Date:__________________________
Dear :
My name is and I am a (circle one) parent / self advocate /
staff member. I am your constituent, and am writing to you today to urge you to support 3 for 5, an annual 3% increase for 5 years to human services providers of supports and services in New York State.
The time is now to commit to 3 for 5 for nonprofit providers that are an important part of our communities. For the past decade, these provider agencies have been forced to do more with less as the state has continued to cut rates and defer annual increases, taking billions of dollars out of the service delivery system. At the same time, the State has increased spending on their own state-operated programs by an average of 3% a year. These nonprofit providers (which deliver approximately 85% of the day-to-day services for more than 140,000 New Yorkers with developmental disabilities) are coping with the continually increasing cost of operations, years of unpredictable and unsustainable rates, and severe workforce recruitment and retention challenges. These conditions damage their ability to provide quality supports and services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Additionally, the OPWDD Commissioner recently stated publicly that there will be a 2% rate cut effective July 1st of this year – all the more reason we desperately need 3 for 5!
Without your commitment to 3 for 5, these nonprofit agencies, are at serious risk of closure or program reductions impacting tens of thousands of employees and individuals receiving services.
Specifically, 3 for 5 is critical to me because
.
Thank you for your consideration. I sincerely hope that you will lend your support and strongly advocate for the inclusion of 3for5 in this year’s budget to supportus.
Sincerely,
Signature:
Address: