Category: Advocacy

Tell Lawmakers to Invest in Access to Home

Our Homes, Not Nursing Homes

Free Our People!

Inaccessible housing is one of the biggest barriers for people who want to live in the community.

Unfortunately, the home modification program, Access To Home, is severely underfunded at only $1 million. This has left many parts of the state unserved, and has resulted in years long waiting lists. The Senate and Assembly need to hear from the disability community that they must address the need for home modifications!
As the State invests in programs such as Open Doors and the Olmstead Housing subsidy, which help people leave institutions or prevent unwanted and unnecessary institutionalization, it needs to provide funding for home modifications.
CIDNY is urging the legislature to include $10 million in funding for Access To Home. It helps homeowners and renters get the home modifications they need to live in the community. The Senate and Assembly are finalizing their one house budget responses, which are due out next week. We need everyone to make 4 calls today to help ensure we get this necessary funding included!
ACTION: Make the following 4 phone calls today to help ensure we have funding for Access To Home!

  • Call Senate Housing Chair, Senator Betty Little at 518-455-2811
  • Call Senate Majority Leader, Senator John J. Flanagan at 518-455-2071
  • Call Assembly Housing Chair, Assemblyman Steven Cymbrowitz at 518-455-5214
  • Call Assembly Speaker, Assemblyman Carl Heastie at 518-455-3791

Say: “I am disabled / a family member of someone with a disability and I need help making my home more accessible. There is no available funding to get this help, and without it, I can’t leave my house/leave a nursing facility. Please help me stay in my home by including $10 million for Access To Home in your one house budget response so it is available in my area and to people across New York State.”

H/T New York Association on Independent Living

Call Today For Increased Funding for Independent Living Centers!

Independent Living Centers like CIDNY provide people with disabilities and their families the supports and services that help them live independently and integrated in their communities. ILCs rely on the State for funding to provide these vital services, but New York State has failed to adequately fund centers for well over a decade, leaving us struggling to continue providing services. 

The State Education Department and Board of Regents recommended a $5 million increase for ILCs for the second year in a row. Unfortunately, Governor Cuomo’s proposed Executive Budget failed to give centers this additional funding they need to meet the needs of their communities. But it isn’t too late to get an increase in this year’s budget!

The next step is the legislature. The Senate and Assembly will release their one house budget responses in mid-March. There were budget sign-on letters in support of an increase in funding for Independent Living Centers in both houses with strong support.  Now we need to put pressure on the Senate and Assembly’s leadership and Education Committee Chairs to include this $5 million increase for Independent Living Centers!
 
ACTION: Make the following four phone calls today to help ensure Independent Living Centers receive a vital funding increase in this year’s budget!

  1. Call the Assembly’s Education Chair, Catherine Nolan at 518-455-4851
  2. Call Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie at 518-455-3791
  3. Call the Senate’s Education Chair, Carl L. Marcellino at 518-455-2390
  4. Call Senate Majority Leader John J. Flanagan at 518-455-2071

Say: “Help Independent Living Centers and the people with disabilities they serve by providing ILCs with a crucial funding increase of $5 million in the one house budget.”
 
Below are some additional talking points. Feel free to customize based on your personal experience.

Talking Points:

  • Independent Living Centers have gone well over a decade with level funding, which is why this modest increase of only $5 million is so crucial.
  • Independent Living Centers save the State money! Every $1 invested in ILCs saves the State $9 thanks to their work helping people leave nursing facilities and other institutions.
  • This additional funding will help centers to cover the increased costs of providing services and prevent them from program cutbacks and staff layoffs.
  • This additional funding will ensure they can meet the needs of their local communities across the State.

Learn more about the federal impact on ILC funding here.

Trump Budget Proposal Cuts Funding to Independent Living and Other Vital Programs

Last week, the President released his budget proposal for FY 2019 (PDF). Unsurprisingly, the budget proposes steep cuts to the programs people with disabilities rely on, including the Independent Living Program! While it’s only a proposal, it does show us the areas we’ll have to continue fighting for. We need to make sure our voices are heard NOW before Congress begins the FY 2019 appropriations process!

First, the budget proposes cutting the Independent Living line item by $5 million.

CIDNY and other independent living centers have been asking for more funding because the program has been underfunded for years!

Also, despite promising not to cut Social Security, the proposed budget would cut $83 billion over 10 years.

The President’s budget proposal would also reduce spending on many other programs people with disabilities rely on. The HHS budget would be slashed by 21%. The Department of Education budget would be cut by 10.5%. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly food stamps) would be cut by nearly 30% and restructured. The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) would be defunded. Section 8 vouchers would be cut by nearly $1 billion; and more major funding cuts and changes to housing, education, and other important programs are proposed.

While this budget is terrible, Congress will likely not include many of these proposals in their appropriations bills. That said, it is still important that our members of Congress hear from us! We need to fight against any cuts that will negatively impact the Independent Living Program and people with disabilities.

Talk with your Senators and Representative and urge them not to accept Trump’s cuts to Independent Living. Talk to them about the value of Independent Living. Have them visit us! And make sure they know how important the programs we rely on are to their disabled constituents because more changes are on the way.

We need to reach Meeks, Meng, Velasquez, Jeffries, Clarke, Nadler, Donovan, Maloney, Espillat, Crowley, Serrano, and Engels. Call the Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 or (202) 224-3091 (TTY) to be connected. Direct office contact information can be found at Contacting Congress. Can’t call? You can also text RESIST to 50409 or contact elected officials online. Take action today!

Gloria’s Story: Volunteering at CIDNY

When I retired, sitting at home became too much. I am 65 plus and now live in an assisted living facility in Manhattan.

I came to NYC on November 16, 1960, as a girl from Bridgeville, Delaware. I have had many jobs, but my most rewarding employment was working with the disabled. I was a Mentally Ill–Chemical Abuse counselor (MICA), a benefits advisor, and I have assisted people in obtaining housing. I was also a placement coordinator at Howie the Harp. (Howie the Harp is a training program for people with disabilities to become peer counselors.) 

I am now a volunteer at the Center for the Independence of the Disabled (CIDNY).

At first, I was nervous. My voice goes UP and I speak fast. After a few weeks, I came to love being here. The people I work with are understanding and willing to help. They are friendly and we respect each other. When I walk into the office, my world lightens up. I am doing the work I love, in an office with people I respect, and who have the confidence in me that I can complete any task when asked.

I help with a variety of things that need to be completed: data entry, making phones calls to government offices, and following up on participants and surveys. I also cover the front desk when needed.

I am an advocate for people with disabilities. I have advocated and will continue to advocate to keep Medicaid. I will continue to fight for those who cannot fight for themselves.

I went to an MTA board meeting as part of CIDNY’s Access-A-Ride organizing work. The day before the meeting, an Access-A-Ride taxi was supposed to pick me up at the office at 2 pm. At 3:20 pm, he arrived around the corner (on 13th St.). He helped me into the car and put my walker in the trunk. He insisted that I would have to pay the full fare, stating he “was not one of the drivers that picked up people in wheelchairs.” When I would not get out, he called the police on me. After he spoke to Paratransit, he told the police everything was fine.  

At the MTA meeting, I shared my experience. The President and the Vice President of the MTA gave me their direct numbers.

They stated they would be more careful regarding choosing the car companies they contract with. Due to working with CIDNY staff, I was able to make the needed connections to advocate for myself. 

I have had very few problems with the broker car services since I spoke at the June MTA board.

I am also the president of the residential council at the 74th St. residence and I fight there for the residents to get the services they need. This includes the money from the Equal Grant, money given by New York State to the residence, for the residents. I try to make sure the money is spent on the residents, not for whatever the property managers want to spend it on.

Here at CIDNY, I connected with the Long Term Care Ombudsman Program who now have assigned an Ombudsman to my facility. I will continue to have meetings and inform the residents of any progress.

I am a free woman and can speak up for myself and others. I am proud. I will not stand for injustice.