From: “Barbara V. Crosier” <bcrosier@CPOFNYS.ORG>
Date: October 12, 2015 at 5:34:44 PM EDT
To: “Barbara V. Crosier” <bcrosier@CPOFNYS.ORG>
Subject: Assembly Hearing on the Adequacy of Supports & Services for I/DD
CP of NYS, DDAWNY, IAC, NYSARC, and The Alliance have been working together for unified advocacy to address the needs and concerns of individuals with developmental disabilities, their families and staff. We requested that the New York State Senate and Assembly hold hearings to highlight these concerns and to provide for families, staff and individuals a voice so that the Governor might provide additional funding in his 2016-2017 State Budget Proposal which will be released at the end of January. We have invited NYSACRA and NYSRA to join us in this collaboration.
The Asssembly Committee on Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities has announced (attached) that they will be holding a hearing on October 20, 2015 in Albany to identify barriers to the successful implementation of the OPWDD Transformation Agreement. The purpose of this hearing is to provide the committee with an update regarding the actions taken in the SFY 15-16 budget with regard to the implementation of the transformation agreement as well as to identify barriers that may require additional resources in the upcoming fiscal year to ensure New York State has sufficient capacity to provide supports and services for individuals with developmental disabilities.
We see this as a tremendous opportunity for parents, family members and staff to provide input and public awareness on the need for adequate funding for the availability and continuity of supports and services with flexibility, choice and wages to retain and recruit qualified staff.
IMPORTANT!!!
Please reach out to your parents, family members and staff, who you believe would provide compelling testimony, and ask them if they would be will to present testimony at the Assembly Hearing on October 20, 2015 in Albany.
Family members unable to travel to Albany are encouraged to submit their comments in writing. Written comments need not be lengthy “testimony”. A one page description of the struggle to find appropriate services for their family member with developmental disability, when told by many different families from all over New York State, provides compelling evidence that the system is in desperate need of additional funding.
Written testimony submitted to Assemblymember Gunther should cc Governor Cuomo (at the address below) because if the Governor does not include additional funding for development there is very little funding that the legislature will be able to add to the final budget.
The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo
Governor of New York State
NYS Capitol Building
Albany, NY 12224
We realize that this is short notice but we feel that it is extremely important that our voices be heard as the Governor’s Division of the Budget begins to form their budget recommendations for next year.
The Hearing Notice says “Testimony by Invitation Only” and this is the invitation to be the voice of all New Yorkers with Developmental Disabilities, their families and staff
Please let me know the names and contact information of those who are willing to present testimony so that we can provide it to the appropriate Assembly staff.
We will let you know as soon as we have a date for a Senate hearing.
Thank you!!
For more information, contact:
BARBARA CROSIER
Vice President, Government Relations
bcrosier@cpofnys.org
(w) 518-436-0178
(c) 518-424-3198
3 Cedar Street Extension, Suite 2
Cohoes, NY 12047-3151