Categories: New York State, New York City
01.28.2022
On December 21st, the Network joined a coalition of behavioral health advocates for a virtual rally to call for a 5.4% COLA and a $500 million investment in workforce, services, and support in the Executive Budget. The rally followed a media forum held at the state capitol on December 16th.
Senator Harckham kicked off the virtual rally stating, “The pandemic also highlighted and exacerbated what you’ve known all along: the disinvestment in the behavioral health sector. For the last ten years of flat budgets, of cuts, of claw backs, of withholds during the pandemic, we are at a tipping point of financial insolvency.”
Sebrina Barrett, Executive Director of Association for Community Living (ACL), spoke to drastic staffing shortages of the sector, "Our combined vacancy and unavailability rate is one in three positions needing coverage. We need a 5.4% COLA and $500 million investment, including $159.9 million for mental health housing, which is the foundation for recovery."
Network member Concern Housing’s Jim Mutton emphasized the crisis state of current under-funding, stating “We’ve weathered many storms, but this is a tsunami. Some of our 24-hour programs have only one staff member and they're making less than a living wage. Now is the time to do something because we simply cannot sustain this."
Network member Caz Recovery’s Ed Cichon stressed the point further, “We’re seeing sky-rocketed rates of overdose deaths this year. Think of all the empty spots at dinner tables that could have been prevented this year if our field was properly funded."
Following our advocacy, the State Executive Budget included an across-the-board 5.4% COLA to human services providers in FY 2023. The COLA applies to OMH, OASAS, OCFS, OTDA, OPWDD and SOFA voluntary operated programs. At this time, the New York State Supportive Housing Program (NYSSHP) funded at OTDA is not included.
We are continuing our advocacy with the coalition to ensure the 5.4% COLA is included in the final budget as well as to secure $500 million for workforce, services and support that is not currently included in the Executive Budget.
For a full summary of the Executive Budget see here. Press coverage of the campaign below:
Forum:
https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/Nonprofit-organizations-seek-500-million-16707688.php
https://dailygazette.com/2021/12/16/mental-health-addiction-groups-seek-additional-state-funding/
Virtual Rally:
https://www.news10.com/news/advocates-call-on-gov-hochul-to-provide-immediate-mental-health-funding/