New York Disability Advocates (NYDA) today applauded New York’s congressional delegation for passing the American Rescue Plan.
Which includes increased funding for providers of services to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Urged the Cuomo Administration to allocate incoming funds to the I/DD sector.
The increased funding is provided through a 10% increase in Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) for Medicaid.
The increased funding is provided through a 10% increase in Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) for Medicaid.
The increase reflects the increased cost to deliver services to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities during the pandemic.
“New York’s congressional delegation delivered for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Now the state must take action to ensure the funds allocated to our sector actually reach providers,” said Tom McAlvanah, President, New York Disability Advocates. “This is the second time Congress has delivered increased funding for services delivered to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities; however, the state has not delivered a penny of this increased funding to provider organizations.”
The I/DD sector plays an essential role in our health care system—providing care to our most vulnerable residents, jobs to thousands of individuals, and serving as an economic engine across New York—yet the state continues to deny critical funding to the sector.
McAlvanah continued, “Provider organizations throughout the system are struggling. We’ve had to purchase our own PPE, finance hazard pay for the sector’s essential workers, and decertify beds, reducing access to much-needed residential supports. Yet, the state continues to hold back funds that were allocated to us by the federal government. The funding must finally flow through to the organizations providing these critical services.”
New Yorkers with I/DD, and those who serve them, face continued uncertainty due to chronic underfunding of programs and services and lack of investment in the workforce. Additional proposed cuts in the Executive Budget for non-for-profit providers, who have been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, put these critical services at further risk.
To save the vital I/DD system, the State should also reverse crippling budget cuts, invest in our workforce, and reject the deferral of the statutory Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) for OPWDD programs.
New York Disability Advocates (NYDA) is a statewide coalition of seven non-profit provider associations encompassing more than 300 non-profit agencies providing vital services and support to more than 140,000 New Yorkers with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
New York Disability Advocates (NYDA) is a statewide coalition of seven non-profit provider associations encompassing more than 300 non-profit agencies providing vital services and support to more than 140,000 New Yorkers with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Photo credit: Source.
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