Advocacy is a year-round game. It is not just about the six months of legislative session.
We continue off session to work on the 3.4% TII as well as our groundwork on the teacher training bill, the higher education mental health work legislation, mental health parity and our work with first responders.
Other behavioral health organizations are continuing their tireless efforts as well.
Listed below is a letter to the Schenectady Gazette from CEO of Northern Rivers and MHANYS Board Member, Bill Gettman, urging support for the human service sector TII.
Also, listed below is an article in Crains New York, detailing the work of the Coalition for Children’s Behavioral Health advocating that the Meta settlement agreement be utilized for home, school based and children’s outpatient services. We completely agree and support the Coalition’s work on this funding. In addition, Governor Hochul has been a steadfast advocate for youth and teen mental health first aid. We urge that part of this funding be utilized for that essential peer training.
Support our human services workers.
As we enter the Labor Day weekend and celebrate with picnics, family gathering and back to school preparation, it is critical to honor and thank the nearly 1 million human services workers who care for the vulnerable, ill and young.
These women and men show up every and work all shifts to provide vital care and support.
Over the past year, the workforce stress and challenges have been intense including new inflation pressures, world events, community violence, racism and economic turmoil plus the impacts of isolation and ever charged election driven politics.
Due to decades of lack of historical investment and cuts, the sector and employees are at risk. Despite investments by Gov. Hochul and the Legislature, the human services sector remains fragile.
With over 800,000 human service workers across the state, many of whom are women and people of color, we need an investment that will be particularly impactful; 22% of human services workers depended on SNAP benefits to make ends meet and 25% work a second job.
Over the next year, we need a living wage and fair benefits for our sector. It begins with a targeted investment of 3.4% for the human services workforce.
We can all be proud of what we have accomplished this past year for the children, adults and families we serve, both individually and collectively. Now on this special holiday, we need to commit to and support those that support all New Yorkers.
Warmly,
Northern Rivers Family of Services
