Workforce Rally Nov. 9, Clinical Conference Nov. 12, Mid-Year Fiscal Update

November 4, 2021

CP State News

We're here for you!

November 12

Attend the CP State Virtual Clinical Conference!

The CP State Virtual Clinical Conference is Friday, November 12.

Click here for the brochure and registration information.

Anyone can attend! Please share with your networks and anyone that might be interested in attending.

Links will be sent to the email address provided in your registration in advance of the conference date.

If you have any questions, please contact Angela Anderson at aanderson@cpstate.org or 518-436-178.

We look forward to seeing everyone at the Virtual Clinical Conference!

Although CP of NYS was requiring all in-person attendees to be vaccinated, we heard from many clinicians that they would only participate virtually. This response led to our decision that it would be best to hold a virtual-attendance only conference for this year.

If you have booked a hotel room, you MUST CONTACT THE EMBASSY SUITES DIRECTLY TO CANCEL YOUR ROOM RESERVATION (518-290-9090).

Virtual links will be sent to the email address provided in your registration in advance of the conference date.

Workforce Rally Tuesday, November 9!

On Tuesday, Nov. 9, at 10:45 a.m. join New York Disability Advocates, NYC FAIR, SOS, family and self-advocates, DSPs, and other speakers to discuss the state’s workforce crisis of Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) that is impairing the quality of care for New York’s I/DD community.

The event is in-person at City Hall Park, NYC, and will be streamed on the NYDA Facebook page.

DOB releases positive Mid-Year Update

The Division of the Budget released its Mid-Year Update last week, signaling the beginning of the budget session and setting the baseline for the State’s financial position.

This Mid-Year Update shows an increasingly positive financial outlook for the State as it recovers from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The two driving factors in this positive position are extraordinary Federal support that has been generated by a number of pieces of Federal legislation that have disbursed money to states through grants and enhanced Federal matching funds and upward re-estimates of tax revenues that the State is receiving which were previously projected to come in at a much lower level.

DOB now projects General Fund surpluses in each year of the Financial Plan. This is the first time that DOB has published a Financial Plan with no budget gaps in any fiscal year.

Click here to read the full report.

OPWDD Budget Changes

The Mid-Year Update does not make any changes to the planned disbursements for OPWDD services which already included funding to support minimum wage increases, a one percent COLA, the anticipation that service utilization trends upward toward pre-pandemic levels, and targeted investments to ensure adequate access to services and supports. There is one change to the Mental Hygiene funding in relation to the DOH Global Cap in which the State’s General Fund is adjusted to provide additional support to the DOH Global Cap via an adjustment titled “OPWDD Local Share”. This is simply an internal accounting adjustment on the part of DOB and will have no impact on OPWDD’s budget or service delivery.

NYC Ballet Hosting FREE holiday workshops

Our friends at the NYC Ballet are again holding FREE Virtual Access Workshops exploring the Nutcracker this December.

From November 26 to December 2, the ballet will host a series of workshops for children as well as a series for teens and adults. Each one-hour workshop will be co-led by a pair of NYCB Dancers and will include a warm-up and choreography inspired by the Company’s vast repertory.

Modifications and movement options will be offered throughout, and movers of all abilities are welcome. ASL interpretation and closed-captioning accommodations available for livestream events.

Please share with families and anyone you think might be interested.

Send the Governor a Workforce Crisis Letter & Rise Up Together!

Tell your Story! Rise Up Together to Address the DSP Workforce Crisis!

Watch this message from self-advocate BJ Stasio and then click HERE to send a letter to Governor Hochul!

The letters will be printed out, in addition to being emailed, and personally delivered to the Governor by BJ.

Join BJ and Rise Up Together to meet with Governor Hochul and present her with 10,000 letters/stories to discuss our workforce crisis.