OPWDD is pleased to provide a plain language summary of the agency’s 2023-2027 Strategic Plan. You can find this easy-to-read document on the OPWDD website here:https://opwdd.ny.gov/strategic-planning/2023-2027-strategic-plan-plain-languageOPWDD, এজেন্সিরসাম্প্রতিককালেপ্রকাশিত 2023-2027 সালেরকৌশলগতপরিকল্পনারএকটিসংক্ষিপ্তসারসরলভাষায়সরবরাহকরতেপেরেআনন্দিত।আপনিএইসহজপাঠ্যনথি OPWDD ওয়েবসাইটথেকেপেতেপারেন https://opwdd.ny.gov/strategic-planning/2023-2027-strategic-plan-plain-languageOPWDD很高兴提供该机构新发布的2023-2027年度战略计划的简明语言的摘要。您可以在OPWDD网站上找到这份易于阅读的文件 https://opwdd.ny.gov/strategic-planning/2023-2027-strategic-plan-plain-languageLa OPWDD tiene el agrado de proveer un resumen en lenguaje sencillo del Plan Estratégico 2023-2027 recientemente publicado de la agencia. Usted puede encontrar este documento fácil de leer en el sitio web de la OPWDD. https://opwdd.ny.gov/strategic-planning/2023-2027-strategic-plan-plain-languageيسرّ مكتب الأشخاص ذوي إعاقات النمو تقديم ملخّص بسيط يوجز الخطة الاستراتيجية للفترة ما بين ٢٠٢٣-٢٠٢٧ التي أصدرتها الوكالة حديثاً. يمكنك العثور على هذا المستند سهل القراءة على الموقع الإلكتروني الخاص بالمكتب.https://opwdd.ny.gov/strategic-planning/2023-2027-strategic-plan-plain-languageדי א.פ.וו.ד.ד. איז צופרידן צו צושטעלן אַ פּשוט שפּראַך קיצער פון די אַגענטורסי ארויסגעגעבן 2023-2027 סטראַטעגיש פּלאַן. איר קען געפֿינען דעם גרינג-צו- לייענען דאָקומענט אויף די א.פ.וו.ד.ד. וועבזייטל. https://opwdd.ny.gov/strategic-planning/2023-2027-strategic-plan-plain-languageOPWDD ma przyjemność przedstawić streszczenie swojego nowo opublikowanego Planu Strategicznego na lata 2023-2027 sformułowane z użyciem prostego języka. Ten posługujący się prostą formą dokument można znaleźć na stronie internetowej OPWDD https://opwdd.ny.gov/strategic-planning/2023-2027-strategic-plan-plain-languageL’OPWDD a le plaisir de fournir un résumé en langage clair du plan stratégique 2023-2027 récemment publié par l’agence. Vous pouvez trouver ce document facile à lire sur le site Internet de l’OPWDD https://opwdd.ny.gov/strategic-planning/2023-2027-strategic-plan-plain-languageOPWDD kontan pou l bay yon rezime nan lang klè ajans lan fèk pibliye Plan Estratejik 2023-2027. Ou ka jwenn dokiman sa a fasil pou li sou sit entènèt OPWDD la.https://opwdd.ny.gov/strategic-planning/2023-2027-strategic-plan-plain-languageОрганизация OPWDD рада предоставить краткое изложение недавно опубликованного, упрощённого Стратегического плана агентства на 2023–2027 годы. Вы можете найти данный простой для чтения документ на веб-сайте OPWDD.https://opwdd.ny.gov/strategic-planning/2023-2027-strategic-plan-plain-languageL’OPWDD è lieto di fornire in linguaggio semplice una sintesi del nuovo Piano strategico 2023-2027 appena rilasciato dall’agenzia. Questo documento di facile lettura è disponibile sul  sito web OPWDD.https://opwdd.ny.gov/strategic-planning/2023-2027-strategic-plan-plain-languageOPWDD مسرت کے ساتھ ایجنسی کے 2023-2027 کے نئے ریلیز شدہ اسٹریٹیجک منصوبے کا سادہ زبان میں خلاصہ فراہم کر رہا ہے۔ یہ باآسانی پڑھی جانے والی دستاویز آپ کو OPWDD کی ویب سائٹ پر مل سکتی ہے https://opwdd.ny.gov/strategic-planning/2023-2027-strategic-plan-plain-languageOPWDD는 기관이 새로 발표한 2023-2027년 전략 계획에 대한 쉬운 말 버전 요약을 기쁘게 제공하고 있습니다.  읽기 쉬운 이 문서를 OPWDD 웹사이트에서 찾을 수 있습니다.https://opwdd.ny.gov/strategic-planning/2023-2027-strategic-plan-plain-language

INVEST IN NEW YORK’S CARE ECONOMY
With rising costs of inflation, coupled with the decades-long workforce crisis and a historic lack of funding, the operational costs for non-profit I/DD provider agencies have drastically outpaced the funding this sector needs to care for over 130,000 New Yorkers with I/DD.

85% of individuals with I/DD in NY are supported by non-profit providers

$100.5M is the annual cost of high staff turnover rates for agencies

19,788 vacant direct care positions need to be filled by the non-profit sector

DIRECT SUPPORT PROFESSIONALS
Permanent investment in Direct Support Professionals’ (DSP) salaries is essential to recruit and retain staff for the future viability of the field. As highly skilled professionals dedicated to the essential care of individuals with I/DD, DSPs take on numerous critical responsibilities to uplift the safety, productivity, and well-being of the entire I/DD community.
DSPs are responsible for providing important practical & administrative support such as first aid & CPR, administering medication, meal preparation or transport facilitation, as well as, attending to the comprehensive social, emotional, & psychological needs of those they care for. Whether it’s teaching personal care skills and money management or directing crisis de-escalation, DSPs are required to be well trained, skilled, and constantly prepared for all the essential life-support services their profession demands.
Through their fundamental support & services, DSPs are integral pillars of support for New York’s I/DD community and are crucial in ensuring that over 130,000 New Yorkers with I/DD can live their highest quality of life.

DIRECT SUPPORT WAGE ENHANCEMENT (DSWE)
NYDA is recommending the establishment of a new Direct Support Wage Enhancement (DSWE) as part of the SFY 2024 New York State budget. Through the proposed DSWE, provider agencies would receive an annual funding allocation of $4,000 per eligible employee to be used for the purpose of enhancing the hourly rate of pay for all staff that have direct care/support responsibilities for individuals with I/DD.

The proposed $4,000 increase equates to approximately $2.19/hour for a full time employee. The DSWE is also
reflective of the 13% increase provided to DSPs employed by OPWDD in the SFY 2023 Budget. Furthermore,
OPWDD is proposing an additional $4,000 – 6,000 increase for OPWDD DSPs as part of the SFY 2024 Budget.
Therefore, the inclusion of the DSWE is critical to provide an equitable increase to employees who are
providing the same services to the majority of people with I/DD in New York State.

INCLUDE: ESTABLISHMENT OF A DIRECT SUPPORT WAGE ENHANCEMENT AS PART OF SFY 2024 BUDGET

SYSTEM SUSTAINABILITY
COLA – 8.5% FOR SFY 2024
Due to the significant inflationary growth that has occured over the past year, not-for-profit provide agencies’ operting costs have increased signficiantly necessitating a 8.5% COLA in the Enacted SFY 2024 Budget. The proposed 2.5% increase in the Executive Budget unfortunately does not provide the necessary resources to continue to invest in the vital workforce needed to provide high quality life supporting services and will erase the progress that has been made over the past year.
Significant cost increases related to mandated fringe benefits, repairs and maintenance, utilities, food, supplies, transportation, and insurance over the past 12 months have resulted in significant financial pressure on agencies. Additionally, since the I/DD provider agencies are solely funded by Medicaid, agencies are unable to increase reimbursement for services to compensate for increased costs of operations.

MODIFY: HEALTH AND MENTAL HYGIENE PART DD TO INCLUDE 8.5% COLA

NYDA provider organizations recently conducted their annual statewide workforce survey. The survey found that there are high levels of staff turnover are costing the state’s nonprofit disability service provider $100.5M annually. This cost directly hampers funding essential supports and services for New Yorkers with disabilities. The 2022 survey results reflect staffing data as of December 31, 2022.
It is important to note that the Draft OPWDD Strategic Plan highlights the 2019 NCI Staff Stability Survey, which was published in January 2021 and cites vacancy rates and turnover rates, “11.9 percent of full-time positions were vacant, and 17.5 percent of part-time positions were vacant. The turnover rate for DSPs was 36.2%…” The December 31, 2022 NYDA survey shows that statewide staff vacancy rates are still 42.5% above pre-pandemic levels.
Notably, the July 2022 NYDA survey also collected wage information for DSPs from the provider agencies, which showed the
following results:

Region Average Statewide Staff Vacancy Rate Average Statewide Annual Turnover Rate

Region 1 (NYC METRO) 16.07% 28.93%
Region 2 (Hudson Valley) 20.96% 23.18%
Region 3 (Capital District) 19.39% 33.04%
Region 4 (Western, Central & North Country) 15.70% 35.42%
Statewide 16.96% 30.70%

Average DSP Starting Wage at
Non-Profit Provider Agency $16.07

Region 1 (NYC METRO) $16.24
Region 2 (Hudson Valley) $16.15
Region 3 (Capital District) $16.12
Region 4 (Western, Central and North Country $15.84

State Operated Hourly Starting Wage
Upstate $23
Downstate $25

Published by New York State Disability Advocates

Please find below a memo outlining an important consent policy update. The attached memo is being issued to help streamline and clarify the use of CCO/HH consent forms developed by New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) and to outline associated policy revisions.

Consent Policy Update Memo

Governor Hochul presented her 2023-2024 budget proposal today in the Red Room of the State Capitol.  Disability advocates were extremely disappointed that the Governor’s commitment “to serve all New Yorkers” and that this budget proposal “will do the hard things to lift up and support all New Yorkers” did not include New Yorkers with developmental disabilities, their families and the hardworking staff who support them.

Governor Hochul’s 2023-2024 (SFY ’24) budget totals $227 billion all funds spending (2.4% increase) and $125 billion state funds (2% increase) which includes:

• $34.5 Billion in public education funding (a $3.1billion/10% increase) including a $2.7 billion/12.8% Foundation Aid increase.
• 5% rate increase for hospitals, nursing homes and assisted living rates.
• $24 billion in raining day reserves will be completed by the end of the current year — two years ahead of schedule.
• $1 billion multi-year investment to transform New York’s mental health care continuum
• $337 million for programs designed to prevent and reduce gun violence
• $400 million to provide relief to New Yorkers experiencing high electric bills as well as lowering energy burdens through electrifications and retrofits.
• Expands Medicaid coverage for 7.8 million low-income New Yorkers

Below are highlights of interest, to CP State Affiliates, from a quick look at the budget.  We will provide further details as we read all the budget bill language.

OPWDD

NYDA and all the disability advocates have been urging the Governor to include an 8.5% COLA & a $4,000 wage enhancement.  Unfortunately, the Governor’s budget included:

• A 2.5% COLA for OPWDD, OMH, OASAS, OCFS, OTDA & SOFA
• $0 wage enhancement
• $2 million to establish a Statewide Ombudsman Program for individuals with developmental disabilities to “provide an independent advocate for individuals who are not able to speak for themselves and provide training and support to those who can make their own decisions to help them achieve greater independence.”
• $11.7 million capital funding to develop Intensive Treatment Opportunity (ITO) Capacity units at the former Finger Lakes Developmental Center campus.
• IBR Study -A two-year Independent Study on the Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities (IBR). 
• An additional $15 Million to Develop Housing and expand independent living opportunities for individuals with IDD.
• Flexibilities for Delegated Nursing Tasks – legislation to allow greater flexibility for the performance of certain nursing tasks by unlicensed employees in non-certified community-based settings.

SED

• The Governor’s budget proposal includes a $3.1/10% billion overall increase and $2.7 billion/12.8% Foundation aid increase.

• Zero growth or COLA was included for our schools, however, other than last year, our school’s growth has not been in the budget but has always been in the April 15 methodology letter.
• $2.5 million for a rate setting study by SED to be presented to the Division of Budget by 7/1/2025

DOH

• Zero Early Intervention increase
• Zero clinic increase
• $500 million in multi-year health care capital funding to drive transformative investment that support the State’s health care investments.
• $500 million in multi-year capital grants to support investments in technological investment upgrades, including clinical tech and cybersecurity.
• $967 million to complete consolidation of Wadsworth Laboratories’ five unconnected sites to one site on the W. Averell Harriman Campus in Albany by 2030.
• $100 million to expand Medicaid coverage of preventative health services and access to primary care.
• $157 million in New York State’s nursing homes and $9 million in New York’s assisted living providers to meet the staffing requirements
• $60 million beginning in FY 2025 to expand the Medicaid Buy-In program so more New Yorkers with disabilities can work and still qualify for coverage.

OMH

A long-term, multi-year $1 billion investment to transform New York’s continuum of mental health care including:

• $915 million in capital to develop new residential units, plus $127 million in annual operating costs.
• $18 million in capital and $30 million annually to increase operational capacity for inpatient psychiatric treatment.
• $60 million in capital and $122 million annually to expand outpatient services.
• $27.5 million annually to improve post-discharge connections to services through the creation of 50 new Critical Time Intervention care coordination teams.
• $30 million annually to expand mental health services in schools.

Barbara

Barbara Crosier

Vice President, Advocacy & Government Relations

Cerebral Palsy Associations of NYS

3 Cedar Street Extension, Suite 2

Cohoes, NY 12047

Phone:  (518) 436-0178

Cell:  (518) 424-3198

Fax:  (518) 436-8619

E-mail:  bcrosier@cpstate.org