TESTIMONY
Brian O'Malley on Protecting Services and Fair Compensation for Aging and Disabled New Yorkers
0:12:43
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3 min
Brian O'Malley discusses the challenges faced by aging and disabled individuals in New York City, and the importance of fair compensation for home care workers.
- Outlines the growing elderly population in NYC and associated poverty rates among older residents in various boroughs.
- Highlights the need for a conversation on how to provide aging services and value the contributions of those who provide these services.
- Discusses a resolution that aims to use public funds efficiently to ensure fair compensation and respect for home care workers.
- Raises concerns about proposed cuts by Governor Hochul to wages and benefits for workers in the consumer-directed personal assistance program.
- Warns about potential eligibility cuts and actions that could affect the Human Resources Administration's ability to offer services, underlining the importance of the discussion for the future of NYC and State.
Brian O'Malley
0:12:43
Good morning, and thank you for the opportunity to present and testify on this important topic.
0:12:51
And I want to thank you for having this conversation.
0:12:56
You know, so you've given a number of different statistics this morning, and I just wanted to highlight a few more that were from the center over the future in the ARP.
0:13:07
15% of New York City's population is over 65 and that number is growing rapidly.
0:13:15
That's increased by 36% over the past decade and grown by at least 32% in every in at least every borough of the city.
0:13:29
1 in 4 older residents of the Bronx live in poverty, 1 in 5 older residents of Brooklyn live in poverty, and 1 in 6 older residents in Manhattan within policy.
0:13:42
It is clear that not only are we going to have to have the conversation of how we provide aging services.
0:13:54
But how we value those who provide those services to the individuals who need them.
0:14:00
This is a critical part.
0:14:03
Of that conversation.
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This resolution is one picture.
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Of how we can have a future.
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This resolution focuses on delivering the public monies that we have as close to the end user as possible with the workers.
0:14:27
That are providing services, making sure that they are fairly compensated and respected for the services that they provide.
0:14:36
It makes sure that we can actually provide the generous services that we are committed ethically to offer it.
0:14:43
2 disabled in older New Yorkers.
0:14:47
Unfortunately, the other side is also currently part of the conversation right now across New York State.
0:14:56
Everyone may have seen the New York Times piece race way about cuts to self direction in the state of Indiana.
0:15:03
But those cuts aren't just being proposed in Indiana.
0:15:07
Those cuts are being proposed here at home in New York.
0:15:10
Governor Hochul, as Miss Newman Campbell, said, is looking instead of cutting managed long term care plans that are not serving a valid purpose whose experiment has failed.
0:15:25
She is looking to cut wages and benefits for workers in the state's consumer directed personal assistance program by over 12%.
0:15:35
Simultaneous sending a message that they are not as important or as valuable as other home care workers.
0:15:42
She's looking to cut eligibility in the program by a 100,000.
0:15:46
She's looking to
UNKNOWN
0:15:47
Time expires.
Brian O'Malley
0:15:50
So alright.
0:15:50
Thank you.
Eric Dinowitz
0:15:51
We can finish your last thought.
Brian O'Malley
0:15:52
Thank you for the opportunity.
0:15:54
I was just gonna say she is also looking to take steps that would end possibly end HRA's ability to offer CDPA in the fee for service program.
0:16:06
And that's why this import conversation is important because this reflects the future that New York City and New York State want and need.
0:16:15
So thank you.
