For Immediate Release
Contact: Leanne Ricchiuti, Association for Community Living, 518.222.8073
February 4, 2026
RELEASE
Association for Community Living Delivers Testimony Before Joint Legislature Hearing on Mental Health Hygiene
(Clifton Park, N.Y.) – The Executive Director of the Association for Community Living (ACL), Emil Slane, today shared testimony before the NYS Legislature’s Joint Budget Hearing on Mental Hygiene. The following are Mr. Slane’s remarks, as delivered:
“Good afternoon. I am Emil Slane, the Executive Director of the Association for Community Living, which represents providers of community-based mental health housing for 50,000 New Yorkers with serious mental illnesses. These housing and supports are essential to help the highest need individuals achieve recovery and independence in the community.
On behalf of the Association for Community Living, I want to begin by acknowledging the 2026-27 Executive Budget continues the Governor’s commitment to mental health and supportive housing, especially during what is clearly a challenging fiscal year for New York State. With the Federal changes, we recognize that the State is facing real constraints, including expiring funding sources and difficult budget decisions. In that context, the Governor’s proposed budget sends an important signal: that mental health and supportive housing remain priorities.
Two components of the Executive Budget are particularly significant for ACL and our more than 100 member agencies. The first is the proposed 1.7 percent Targeted Inflationary Increase for mental health and substance use disorder programs. The second is the $71 million investment to increase rates for the Office of Mental Health and Office of Addiction Services and Supports supported housing programs.
We view the $71 million for supported housing rate increases as a meaningful and positive step forward. Our members continue to struggle to make ends meet, as funding levels for all program types have not kept pace with inflation – with CR-SRO, Support-SRO, and scattered site supported housing programs at particular risk. This funding reflects a clear recognition of the financial pressures facing providers who serve some of New York’s most vulnerable residents. These funds are expected to continue supporting updates to scattered-site supportive housing rates, as well as long overdue stipend increases for community residence and support SROs which are facing significant shortfalls.
Governor Hochul has been a champion for mental health and supportive housing, and we are grateful for her leadership during this difficult budget cycle. Strengthening supported housing is essential to stabilizing individuals, communities, and the broader mental health system.
At the same time, we must be honest about the remaining challenges.
The proposed 1.7 percent Targeted Inflationary Increase continues to fall short of inflation. Failing to recognize the full 2.7 percent tied to the Consumer Price Index that ACL and other behavioral health advocates have urged equates to a cut for providers as they try to address the challenges of staffing and covering increasing costs of operating these programs including room and board, insurance, utilities.
In real terms, this means providers continue to face a gap between funding and the actual cost of operating these programs. Outdated funding models, severe workforce shortages, and the nerd to offer competitive wages remain pressing issues. Our staff deliver complex, intensive care every day, and the system cannot remain sustainable without addressing these realities.
While a 1.7 percent increase is appreciated, it does not fully keep pace with inflation or the demands placed on providers. As the budget negotiations move forward, ACL remains hopeful that the Legislature can work to close this gap and recognize the 2.7 percent in the final enacted budget and make further progress in addressing the shortfalls for housing programs.
We look forward to continuing this dialogue and our partnership to ensure that New York’s mental health housing system is adequately resourced, sustainable, and capable of meeting the growing needs across our state.
Thank you for giving us this opportunity to testify and for your continued attention to the needs of New Yorkers who rely on mental health and supportive housing services every day.”
The full submitted testimony and supporting details are viewable here.
With more than 100 member agencies supporting nearly 50,000 individuals with serious mental illness, ACL remains committed to strengthening New York’s mental health housing system through advocacy, partnership, and community engagement.
For more information about ACL visit, https://aclnys.org/.
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About Association for Community Living. The Association for Community Living (ACL) is a statewide membership organization of not-for-profit agencies that provide housing and rehabilitation services to nearly 50,000 New Yorkers who have been diagnosed with serious and persistent mental illness. Many of the people served in these programs have co-occurring physical health problems and substance use disorders. The day-to-day rehabilitative and support activities performed in community residential and other housing settings are vital for people who face the daily challenges of living with a mental illness and want to live independent, productive and satisfying lives as members of the community.