My Rant
Despite the budget being late, behavioral health advocates are continuing to press the legislature to support a 3.2% Across the Board COLA without any restrictive language. There continues to be this false narrative that the COLA has not been used for workforce. That narrative is completely misleading. The reality is that not for profits are using this for staffs as well as lessening financial burdens including defraying the cost of health insurance benefits. All agency directors have to sign an attestation showing how and where the money has been spent. We’ve not heard of any agencies licensed by the State that have not done their due diligence and met State requirements. To say that the money has not been used either directly or indirectly for staff is nothing more than a lie and those people spreading the false narrative to legislators about this should be ashamed.
What other sector has to deal with this kind of ridiculous standard. Instead of creating more erosion in our workforce, why don’t we get an across the board 3.25 COLA and acknowledge the great work our field does every day in challenging circumstances. Our members should be celebrated and provided with a COLA (and frankly a lot more). In this op-ed that appears in today’s Times Union, our colleague Sebrina Barrett of ACL makes a very compelling case as to why we need the 3.2% COLA across the board.
Finally on the second page, we have included the call ins to the Speaker and Majority Leader with our messaging. Please continue to call. It makes a huge difference. Thank you
Proposed cost-of-living adjustments aren’t nearly enough
By Sebrina Barrett
Everyone is feeling the pinch as costs of living increase. If you own a home or a car, if you have a family, or even if you live alone, you too feel the effects of increased gas prices, insurance rates, groceries and utilities.
Now imagine operating a home that houses people experiencing mental health challenges – this is their home. But you have to pay for everything. And pay the staff to run it.
I represent more than 100 members who provide housing and care for over 40,000 vulnerable individuals living with mental illness in New York. Historically, we’ve experienced decades of significant underfunding. In recent years, the state has shown us some support, but it hasn’t been enough to let us catch up as inflation continues to rise.
And this year, Gov. Kathy Hochul’s proposed 1.5% cost of living adjustment and the Legislature’s proposed 3.2% targeted COLA put us at risk of falling further behind.
When the COLA was created, it was intended to cover the rising costs of living – all the things providers pay – and to include both wages and operations. The Legislature’s 3.2% proposal covers only salaries and omits funds to help with the rising costs of operating mental health housing. And the governor’s 1.5% proposal isn’t nearly enough for either.
We can’t survive only on funding allocated to our staff ‘s salaries; if we don’t cover operating costs, we won’t be able to keep our providers’ doors open, let alone pay for rising employee health insurance.
We need the Legislature and the governor to include a 3.2% across-the-board COLA in the state budget to both absorb rising costs and pay a living wage to our workforce.
Our members’ staff are truly the backbone of what we do. Their work is essential, and they deserve a living wage. But we can’t pay them more and cover mandatory costs of operating. Our state contract rates include both, and the COLA must address both.
Sebrina Barrett is executive director of the Association for Community Living
