Assemblyman Stirpe Votes to Restore funding to OPWDD Programs
Assemblymam Stirpe announced that legislation he sponsored to restore the money for the Office of People with Developmental Disabilities passed the Assembly (A.6692-C). The Senate is expected to pass it later this week. The reversal of this $90 million cut in the state budget will ensure that services to this vulnerable population are not cut.
“I am glad that an agreement has been reached on restoring the cuts made to OPWDD. These cuts never should have been made in the first place. Restoring these cuts to the developmentally disabled is the right thing to do.”
Cuomo and lawmakers, as part of the 2013-14 budget enacted in March, cut $90 million from the program that cares for developmentally disabled youths and adults in group homes. The reductions, which primarily impact nonprofit service providers, were forced because New York owes the federal government about $3 billion for overcharging Medicaid for decades. Cuomo said then he wanted the decrease to come from administrative costs, not direct care.
Under a bill amended Thursday, a previously established working group will come up with savings recommendations without impacting programs such as adult day care. If the savings fall short of $90 million, state funds will be used to make up the difference.
“This funding is vital to maintain the care and services that our most vulnerable and their families rely on,” Assemblyman Stirpe said. “I have a deep respect for the service providers and the daily struggles the developmentally disabled face. This restoration is something I have been fighting for, and I am glad that the legislature and the governor were able to reach this agreement.”
Assemblyman Stirpe has a long history of advocating for individuals with disabilities, previously serving on the board of directors of Familycapped, now Advocates Inc., which was formed to expand programs for handicapped children in Central New York. Stirpe and his wife, Chele, also helped raise over $1 million to build Casey’s Place, a respite home for families caring for disabled children.
Assemblymember Roberts continues to advocate for the developmentally disabled
Assemblymember Sam Roberts (D, WF-Syracuse) announced that he helped pass a bill that would restore funding to the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) to help nonprofits provide services that developmentally disabled persons depend on (A.6692-C). This bi-partisan legislation also has the support of the Senate and Governor Cuomo.
“This funding directly affects the quality of life of New Yorkers with disabilities and their families,” Assemblymember Roberts said. “By restoring these devastating cuts to critical programs, we can make sure that individuals with disabilities receive the proper care, compassion and support they deserve.”
Earlier this year, the federal government ordered New York State to pay back $1.1 billion in “overpayments” for services to people with developmental disabilities. The state was able to negotiate with the federal government to reduce that “claw back” by more than half to $500 million. However, the final 2013-14 state budget included a $30 million restoration to OPWDD funding, but that still left a 4.5 percent cut totaling $90 million. Assemblymember Roberts vowed to keep working to ensure that these cuts were restored.
The final 2013-14 state budget created a workgroup to find savings in OPWDD. The goal is to determine if a restoration of less than $90 million would allow nonprofits to continue to provide necessary services. For instance, if the workgroup found $30 million in savings, then a restoration of $60 million would be necessary – not $90 million, Assemblymember Roberts noted. The total savings amount has not yet been finalized.
“This restoration is the right thing to do,” Assemblymember Roberts said. “By providing the mechanism to restore OPWDD cuts, this legislation will ensure essential services, which are vital for the well-being of our state’s most vulnerable people, remain in place. I will continue to fight on behalf of our citizens with disabilities and their families to make sure they are not left behind.”