New York Disability Advocates Releases Detailed Survey Demonstrating Vital Services for Citizens with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (I/DD) are in Serious Jeopardy
Over the past 3 years, 33% of Providers Closed or Reduced Programs and Still Nearly 50% Have Less Than 40-Days Cash on Hand
Albany, NY – Critical services to New Yorkers with intellectual or developmental disabilities are in serious financial jeopardy, according to a survey released today by New York Disability Advocates. The bleak results indicate:
A coalition of seven provider associations, NYDA represents more than 300 non-profit organizations that provide essential services to New Yorkers with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The survey was conducted to understand the financial outlook of the organizations that provide these critical services. One hundred and sixteen providers responded.
As the results demonstrate, after a decade of underfunding, these critical services will be in jeopardy without a consistent, annual increase in funding. Collectively with agencies across the Human Services sector, NYDA has launched the #3for5 campaign to urge the Administration for a 3% investment in non-profit service providers each year for the next five years.
“We understand that New York is facing significant financial headwinds. However, for over a decade the state has neglected to give a cost of living increase to the organizations that serve New Yorkers with intellectual and developmental disabilities — now we are at a breaking point,” said Yvette Watts, Executive Director of New York Association of Emerging and Multicultural Providers, one of NYDA’s seven member associations. “A commitment to a 3% increase in funding for the next five years is needed.”
“Many providers have taken steps to cut costs—and we continue to look for ways to. become more efficient—but more and more we’re finding that there is no longer room to cut,” said Susan Constantino, President and CEO of Cerebral Palsy Associations of New York State. “We are at the point where citizens will lose services that they desperately need, even though the State is obligated to provide them, unless #3for5 is approved.”
New York State relies on the voluntary sector to provide vital services to citizens with I/DD, but after years of chronic underfunding, this system of care is in jeopardy. Over 90% of funding for provider organizations comes from Medicaid. Each year, New York State determines the levels of funding those organizations receive to deliver critical services. Yet in the last decade, despite rising costs, voluntary providers have received only one cost of living increase of 0.2% and have missed out on nearly $8 billion in funding, including $2.6 billion in cuts.