By Karen Frantz
A state senator from Queens has joined a number of other legislators in Albany in a fight to restore program funding for people with developmental disabilities that was controversially cut from the budget earlier this year.
Sen. Joseph Addabbo (D-Howard Beach) recently signed on as a co-sponsor of a bill that would restore up to $90 million that was eliminated from the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities.
“Without adequate funding, children and adults in need of services will suffer, along with their families,” Addabbo said.
“In a state budget that totals $135 billion, I find it pretty hard to believe that we couldn’t come up with another $90 million to avoid decimating human services programs for those most in need,” he added.
Sister legislation has also been introduced in the state Assembly.
The 2013-14 state budget cuts 4.5 percent to Medicaid funding paid to nonprofit service providers that serve people with developmental disabilities. The cuts are intended to help the state pay back the federal government for years of overcharging.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo originally had proposed cutting $120 million to the office, but after an enormous outcry restored $30 million of those dollars in the final budget.
Along with the budget cuts, however, an advisory panel was set up to find ways for the agency to save money without sacrificing quality of care.
Last month the commissioner of the developmental disabilities office released preliminary details about how the cuts would be administered and said the direct impact to nonprofit providers of services for people with developmental disabilities would only be about $14 million under the plan.
A large portion of the cuts is instead proposed to be recouped through audits of nonprofits, a savings projected to be $40 million.
But Charlie Houston, executive director of the Queens Center for Progress, a Jamaica Hills-based nonprofit that provides services for people with developmental disabilities, said the plan is not guaranteed and that alternate sources of revenue may not be realized.
“If this were to happen, providers could be facing greater cuts than the $14.2 million,” he said.
Addabbo said the cuts could mean the closure of programs and putting people out of work, resulting in a reduction of support and resources for the developmentally disabled.
“When times are hard, we shouldn’t make it even harder for those who [are] struggling every day and who need our help to live up to their highest personal potential,” he said.
Houston said he thinks there is a good chance the legislation may pass both houses.
But, he added, “We believe it virtually certain that the governor would veto the bill when it came to his desk.”
Reach reporter Karen Frantz by e-mail at kfrantz@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-260-4538.
