senate Office Building; Washington, DC 20510
Senator Charles Schumer; 322 Hart Senate Office Building; Washington, DC 20510
NYC FAIR; c/o E. Rufer; 201 East 17th Street Apt 2G; NY, NY 10003
Office of Medicaid Inspector General; 800 North Pearl Street; Albany, NY 12204
To get your representative, use: www.contactingthecongress.org/
Can also copy & paste to submit on line:
www.whitehouse.gov/contact/submit-questions-and-comments
questions.cms.gov/newrequest.php?id=5005&subtopicID=8296#2
forms.oig.hhs.gov/hotlineoperations/report-fraud-form.aspx
www.omig.ny.gov/compliance/contact-boc
www.gillibrand.senate.gov/contact/
www.schumer.senate.gov/contact/email-chuck
NYS Senator David Carlucci: Meeting Information & Registration
LINKED HERE ARE THE HANDOUTS FROM OCTOBER 27TH MEETING
A RECAP & A TRANSCRIPT OF THE MEETING WILL BE POSTED ASAP
Resource Events for Oct 27 mtg NYC FAIR MISSION
CP of NYS’s: HIGHLIGHTS OF THE 2015- 2016 NEW YORK STATE BUDGET
Download PDF: budget hightlights cp state
FROM CP of NYS News: 4/3/15
NYS BUDGET UPDATE
The New York State Legislature passed the final 2015-2016 State Budget bills late in the evening of March 31, just before the April 1 deadline, with the Senate adjourning before midnight and the Assembly adjourning after midnight. Because the Assembly had not adjourned, the budget bill was considered to be passed on March 31 and on time. This stopping the clock provides a clear indication of the importance that Governor Cuomo and Legislative Leaders put on having an “on-time” budget for the fifth year in a row. The bills that were not voted on until late in the evening were printed only hours before with the Education Reform and Ethics Reform bills among the last to be finished.
There have been a number of surprises in the Final Budget, among them is the elimination of the sales tax on yachts over $230,000 and small planes (under 20 passengers).
The $142 billion New York State Budget agreement includes spending in the following categories:
* Total State Operating Funds: $94.25 billion; 2.0% growth
* Public School Aid: $23.5 billion; 6.1% growth
* Medicaid: $17.741 billion; 4.6% growth
* $5.4 billion in financial settlement funds for: $1.5 billion for the Upstate Revitalization Initiative and $500 million for statewide broadband.
While all these programs received substantial funding increases, programs, supports and services for people with developmental disabilities received minimal to no increase.
Highlights of the 2015-2016 NYS Budget funding bills and Article VII language bills can be found HERE
Barbara Crosier: mailto:bcrosier@cpofnys.org
ACTION ALERT!!! Make 2 Calls TODAY
ACTION ALERT!!! CALL YOUR LEGISLATORS AND LEGISLATIVE LEADERS TODAY!!!!!
(as issued by NYSARC & IAC)
Even though the state has a $6 billion surplus from the bank settlements and both Houses of the Legislature have identified an additional $300 million in revenue, neither chamber has committed to investing additional monies in supports and services for people with developmental disabilities.
FAMILIES CANNOT BE CAREGIVERS FOREVER!
We need every Legislator and the Legislative Leaders to understand that additional funding is critically needed to provide new day and residential supports and services to meet the needs those living at home, often with aging parents.
ACT NOW, ONE HOUSE BILLS WILL BE PRINTED EARLY NEXT WEEK
- Distribute this alert to your staff, families, and groups!
- As a constituent you are very important to your elected officials and you must tell them what is important to you NOW.
Everyone needs to please call their Senator and Assemblymember, and the Legislative Leaders—Senator Skelos and Assembly Speaker Heastie — and tell each of them that New York State must invest in supports and services for people with developmental disabilities.
This State Budget must invest an additional $30 million on top of the Governor’s budget request for half the year to fund an additional 3,500 day and residential opportunities for people with developmental disabilities who are living at home.
- Senate switchboard – (518) 455 – 2800 (For Senators home page CLICK HERE)
- Assembly switchboard (518) 455 – 4100 (For Assembly members home page CLICK HERE)
Thanks so much for calling!