05 Apr Hundreds rally for investment in people with disabilities

On April 3,  New York Disability Advocates were joined by hundreds of members of the intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) community–including self-advocates, family members, and the essential workers who support them–and elected officials at the State Capitol to rally for permanent investments for the I/DD service sector to be included the final enacted State Budget.

Rally attendees called for the inclusion of a true 3.2% Cost-Of-Living-Adjustment (COLA) that can be used to cover all increased expenses associated with service delivery – including wages for direct care and clinical staff – and a Direct Support Wage Enhancement (DSWE) of $4,000 for Direct Support Professionals in the final FY25 Enacted Budget.

While the 3.2% COLA was included in the Senate and Assembly One House Budget Resolutions, the accompanying language that requires it to be used solely for direct support and clinical staff wages creates large operational challenges for providers who also need to address the rising costs of staff benefits, meals, transportation, and maintenance of the facilities used to serve New Yorkers with disabilities.

The DSWE is a separate funding stream that is necessary to enhance the hourly pay for all staff that have direct care/support responsibilities for individuals with I/DD, which will help stem the high turnover rates of Direct Support Professionals across the state’s non-profit sector.

Working in tandem, the COLA ensures providers have the funds to rebuild programs and services after years of neglect, while the DSWE ensures that there is a strong workforce to support them.

“For a decade due to underfunding non-profit provider agencies have faced a battle on two fronts – the rising costs of operational expenses due to inflation and a depleted workforce due to wage stagnation. We cannot go on like this,” said Mike Alvaro, President and CEO of CP State and President of NYDA. “The true 3.2% COLA is critical to maintaining our operations, and its efficacy depends on agencies maintaining the flexibility to allocate COLA funds to alleviate their distinct fiscal challenges. Simultaneously, the DSWE is necessary to recruit and retain quality direct care staff. Both solutions are necessary to work together in addressing two crises that have stemmed from over 10 years of consistent underfunding.”

Senator John W. Mannion said, “I stand with my colleagues, advocates, and the disabilities community in demanding a 3.2 percent COLA in this year’s budget. We must continue to proactively address the workforce crisis and build on the progress of the last three years. Failing to act will impact the livelihood and quality of life of thousands of New Yorkers – and we can’t let that happen.”

Chair of the Assembly People with Disabilities Committee Rebecca Seawright (AD-76) said, “Disability advocates filled the Capitol today because we are on the precipice of a crisis. Not-for-profit providers are hemorrhaging workers because of unfair wages and a soaring cost of living. We are renewing our fight for these Direct Support Professional workers who are a lifeline for people living with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Without them, people would be in danger and lose their right to autonomy. Together, we will fight for a 3.2% unrestricted COLA and the Direct Support Wage Enhancement to support the recruitment and retention of this vital workforce.”

With rising costs due to inflation, coupled with a decade-long workforce recruitment and retention crisis and historic underfunding, the non-profit provider agencies that provide support and services to more than 85% of New Yorkers with I/DD are struggling with the operational costs that have drastically outpaced the funding, thereby threatening the future viability of the field.

The results of a recent New York Disability Advocates survey found that non-profit provider agency staff vacancies remain more than 17% in 2024, and one in three Direct Support Professionals leave their jobs every year. Subsequently, high levels of staff turnover are costing New York’s non-profit disability service providers $100.5 million annually. This cost directly inhibits funding essential supports and services for New Yorkers with I/DD. Unfortunately, without adequate funding to offer competitive wages, agencies cannot recruit and retain staff to build a sustainable I/DD service system.

For more information on the New York Disability Advocates’ 2024 legislative priorities, visit nydisabilityadvocates.com.