New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo has released a 2011-12 Executive Budget that includes reductions to housing services for people with disabilities.
The budget aims to eliminate a $10 billion state deficit and create long-term savings without raising taxes. It calls for reductions to internal government processes, the consolidation and merging of 11 agencies and a $1 billion reduction in Medicaid spending.
The budget includes a proposed $1.2 million cut to medical services in adult shelters and a $4 million reduction in cash assistance in family shelters, among other cuts to the shelter and housing systems.
According to the Human Services Council (HSC), which represents thousands of non-profit organizations in New York City, the budget contains a $15.7 million cut in reimbursements for the shelter system, a $24 million reduction in funds for senior centers and a $27 million cut to non-residential mental health programs.
“The budget proposes to restructure a variety of non-residential Office of Mental Health programs, including Continuing Day Treatment, which provides seriously mentally ill adults with the skills to remain in the community,” the HSC said in a statement.
“In addition, it will cut funding in certain community support programs, children's Clinic-Plus, which catch emotional health problems in children early, non-direct services, and local administration,” the organization added.
Paul Feuerstein, president and chief executive officer of Barrier Free Living Family of Companies, criticized budget reductions for housing and transitional services that benefit all New Yorkers, including those with disabilities. These include barrier-free living, transitional housing and programs of the New York City Housing Authority.
“Essentially the governor’s budget is severely cutting a variety of human service programs, many of which are used by people with disabilities,” Feuerstein said.
According to Feuerstein, if the governor’s plan is approved, 14,000 households will lose their housing subsidy for a new Advantage program that provides limited benefits for a shorter time period. Those households include people with disabilities. The cuts would directly impact his organization, which provides housing for people who are Activities of Daily Living (ADL)-dependent.
The governor’s budget would relegate Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) money to an unfunded mandate for the second year in a row, stripping away 80 percent of federal money for non-residential programs at Barrier Free Living. Last year the City contributed half of the lost funds but it is unclear if that will happen again.
“We’re getting hit left, right and center on a variety of things. This is the most challenging time I can think of as long as I can remember,” Feuerstein said.
Cuomo released a statement saying New York State is at a crossroads that has forced the government to make difficult choices.
“The goal is to return fiscal responsibility to the state so that we may strengthen the economy and create jobs,” Cuomo said. “This budget proposes gap-closing actions in almost every area of state spending and includes year-to-year reductions in the two largest drivers of State expenditures, Medicaid and School Aid.”
Activists have started a petition to protect housing and other essential services at: http://www.whocares-ido.org/.
This article was published in the April 2011 issue of Able News.
Comments