Legislative Bulletin: Registration is Open for 2023 Budget Advocacy!
January 20, 2023
Three Easy Steps to Take Part in Budget Advocacy, Feb 13-17!
We are at the start of another New York State legislative session and state budget cycle, and this year we are aiming to accomplish more than ever before! The state budget negotiations this year will run from Feb. 1st – April 1st. The process will begin with all eyes on the Executive Budget Proposal, expected by Feb. 1st, and will conclude with three-way negotiations with the Legislature and the passage of a final budget.
This year, LeadingAge NY has the goal of connecting with over 100 lawmakers during our Virtual Budget Advocacy Week! We know we can succeed in this goal, but we can only do so with the help and participation of our membership.
We are trying to make it as easy as possible for members to participate in 2023 Budget Advocacy. To participate in Advocacy Week, please follow these simple steps:
- CLICK HERE TO REGISTER for LeadingAge NY 2023 Virtual Advocacy Week, scheduled for February 13 – 17.
- Once you are registered for our coordinated budget advocacy efforts, CALL YOUR STATE SENATOR & ASSEMBLY MEMBER to request a virtual/Zoom meeting for Feb. 13-17. As an additional resource for individuals new to advocacy, we have developed this legislative scheduling guide to assist members in setting up meetings.
- Once your meetings are scheduled, please send your meeting details to Sarah Daly at sdaly@leadingageny.org, so that we can track our combined advocacy efforts and support you in your advocacy.
More details on our 2023 Virtual Advocacy Week can be found on our website. In short, LeadingAge NY policy staff will be providing legislative handouts and any other support you need in organizing and attending these important virtual budget meetings.
Most notably, LeadingAge NY will be hosting a Budget and Advocacy Week Prep Call on Friday, Feb. 10th at 11 AM. During this member-focused prep call, LeadingAge NY policy staff will review the Executive Budget Proposal’s potential impact on members, related budget advocacy handouts, and answer any questions members may have. Information to join this special member call is available on the advocacy day website here.
Thank you in advance for your participation in advocacy at this critical time, and please stay connected with us so we can support you in your efforts!
ACTION ALERT: New Budget Social Media Messages!
We are less than two weeks away from seeing the Executive Budget Proposal, and we need to keep bringing our issues to the Governor’s attention if we hope to see them addressed in the first draft of the 2023-24 state budget!
With this in mind, ALL LeadingAge New York members are strongly encouraged to post the following social media messages on professional and personal social media platforms over the coming days. These posts can be accompanied by one of the graphics available here.
- How does NY’s support of nursing homes compare to IL’s? In 2022, IL approved over $700M to support higher-quality care & wages for dedicated staff. Meanwhile, NY provided just a 1% Medicaid rate bump. @GovKathyHochul, the State can – & must – invest more in #agingservices.
- We all deserve a basic level of housing, health care, & essential support to lead fulfilling lives as we age & our needs change. @GovKathyHochul, it’s time for NY to make meaningful investments in long-term care & #agingservices to ensure all NYers are well cared for.
If we can effectively harness the power of social media during this year’s state budget negotiations, it is possible we could finally see some meaningful, proactive investment in long-term care and aging in this year’s budget. If you’d like to help collaborate with us on these efforts, sign up for our Public Affairs Council here.
ACTION ALERT: Affordable Senior Housing Resident Assistance Bill Reintroduced
This week, Senator Kavanagh re-introduced a LeadingAge New York priority bill for the Affordable Independent Senior Housing Assistance Program. The new bill number is S.2080, and we thank Senator Kavanagh for his ongoing support of this important program!
While it is positive that our proposed program has a bill to support its establishment, the program requires state funding in order to be implemented. This makes the program a budget ask, and with that, it is critical that we are advocating for the program’s inclusion in the Executive Budget proposal.
To that end, please CLICK HERE to send an email to Governor Hochul, urging her to include an affordable senior housing resident assistance program in the Executive Budget Proposal! We encourage ALL members to send this letter again, even if you have already sent it in recent weeks.
After you’ve sent an email to the Governor using the above link, members are encouraged to post the below social media message on personal and professional social media accounts. The message can be copy and pasted directly into Twitter, and can also be posted on Facebook!
Resident Assistance in Affordable Senior Housing is critical to the healthy aging and socialization of low-income older adults. @GovKathyHochul - small, targeted investments like these keep seniors out of higher levels of care and enrich the lives of older adults!
Public Affairs Council Meeting Set for Thursday!
In September, 2022, LeadingAge New York launched our Public Affairs Council. The council is comprised of public relations, communications, and government affairs professionals of LeadingAge NY member organizations and is an open group for any professionals of LeadingAge NY membership with an interest in these areas to join.
The Public Affairs Council’s goal and intention is to allow for better communication and collaboration among LeadingAge NY and our membership as we work together to educate the public and lawmakers about the importance and value of quality, mission-driven long term care and aging services. The activities of this council will be increasingly important as we approach and move into the state budget cycle which will run through February and March.
The next Public Affairs Council meeting is set for Thursday, Jan. 26th at 3 p.m. During this meeting, we will be discussing upcoming budget advocacy activities, what members are hearing from their legislators, the implementation of recent social media and press strategies, and more! If you have not already signed up to be a part of our public affairs council, or would like to make sure someone in your organization is a part of the council, you can sign up for emails and meeting invitations here!
LeadingAge NY Hosts LTC/Aging Services Webinar for State Legislators
On Thursday, Jan. 19th LeadingAge New York held an hour-long virtual webinar for New York State Legislators. Over 60 state legislators and legislative staff registered for the event to hear from LeadingAge NY staff about long-term care and aging services, the full continuum of care we represent, how each service line is paid for and funded, the history of under-funding of our sector, workforce dynamics at play, state-wide demographics, health care system impacts and more.
The webinar served as an educational opportunity for the 36 new members of the legislature, as well as any other legislators that wanted to receive an update on the challenges and dynamics at play as we prepare for February state budget activities. The last 10 minutes of the presentation was comprised of questions from attendees. Legislators and staff asked questions pertaining to federal COVID-19 relief funding and how those dollars were disbursed, the re-basing of nursing home Medicaid rates, and medication aides in nursing homes.
LeadingAge New York has been in frequent contact with the full legislature over recent weeks – developing relationships with new legislative offices and offering information on investments other states have provided to long-term care and nursing homes. We have also taken several opportunities to highlight why nursing home Medicaid rates need a 20% increase to support staffing recruitment and retention efforts and bring beds back into operation.
Tell CMS You Oppose Federal Minimum Staffing Levels!
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is planning to issue a proposed rule to establish national minimum staffing levels for nursing homes. The long-term care sector is already facing dire workforce shortages, limiting new admissions and forcing organizations to close.
LeadingAge understand the workforce and staffing challenges of our members. We need real solutions that build the domestic and international pipelines for workers, and we need funding increases to recruit and retain additional staff.
Please click here to send an email to CMS Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure opposing the adoption of a minimum staffing ratios mandate without the necessary workforce investments and reimbursement levels to ensure that residents and patients receive the care they deserve!
Members are encouraged to personalize the email template by including any information or stories that highlight the impacts of workforce shortages and the proposed rule on your community and its residents.
LeadingAge & LeadingAge New York Coronavirus Resources
LeadingAge NY continues to closely follow all COVID-19 news and we are doing our best to keep members informed of updates, recommendations and guidelines from the Department of Health (DOH).
LeadingAge NY and LeadingAge National Member resources are linked below.
LeadingAge NY Coronavirus Resources
LeadingAge NY COVID-19 Weekly Update calls – Mondays at 11 a.m. Click here to join the call from your computer, android or apple device. Or you can join the call by dialing in: 877 853 5257 (Toll Free); Webinar ID: 852 964 255.
LeadingAge National Coronavirus Policy Updates – Mondays and Wednesdays at 3:30 p.m. Past call recordings are available here and you can register here for future calls.
Contact: Sarah Daly; 518.867.8845; sdaly@leadingageny.org