Message I. Please Support Proposed 2003-2004 Executive Budget & Workforce

Legislators - Thank you for supporting developmental disability causes.  We know this will be a difficult and lean year.  We need you now to support the Governor’s proposed budget that gives the OMRDD Medicaid program a trend of 3.43%.  The Trend factor and the related cost adjustment for ICF and HCBS waiver programs are much needed to address our direct support professional workforce crisis.  We are pleased that the Legislative addition of a 3% COLA for non-trended programs last December is carried forward in the proposed budget.

Message II.  Please Support NYS-CARES & NYS-CARES II

Legislators – Thank you for supporting NYS-CARES in past budgets.  Please fully support the fifth year of the plan and NYS-CARES II – the initiative to eliminate the waiting list for residential opportunities.   For 2003-04, the Governor’s proposed budget includes 1,300 new residential opportunities in three different ways; 876 opportunities in the 5^th year of NYS-CARES; 350 new opportunities not yet allocated called NYS-CARES II; and 140 opportunities through CSP, as well as, associated day services, at-home res hab and service coordination opportunities. New York has become a model for the rest of the nation because of NYS-CARES.

TALKING POINTS

I. Administrator's Points

- Staff Role - Talk about the difficult job of direct support professionals.  Give legislators examples of the complex work that is done in the community, helping individuals with every aspect of their lives and to achieve their desired goals.  Direct support professionals may work without ready access to supervisors as they provide support in scattered sites.  Point out they are highly responsible and do all aspects of the job described and more!  Personal care, health care, transportation, advocacy, financial management, name just a few. However, their salaries are not competitive and turnover is high.  There is no career ladder.

- Recruitment – High turnover has serious negative consequences.  It is associated with low morale, absenteeism and “burn-out”.  Staff work many extra hours in intense environments and are tired and prone to making mistakes.  Talk about the costs of continuous recruitment ($3-5,000).  Explain the fiscal restraints placed o­n your programs.  Explain how your agency wants to run high quality programs for people with developmental disabilities and families.  Discuss that there are few career paths available in the field for direct care workers – you need to go to a different job to progress.  There is increased demand for community/human services.  We want to preserve the high quality of the services we provide.

- Morale -Speak about losing qualified employees to other arenas, including state jobs (same work, higher salaries), use specific examples with businesses in your area.  Make the point that many of the staff you know, love their work and want to make a career of it.  But sometimes they move o­n to improve their own quality of life.

- NYS-CARES - The implementation of NYS-CARES will hinge o­n a solid, quality workforce – help us achieve this. (Mention any problems opening new homes because of staffing.)  Increased demand for community supports has increased the recruitment and retention problems.  There have been many successes (over 7,000 opportunities) since NYS-CARES began 5 years ago – let’s not go back to a time when there was no hope of a out-of-home placement and years o­n the waiting list with frustrated, aging parents as caregivers. 

- The economy – New York’s economy is not doing well currently and new staff may be more available. When the economy is doing well there are less individuals available to work.  We want off this treadmill.  We are aware of demographic projections that indicate harder times to come as the general population ages, there is a greater need for supports and there are fewer individuals in the replacement pool of workers.  We need to develop career paths and professionalize this work.

II. Direct Support Professional’s Points

- The need for a living wage - Staff persons can discuss their hourly starting wage; how dedicated they are and how they work hard and long hours. Discuss the problems associated with low pay such as working several jobs, difficulty paying personal bills and loans and desire to further their education with no time or money to do this.

- Turnover – Staff o­n the job are very much impacted by high turnover.  They are required to work additional, unscheduled hours and are often working with “green” employees who require lots of additional mentoring. Frustration, stress, burnout, quality and morale issues frequently come up.

- Career – Staff cannot choose this line of work as a career, and, cannot support a family o­n the wages available.  Additionally, when we attract individuals highly interested in a career change, they often would need to take such a pay cut that it is an impossible option, i.e.: retired state troopers, teachers or those downsized in the computer technology field and from other jobs.

III. Parent/Consumer's Points

- Quality - Parents/Consumers - make the point that your loved o­nes want and need continuity of services.  Consumer satisfaction decreases with constant staff changes.  Direct care professionals perform complex jobs and need to be well trained and duly compensated.  Turnover is a constant problem and new faces appear all the time.

- Community & NYS-CARES– Staffing issues are a threat to the commitment to community supports and services.  Our children need substantial support due to disability and help in gaining new skills, most will need this for the rest of their lives.

- Training – High expectations and complex disabilities are not always met with the necessary training to develop new skills.  Training and education need to be pre-service and o­ngoing.

NOTE: If your team does not include a direct care worker, parent or person with a disability, please make the above points o­n their behalf. It is very important to show that all parties in the Legislator's district are affected.

III.    OTHER ISSUES OF IMPORTANCE – Please carry our above stated message to the legislature.  The below points, and others that you add, are to be addressed after you ask for the Legislator’s support for the trends and NYS-CARES II in the Executive Budget.

- Health Insurance – related to our workforce concerns, health insurance premiums have skyrocketed (Average 20% increase this year and the forecast is for the same in the future.) Offering health insurance is an important recruitment tool.  We don’t want to lose ground here.

- Institute for Basic Research – This research institute and clinic in Staten Island is proposed to close in the Executive Budget.  Losing this will have a significant impact o­n people with disabilities that use IBR.  Important behavioral and psychiatric services are provided in the metropolitan area.

- Union Neutrality Law – This law, NYS Labor Law Section §211-a, that was passed last year, has serious issues related to free speech and preemption of federal law – National Labor Relations.  Click Here for a copy of the Law or visithttp://www.nysacra.org/laborlaw211a.htm.

- Health Care Decisions Act for persons with mental retardation – thank you making this a law last year!  See http://www.nysacra.org/leg/memo-s4622.htm for the NYSACRA memo o­n the law.