Category Archives: NYS Legislative Information
OPEN FORUM hosted by Senator Perkins & Assemblymember Rodriguez
New York State Legislators
Senator Bill Perkins
Assemblymember Robert J. Rodriguez
Invite you to attend a
Public Hearing
A chance for Families, Self-Advocates and all who support people with IDD (Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities) to express their concerns to legislators.
Thursday, January 14th, 2016
6 to 8pm
Adam Clayton Powell, Jr
Office Building
163 West 125th Street
8th Floor: Conference Rooms A, B, & C
Subway: #2 & 3 stops at 125th and Malcolm X Blvd (Lenox Avenue)
Buses: M7, M102 on Malcolm X and 125th
and coming from the west the BX15, M100, M101 stop across the street from the building. See; Map Here
Questions? Contact Phillipe Marius: pemarius@nysenate.gov
This event was requested by Willie Mae Goodman, Parent, Advocate, Willowbrook Litigant, and member of the Gouverneur Parents Association.
Additional Support from: NYC FAIR and
The Manhattan Developmental Disabilities Council
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER TO ATTEND AND TO SPEAK
Please Send to Everyone YOU Know: jan 14th EDITED
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
IAC’s: Another On Time NYS Budget
Download PDF: IAC Budget Recap 2015
IAC’s: Another On Time New York State Budget
By Wini Williams
Late on March 31st (actually 1:30 am on the 1st), the legislature passed the final budget bills which were still being printed on the last day. The Governor “postponed” many of the reforms he previously insisted on, including minimum wage, ethics and education, to have an on-time budget for the 5th consecutive year. As for programs and services for people with intellectual/developmental disabilities…..here’s what happened:
State Education Department (SED)
IAC is very hopeful that SED will request an increase for both 4410 and 853 programs, in the 3-3.5% range, through the usual process that exists outside of the budget. The Assembly had called for a 2.4% increase in the budget. However, we felt a more significant increase was necessary and therefore, they removed their request for a specific percentage. We will continue to support these increases through the next few months. The Assembly also included a delay in the implementation of regional Special Education Itinerant Teacher (SEIT) rates till July 2016 which we were concerned would derail the 4410 increase mentioned above. The final agreement contains welcome language which enables regional SEIT rates to be implemented as soon as SED is ready, but no later than July 2016. As always, the blanket waiver of NYS requirements for special education, proposed by the Governor every year, was defeated in the final version.
OPWDD
The Governor proposed $30 million for new services ($120M all shares fully annualized) and we had lobbied for modest increases for specific needs including $11.25M for residential development for people in desperate need, living at home with families and $3M for the expansion of Supported Employment, which is a State priority. In the end, only $2M ($8M all shares fully annualized) was added for new opportunities for families who can no longer care safely for their loved ones with developmental disabilities at home and an additional $1M to be used to facilitate the collection of information on peoples’ needs (so that good planning for the future can be accomplished). It is also intended to help advance the work of the transformation panel, charged with examining and making recommendations on the future of our service system (which our own Peter Pierri sits on). Language was included which ensures choice for people currently attending sheltered employment programs, the collection and dissemination of information on regional need for planning purposes (to be financed by the additional $1M), as well as reporting on the efficacy of the Front Door, and other provisions from bills that were vetoed by the Governor last legislative session. We will provide details on these provisions in the near future.
DOH
Early Intervention:
Again this year, EI was ignored. According to the Department of Health, there was a decrease in spending for the program of $4.8M last year even though the number of children and the utilization
intensity per child stayed relatively the same and many new providers entered the system. We will get additional information on these claims so that we can develop a strategy for next year since we know that our providers have been discontinuing services for the last few years with no increases for virtually 20 years for this life-changing program.
Article 16 Clinics:
Two years ago, a 2% across the board cut was made to clinics and other Medicaid services, but for Article 16 clinics, the cut was taken based on utilization thresholds. Clinics which managed to reduce the number of therapies per person below the threshold received no cut. Others which were unable to reduce the number of services based on the individual needs of patients received as much as a 5% cut. Last year that cut was restored except for the Article 16 clinics. Despite support from the Legislature to add language which would direct the DOH to restore the Article 16 cut, the Department’s opposition to the restoration prevailed. We will continue to address this issue through the rest of the legislative session. Staff contact: wini@iacny.org
NYSARC’s Budget Results
Download .PDF :New Budget Language nysarc
From NYSARC:
New Budget Language (the full text of these language changes is below)
The Legislature and the Governor agreed to a series of provisions that will provide greater oversight, planning and transparency relating to the implementation of a number of significant policies at OPWDD, including the following:
- Residential services: OPWDD is required toissue a report as a result of its statewide review of individuals with developmental disabilities currently on the residential (waiting) list, including information regarding services currently provided to such individuals, and any available regional information on priority placement approaches and housing needs for such individuals. The report will update the progress the office has made in meeting various transformational goals for people on the waiting list. Furthermore, the commissioner, of OPWDD, in consultation with stakeholders, is directed to establish a plan to increase housing alternatives for people with developmental disabilities. The report must be issued by February 15, 2016.
- Employment choice: OPWDD will develop a plan to assist individuals transition to integrated work settings that will “provide choice of work settings for individuals with DD.” The plan will solicit and analyze stakeholder input, involve outreach and education, set forth “a detailed analysis of options available to meet the needs and goals of those individuals who currently cannot or choose not to transition to integrated community work settings.” The plan must be submitted by February 15, 2016.
- Transformation panel: Codifies OPWDD’s existing transformation panel which will develop a transformation plan. The transformation plan will include recommendations and strategies for maintaining the fiscal viability of service and for supporting delivery systems for persons with developmental disabilities. The plan will include strategies that will enable OPWDD to comply with federal and state service delivery requirements and provide appropriate levels of care. It will also study increasing access to self-directed models of care; enhancing access to integrated housing; increasing integrated employment opportunities; and the program design and fiscal model for managed care. OPWDD must report the recommendations of the panel to the Legislature by February 15, 2016.
- DC census issues: OPWDD is required to provide the Legislature with monthly updates on developmental center deinstitutionalization which will include reports on current census, census reductions, support for discharged residents, etc.
- Front Door: By February 15, 2016, the commissioner OPWDD shall report on the extent to which front door policy has been implemented; has improved community education and available service options; has connected individual needs to available services; and, has enhanced opportunities for self-direction. OPWDD shall also make information available information regarding how the Front Door process determines priority placements and provides access to services.
- Nurse Practice: Language is included to allow direct support employees to perform certain tasks in non-certified settings provided they are under the supervision of a nurse. Final authorization is subject to a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between OPWDD and the State Education Department. This authorization is critical for service expansion of the existing service system in order to meet unmet needs.
- Transportation study: Language is included to authorize OPWDD to contract with an entity to study the transportation needs of people with disabilities and to authorize the development of a pilot project to meet those needs. Transportation, especially in rural areas, poses a critical barrier to employment and other important activities for people with developmental disabilities.
- OPWDD budgetary additions in Aid To Localities (Funding for non-for-profits)
1) $2 million in additional funding for people living at home with “caregivers who are unable to care for them.” This equates to $4 million once matching federal funds are included and, it appears, $8 million worth of programming when fully annualized.
2) $1 million which appears to be aimed at facilitating the information gathering and reporting requirements contained in budget language as well as the work of the Transformation Panel, though more detail is needed to evaluate this funding addition.
Additional items
- A reserve fund of $850 million proposed by the Governor was passed as part of the State budget. The fund is for possible retroactive federal claims relating to overbilling at Developmental Centers. The Legislature appeared to be on the verge of eliminating the reserve fund. Steven Kroll sent a letter to Speaker Heasty and Majority Leader Skelos urging the Legislature to pass the fund as it was proposed by the Governor. We are pleased that the Legislature did that.
- Language was included in the budget to authorize reform of Special Education Itinerant Teacher rates (SEIT). Reform of SEIT rates is seen by many as a necessary first step to obtaining a growth factor for 4410 preschool programs.
- Language was included in the budget to review salaries for various elected and unelected State officials, including the commissioner of OPWDD.