March 10, 2021
Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins Assemblyman Carl Heastie
President Pro Tempore and Speaker
Majority Leader New York State Assembly
New York State Senate
Senator Stewart-Cousins and Assemblyman Heastie,
As members of the organizations listed above, groups of families and concerned individual advocates, we are closely
following the current New York State budget process on behalf of those with Intellectual and Developmental
Disabilities. Some of us provided testimony at the Joint Legislative Budget Hearing on Mental Hygiene and held a
Virtual Town Hall for families and individuals on the impacts of the Governor’s Budget proposals. We continue to
advocate for the roll back of the cuts and underfunding in the Budget for programs run by OPWDD (Office for People
with Developmental Disabilities) that, if not addressed, will result in the continued loss of services for those with
IDD, some of the most vulnerable in our population.
We strongly urge you, as our legislative leaders, to restore funding for OPWDD in the Governor’s IDD Budget. The
focus of IDD advocates across the State is as follows. One involves OPWDD sharing in the increase in Medicaid funds
the state is currently receiving and the other calls for the reinstatement of the COLA.
First, the state has received a Pandemic enhanced FMAP (Federal Medicaid Assistance Percentages) match which
based on OPWDD spending is estimated to be over $252 million. Yet the Not-for-Profit providers have received zero
dollars from this FMAP increase. This inequity needs to be addressed. These FMAP Funds could eliminate the cuts
to OPWDD’s supports and services that began during the last year. Additionally, the additional FMAP increase for
HCBS (Home and Community Based Services) in the current federal stimulus legislation should be spent on
OPWDD’s HCBS programs as intended by Congress.
Second, now is the time to address the continued deferral in the Budget of the statutory COLA for all OPWDD
service sectors. This COLA could begin to address the continued pressure on service providers which has been
exacerbated by years of underfunding, the unreimbursed expenditure on PPE costs and the costs incurred to keep
vital programs up and running.
We appreciate the complexity and difficulty of addressing all of the state’s needs. As you evaluate the Governor’s
budget for OPWDD, please recognize that these proposals will protect the services and supports on which people
with IDD depend. We urge you to act on these proposals.
Thank you for your service on behalf of all New Yorkers,
Elly Rufer on behalf of Self-Advocates and Family Groups Representing individuals with Intellectual and
Developmental Disabilities across New York State
cc: Senator John Mannion,
Senator Liz Kreuger
Senator Robert Ortt
Senator Gustavo Rivera
Assembly Member Thomas Abinanti
Assembly Member Helene Weinstein
Assembly Member Aileen Gunther
Assembly Member. Richard Gottfried
ENYDDA 