The consistent theme from all the advocates was the support of a 1% increase to the TII (formerly the COLA) The Governor added 1.7% , and we are urging the Legislature to add an additional 1% to match the Consumer Price Index (CPI). Many legislators spoke with great passion about the need for this funding.
Attached is MHANYS testimony as well as an article about the TII rally we held earlier this week.
Tonight, I am on with Susan Arbetter from Capital Tonight (Spectrum News 7 P.M. tonight) talking about the impact of the budget and mental health services for teenagers.
To read the whole testimony, click here.
Briefing
At the Capitol: Feb. 4
We’re in the thick of state budget season now. That means you can expect a more crowded state Capitol for the foreseeable future.
Mental health budget hearing: The second state budget hearing of the week is focused on Hochul’s proposals on mental health and addiction services.
Hochul is proposing a funding increase for the state Office of Mental Health of $680 million, a 12% bump compared to what was allocated for the current fiscal year.
For the state Office of Addiction Services and Supports, Hochul is proposing a decrease in funding of $58 million, or about 5.4%.
One area of the budget to watch in both of those spaces is Hochul’s proposed 1.7% funding bump for state-contracted providers of mental health and addiction services. The increase is supposed to account for inflation.
But those groups have long-sought a larger investment from the state. There have been years in which the state hasn’t increased that funding at all, which has effectively left those providers with less to work with due to higher costs.
That has disrupted the workforce in those industries. Providers can’t afford to pay competitive wages, which has led to high turnover in staff.
Groups that represent those providers are asking Hochul and the state Legislature for a 2.7% increase to help combat that problem.
“The governor has been more responsive than any other governor in the state’s history, but we still have so much to make up for in the past,” said Glenn Liebman, CEO of the Mental Health Association of New York State.
