Op- Ed | As budget talks begin, Albany must protect New York’s I/DD care system
Posted OnMarch 20, 2026 byBy Wini Schiff | Posted on February 28, 2026 The New York State Capitol in Albany. Photo Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto When I started as a Direct Support Professional (DSP), my world was focused and urgent. Ensuring that the people I supported with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) were safe and treated with dignity, and showing the…Read More…
Cost-of-living proposal for human services is too low
Posted OnFebruary 24, 2026 byBy Sherry TuckerFor the Times Union There is no question that costs are going up across the board, and Gov. Kathy Hochul has made affordability the centerpiece to her agenda for the coming year. Yet the budget she proposed last month includes only a 1.7% cost-of-living adjustment for workers in the human services sector —…Read More…
MENTAL HEALTH ADVOCATES PUSH FOR ADDITIONAL 1% INCREASE IN FY27 BUDGET
Posted OnFebruary 10, 2026 byBY Susan Arbetter New York State The agencies that deal with mental health and substance use disorders are facing rising costs. They are also reporting a statewide job vacancy rate of between 20%-30% with a turnover rate of 35%. To help make these jobs more competitive, advocates are asking the Legislature for a 2.7% increase in the…Read More…
MENTAL HEALTH, SUBSTANCE-USE AGENCIES CALL FOR ADDITIONAL STATE FUNDING
Posted OnFebruary 10, 2026 byBy Chad ArnoldFeb 6, 2026 ALBANY — Emily Szary has difficulty finding the words that express how much she loves working at St. Catherine’s Center for Children in Albany, where she provides a range of services to some of the most vulnerable. But Szary worries if she’ll be able to continue her work as a…Read More…
New Yorkers living with disability face a crisis. We have to protect them
Posted OnMarch 28, 2025 byKathryn Jerian Special to the USA TODAY Network March 28, 2025, 4:49 a.m. ET As New York moves closer to finalizing the state budget, Gov. Kathy Hochul and the Legislature must agree on the best funding plan to care for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, or I/DD. The vast majority of New Yorkers with…Read More…
Op-ed: A workforce in crisis: It’s time for New York to step up
Posted OnMarch 19, 2025 byBy Daniel Kane Jr. New York is a state that prides itself on its commitment to worker rights, union heritage and progressive values. Yet, in one of the most vital sectors of our workforce, the state has failed to uphold these ideals. Direct Support Professionals provide essential care for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities,…Read More…
Lawmakers, Advocates Call for Investment in People with Disabilities
Posted OnFebruary 26, 2025 byCapRegion News,Neighbor Posted Wed, Feb 26, 2025 at 3:25 pm ET Senator Fahy and Assemblyman Santabarbara rallied with NYDA to urge Governor Hochul and the legislature for 7.8% system investment ALBANY, NY – Senator Fahy, Assemblymember Santabarbara, and New York Disability Advocates (NYDA) called for stronger investment and support in New Yorkers with disabilities today. Together,…Read More…
New York lawmakers and advocates push for increased funding for disability services
Posted OnFebruary 25, 2025 byNew York lawmakers and advocates push for increased funding for disability services (NY Senate) By Felix DayTue, February 25, 2025 at 3:56 PM New York legislators and disability advocates are calling for increased investment and support for New Yorkers with disabilities, highlighting the need to address decades of underfunding that has strained non-profit providers. Senator Fahy,…Read More…
Rally for New Yorkers with Disabilities
Posted OnFebruary 25, 2025 byWNYT-TV (Albany NBC affiliate) covered the NYDA rally on February 25th, 2025.Read More…
Lagging investments in New Yorkers with disabilities
Posted OnFebruary 10, 2025 byBy David Lombardo Published On: February 10th, 2025 Feb. 10, 2025 – The governor’s budget proposal doesn’t do enough to ensure New Yorkers with disabilities will have access to the staff they need, according to Mike Alvaro, head of the Cerebral Palsy Associations of New York State and president of New York Disability Advocates. We discuss a cost of living increase…Read More…