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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Alana Tornello, Director of Resilience at Human Services Council, on Federal Funding Cuts Impact
0:57:58
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178 sec
Alana Tornello, representing the Human Services Council, urges New York City to protect human services from proposed federal funding cuts affecting various programs. She outlines four key actions for the city to take in response to the impending crisis.
- The Human Services Council represents over 180 organizations providing essential services to millions of New Yorkers.
- Tornello emphasizes the urgency of the situation, describing it as a "perfect storm" affecting multiple funding streams and sectors.
- She proposes actions including expediting delayed payments, strategically using federal funds, protecting services through emergency reserves, and implementing a comprehensive counter-strategy with the state.
Alana Tornello
0:57:58
Good morning and thank you council members for this oversight hearing.
0:58:01
My name is Alana representing the Human Services Council.
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We're a coalition of over 180 human services organizations in New York.
0:58:10
Our sector's collective contracted work with the city provides lifelines for millions of New Yorkers and maintains a workforce in the hundreds of thousands.
0:58:19
We urge the city of New York to act now to protect human services from proposed cuts to nearly every federal funding stream touching our sector.
0:58:27
We are facing a perfect storm.
0:58:29
Threatened programs, Medicaid, SNAP, Head Start, Social Security, disaster grants and more are direct lifelines for the communities we serve, for human services workers living on government sanctioned poverty wages, and for organizational budgets providing critical care.
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It hits on all fronts and in all subsectors.
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This is not a drill.
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The disaster is here and we sit in a critical window to respond.
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With that in mind, we outlined four actions for the city.
0:58:55
First, urgently expedite all delayed contracting and payments with human services providers.
0:59:00
A UNH survey highlighted this week found that $88,900,000 was owed to 15 settlement houses in retroactive contracts.
0:59:07
A survey of HSC membership at the close of 2024 found that 90% of respondents had delayed payments from the city, totaling $365,000,000 with over half experiencing over six months of delays.
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Fixing this is an immediate action that builds on recent progress and providers and provides needed and already allocated resources in preparation for mass cuts.
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Second, initiate strategic and rapid drawdowns of city managed federal funds.
0:59:34
Third, prioritize protecting critical human services in the use of existing and new emergency reserves, as was earlier discussed.
0:59:42
And last and critically, implement a comprehensive counter strategy with the state.
0:59:48
This could include clearer assessments of which funding streams and contracts are at risk, consistent proactive notification across city agencies to nonprofit partners regarding those at risk funds, preparing continuity of operation plans and flexible budgeting with contract holders, and closely coordinating with New York State and national and state nonprofit coalitions who are challenging federal actions.
1:00:15
Take a moment and picture our city without these lifelines because the rest of this testimony has some very concrete recommendations, but we have to root it in that because in that extreme, caregivers are without childcare or support for aging loved ones.
1:00:28
New Yorkers navigating our economic and housing crisis lose access to safe food, shelter, health services, case management, advocacy, and more.
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Potentially thousands fall through the cracks of large scale disasters and everyday emergencies.
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Our leaders are gambling with our city's future, and versions of New York City without its critical lifelines are right now on the table.
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We are fighting for a different one.
1:00:49
City leaders need to act now and act fast to support us.
1:00:53
Thank you and please refer to our written testimony for more information.