Below is a summary of the 2019-2020 New York State Budget that was finalized this past weekend.
A SUMMARY OF THE 2019-2020 FINAL
STATE BUDGET AGREEMENT
The Governor and Legislature came to a final agreement on the 2019-2020 State Budget over the weekend. The final agreement of $175 billion is a $7 billion increase in spending over the 2018-2019 budget. Below is a summary of some of the areas that were included in the final agreement.
Office of Mental Health:
- $10 Million to Enhance Rates for Supported Housing and SRO Programs: This amount was added in the Governor’s January budget proposal. The Assembly had added an additional $10 million in their one house budget bill while the Senate had added an additional $3 million. Unfortunately, during the final negotiations, the additional money in the one house bills fell off the table and the final amount for existing Supported Housing and SRO programs remained at $10 million. There was no additional money in the final budget for CRs and TAP. We do not yet know how the $10 million will be targeted for distribution. The last round of rate enhancements was state-wide for all supported housing and SROs. The BRING IT HOME Campaign has and will continue to push for increased funding for all five types of existing mental health housing. The $10 million in additional funding does not come close to meeting the need. The deficit for existing programs is currently $162 million and will only increase as rents and costs associated with operating the programs continue to rise.
- Human Services 2.9% COLA deferred: The statutory COLA was deferred again this year..making this the 10th out of the past 11 years the COLA has been deferred. This year’s COLA would have been 2.9% as determined by the CPI. There was an organized push for the COLA this year by a large coalition of advocacy groups from the behavioral health community along with Strong Non-Profits. The COLA would have provided an across-the-board increase to community programs under OMH, OPWDD, OASAS, OTDA, OCFS, and Office for the Aging. The deferral of the COLA reflects how underappreciated the human services sector is despite the incredible work being done by community-based programs to improve the lives of the people receiving services.
- $1.2 million for a 2% Targeted Workforce Enhancement: Enacted is a 2% workforce enhancement for direct care workers in OMH, OPWDD, and OASAS. This enhancement would start in January of 2020 and is targeted for workers that are identified on the 100 and 200 lines of the CFR. There is also a promise for an additional 2% enhancement in next year’s SFY (2020-2021) for direct care workers and clinical staff (300 lines of the CFR). The cost of the increase is $15 million (for one quarter of the SFY) for all workers across the three state agencies. The total for OMH for the 2% in this year’s budget is $1.2 million out of the $15 million.
- $60 Million to Maintain and Preserve Community Based Residential Facilities: OMH usually has $10 million per year for capital improvements for CRs and SROs. This year’s budget includes an additional $50 million bringing the total up to $60 million. This is great news.
- Prescriber Prevails: For many years, under several different governors, the executive budget proposals have attempted to eliminate the ability of prescribers to overrule the denial of an insurance plan when a prescription for psychiatric medication is not on the plan’s formulary. Every year the legislature has restored this, and this year is no different. Prescriber Prevails was restored.
- $5.5 Million in Additional Community Reinvestment: This accounts for the closure of 100 state operated hospital beds. Once annualized the total amount going into community reinvestment from the closure of the 100 beds would be $11 million. The counties and Regional Planning Councils will decide how that money is used.
- $8.4 Million to Address the Increase to Minimum Wage: This annualizes the amount needed for the increases that occurred January 2019 and addresses the increase that will occur on January 1, 2020.
- $10 Million for Transitioning from Adult Homes: This money will be used to engage people living in adult homes to transition to more independent settings. This would include funding for higher rates, Peer Bridgers, Peer Supports, and in-reach services.
- Joseph Dwyer Veterans Peer-to-Peer Program: The Legislature restored $3,735,000 for the program and added an additional $300,000 for a Peer pilot program in New York City.
Housing Development
- Continue Funding for the 6,000 Units of Supportive Housing: THESE ARE UNITS THAT WERE ALREADY FUNDED. The final budget continues capital ($2.5 billion) funding for the first 6,000 units of the Empire State Supportive Housing Initiative (ESSHI). When this program was announced four years ago, there was a promise of 20,000 new units of supportive housing. The first 6,000 units were to be funded over five years (this will be the fourth of five rounds). There is no funding for units beyond the first 6,000. Although the Governor has committed through a promise that the full 20,000 will be developed, as a member of the Campaign for NY/NY Housing ACL will continue to monitor the development of these units to ensure the total commitment is honored.
OASAS
- Increase of $26 Million: To enhance operating and capital supports to enhance prevention, treatment and recovery services, residential programs, residential services and public awareness/education
Criminal Justice Reform
- Cash Bail: Cash bail will be eliminated for misdemeanors and non-violent felonies. Often people with severe mental illness are living in poverty. Because they often can not make bail, they are often held in jails while waiting for court cases to be decided at trial, leading to the potential of extended incarcerations and solitary confinement which can be traumatizing. Ending cash bail for low-level offences is a diversionary initiative on the cutting edge.
- Crisis Intervention Teams: An additional $412,000, which was originally added by the Senate, was agreed to for Crisis Intervention teams.