March 29, 2017
ALBANY, NY – Things are getting down to the wire in Albany, with state lawmakers working on the budget, and Senator Tom O’Mara and Assemblyman Phil Palmesano, are pleased that the final budget will include an increase of $55 million dollars for those who work with those who suffer from traumatic brain injury, Down Syndrome, developmental delay, and other disorders.
Palmesano issued this statement:
“This session, my colleagues and I in the Assembly Republican Conference have been fighting for funding to provide workers who provide quality care to New Yorkers with developmental disabilities with a living wage. As the minimum wage has increased, non-profits facing flat Medicaid reimbursements would have needed to cut critical services or dedicated direct-care workers to keep their doors open. We fought for state funding to protect these workers and the critical, quality-of-life care they provide. I applaud the governor for listening and delivering. I want to thank Leader Kolb for his leadership on this issue, and I want to thank all of the compassionate direct-care professionals for ensuring that the most vulnerable New Yorkers enjoy healthy, fulfilling lives with access to opportunity and inclusion. I can’t emphasize enough that this issue was entirely about of the quality of life and quality of care of our most vulnerable New Yorkers- the developmentally disabled. I am so pleased that this critical funding will be included in the Final Enacted State Budget.”
O’Mara said the following:
“This has been an absolute priority all along for me and many of my colleagues. We cannot afford to risk the health and well-being of people with disabilities because New York State fails to invest in a stable, long-term workforce of trained and skilled direct care professionals,” said O’Mara, a member of the Senate Finance Committee.
