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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Janet Magnuson, CEO of Richmond Home Needs Services, on Federal Funding Cuts Impact on Staten Island's Older Adult Population
2:07:49
·
4 min
Janet Magnuson, CEO of Richmond Home Needs Services, testifies about the impact of underfunding and cuts on Staten Island, particularly affecting the older adult population. She highlights the growing senior population, poverty rates, and the gap in services for those who don't qualify for Medicaid but can't afford necessities.
- Staten Island faces significant underfunding and real-time cuts, creating barriers to meeting essential needs of seniors.
- The borough lacks adequate healthcare facilities, geriatric specialty services, and support for daily living services like meal delivery and transportation.
- Recent cuts from managed long-term care companies, some up to 5%, are affecting home health care services without due process or explanation.
Janet Magnuson
2:07:49
Good morning all.
2:07:50
Thank you to the chairs and the members of the committee.
2:07:52
My name is Janet Magnuson.
2:07:54
I am currently CEO of Richmond Home Needs Services.
2:07:58
We're a nonprofit licensed home care service agency on Staten Island.
2:08:02
We service Staten Island and all the other boroughs.
2:08:05
Today I stand with my sister organizations to address the pressing issue of underfunding and cuts on Staten Island as a whole, with particular attention to the older adult population in Audubon.
2:08:16
The population of adults aged 65 and older in New York City has grown significantly over the past two decades.
2:08:23
And on Staten Island, 12 Percent of seniors live below the poverty line, which matches the rate across New York City as a whole.
2:08:30
There also exists a significant gap affecting seniors who do not qualify for Medicaid and yet lack the financial means to afford basic necessities.
2:08:40
As a result, many are forced to go without adequate nutrition and essential medical and home care.
2:08:46
Despite this, Staten Island continues to face significant underfunding and real time cuts, which has created barriers that prevent us from meeting their essential needs.
2:08:55
These challenges include limited access to health care as Staten Island lacks a public hospital and is limited to just one city funded clinic.
2:09:03
The absence of public geriatric specialty services further compounds the problem.
2:09:10
Inadequate support for daily living as essential services such as meal delivery, transportation, and home care are grossly underfunded.
2:09:19
Staten Island's funding for these critical supports falls behind other boroughs, leaving vulnerable seniors without the assistance they need.
2:09:28
Increased social isolation.
2:09:30
With only four city funded older adults sent out of approximately 300 citywide, Staten Islander seniors face a lack of opportunities for community engagement.
2:09:41
Funding cuts for these vital supports affect mental and physical health, along with chronic disease management, leading to worsening health conditions and more frequent hospitalization, costing more in the long run.
2:09:52
Under the current New York City aging funding framework, our agency is limited to supporting only 100 older adults restricted to a maximum of twenty hours per client each week, forcing new clients to be wait listed far too often.
2:10:08
And this existing funding is wholly inadequate to address the growing needs of Staten Island.
2:10:14
Increases should go hand in hand with Medicaid, and currently they do not, leaving New York City aging and community agencies to fight year after year for funding.
2:10:22
Now I spoke a bit about city funding and the fact that Staten Island is currently underfunded because of the fear that the trickle down from the federal will go down to the city and state, and Staten Island cannot afford more cuts.
2:10:37
However, with regard to the discussion at hand, we also provide services to those in need of all ages through Medicaid funding.
2:10:46
After January 1, state mandated wage increase home health aides now make $19.10, and they deserve it, and they deserve more.
2:10:55
We did get our expected reimbursement rates from managed long term care and Medicaid.
2:11:02
However, in the January, we started to receive letters from managed long term care companies that we will now face cuts, non negotiable cuts.
2:11:15
Some close to 5% without due process, without reasoning behind the cuts.
2:11:21
So clearly this haphazardness of all of it is trickling down without rhyme or reason, and we know it is only the start.
2:11:29
We also have a culturally diverse workforce with many working on legal visas.
2:11:35
But I hear and I feel the fear with some too scared to come to work.
2:11:40
Right.
2:11:40
Now that not only affects their income, it affects our services that the clients desperately need.
Lincoln Restler
2:11:47
Thanks so much.
2:11:48
Just ask if you could wrap up.
Lincoln Restler
2:11:49
Feel free
Janet Magnuson
2:11:50
to I'm almost done.
2:11:51
I was just going to say our agency's operations will be severely affected, and more importantly, those will be.
2:11:56
And I can clearly see that the committee recognizes these pressing challenges and reminds all that investments whether in culture, arts, immigration, older adults or those with special needs, they're vital for communities' growth and sustainability.
2:12:09
Thank you for your time.
Lincoln Restler
2:12:10
Thank you so much.