PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Molly Krakowski, Senior Director of Government Affairs at JASA (Jewish Association Serving the Aging)
2:04:21
·
3 min
Molly Krakowski from JASA presented testimony on various aspects of older adult services in New York City, focusing on Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities (NORCs) and proposed legislation. She emphasized the importance of funding for these programs and supported several city council initiatives.
- JASA provides NORC supportive services at 14 locations, funded through various sources including state, city, and council allocations.
- Krakowski highlighted challenges in the traditional NORC model, including funding requirements and high costs of nursing services.
- She expressed support for multiple proposed bills, including Intro 1022, Intro 1025, and a feasibility study for older adult information centers.
- Krakowski stressed the need for increased funding to support any expansion of services, particularly in reference to lowering the age eligibility for certain services for people with HIV.
Molly Krakowski
2:04:21
Hi.
2:04:22
My name is Molly Kirkowski.
2:04:23
I'm a senior director of government affairs at Jassa, and I just thank you chair Hudson and the Mitty for today's hearing.
2:04:31
I'm going to jump right ahead since I have my 2 chested friends here.
2:04:36
Jasa currently provides nork supportive services among a million other services provide.
2:04:42
I'm gonna go straight to some of the specific intros today.
2:04:47
We currently provide Newark's ported services at 14 different locations, including 6 Newark's funded by New York State Office for the aging and NYC aging 3 exclusively supported by New York City Council Allocations and then 5 that are a combination of housing partners and NYC Council discretionary grants.
2:05:06
The range of services offered through programs is comprehensive, addresses diverse needs of senior residents, and the services include everything from social programming, supportive counseling, assistant with benefits and entitlements, etcetera, and fostering intergenerational connections, and acting as a platform for community building where neighbors can share skills, exchange wisdom, and actively combat ageism.
2:05:28
Jazz has a longstanding commitment to serving these unique communities, ensuring the older adults can age successfully in their homes.
2:05:34
However, the traditional Nork model, which relies on a partnership between building management, social service agencies, nursing services, and residents face significant challenges, the requirements specifically for matching funds and in kind services as well as the high cost of nursing service is prevent barriers to expanding nork programs to other communities that would greatly benefit from them.
2:05:56
We've actively advocated along with many of the people that you're seeing here, both the city and state levels to support Norrick programs calling for the elimination of these unfunded mandates related to health and removing burdensome matches for funding requirements.
2:06:12
Jessa fully supports intro 1022, sponsored by council member TRS and the chair, which mandates the needs assessment focused on Newark's throughout New York City.
2:06:24
We believe strongly that Newark model improves healthy outcomes, reduces health care spending, and supports older adults remain in their homes.
2:06:33
We also support intro 1025 introduced by council member Hudson about developing brochures and informational materials for programs to distribute to older adult centers and service providers.
2:06:46
We've often encountered over the years older adults who are seeking employment opportunities with spaced age discrimination and are struggling to meet the rising cost of living in New York City.
2:06:56
We also support the council members intro t2024.
2:07:01
Which calls for a feasibility study on the creation of older adult information and service centers in relation to Resolution 0452, which seeks to lower the age of eligibility for older Americans act funded services from 60 to 45 for individuals living with HIV.
2:07:21
The services provided through OAA are vital to older adults.
2:07:24
They offer support for nutrition, social engagement, and mental economic health and also provide security and legal protections.
2:07:31
Jazz recognizes that medical conditions such as HIV along with challenging life circumstances like homelessness, chronic illness, prior incarceration, can contribute to premature or accelerated aging.
2:07:44
However, it's just vital that any broadening of eligibility is matched with increased funding and resources to adequately support this wider population, and I'll just jump to support what everybody has said, which is basically without funding, almost none of this can happen.
2:08:00
So we strongly encourage we hope that we'll get all the numbers that have been promised to you and that the conversation with OMB will become more transparent so that we can actually hear what's going on and know that there's an infusion of cash to really support all of the wonderful and potential initiatives that are being put forward.
Crystal Hudson
2:08:19
Thank you so much.
