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Q&A
Council Member Crystal Hudson questions Department for the Aging on staffing, budget, and program utilization
4:14:46
·
6 min
Council Member Crystal Hudson conducts a Q&A session with Commissioner Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez and other representatives from the Department for the Aging. The discussion covers various topics related to the department's operations, staffing, budget, and program utilization.
- Questions focus on staffing levels, vacant positions, and the department's ability to effectively run its programs
- Discussion of additional funding for home-delivered meals (HDM) and older adult center (OAC) programs
- Inquiry about older adult center utilization data and rates across the OAC network
Crystal Hudson
4:14:46
The executive plan includes three twenty eight budgeted positions for fiscal twenty twenty five, increasing to three forty positions in fiscal twenty twenty six and in the out years.
4:14:56
As of March 2025, '3 zero '3 positions were filled with 25 positions vacant.
4:15:02
Which programs or areas are these vacant positions in?
Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez
4:15:06
Primarily in the program officer role.
4:15:09
Program officer.
Justin Brannan
4:15:10
Okay.
Crystal Hudson
4:15:11
Does the agency have adequate headcount to effectively run all of its programs and initiatives?
Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez
4:15:17
No.
4:15:18
We are always negotiating with OMB around an adequate amount of headcount and we have shifting 14 positions to make sure that we have complete all of our assessment and mandated functions.
4:15:34
And we even though the positions have been baselined, we're negotiating with O and B on making sure that they're fully funded.
Crystal Hudson
4:15:43
What would be an adequate number in terms of headcount?
Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez
4:15:48
Well, it depends on the resources.
Crystal Hudson
4:15:50
But That's what I'm trying to get to.
Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez
4:15:52
Yeah.
4:15:53
So I can't give you that answer right now because it really depends on the resources that we have, the number of programs.
4:16:05
And then that would really determine a parity between function and staffing needs.
Crystal Hudson
4:16:12
Okay.
4:16:12
How is NYC Aging actively working to fill these vacancies?
Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez
4:16:18
We are very aggressive in terms of advertising, word-of-mouth, and internal referrals.
4:16:27
One of the things that we're always grappling with is do we hire and promote from within, which is always a goal.
4:16:39
But to make sure that we can do that without compromising this two for one, you know, this whole process that we have to go through to fill vacancies.
Crystal Hudson
4:16:48
Okay.
4:16:49
Thank you.
4:16:50
In the fiscal twenty twenty five adopted budget, dollars 11,100,000.0 was added to provide additional support to the HDM and OAC programs.
4:16:59
This funding was only added in fiscal twenty twenty five and was not baselined.
4:17:04
How has this additional funding been utilized?
Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez
4:17:11
Was that to cover the cost?
Jose Mercado
4:17:17
Can you repeat the question again?
4:17:18
Sorry.
Crystal Hudson
4:17:18
Yeah, absolutely.
4:17:19
HDM.
4:17:19
In the fiscal twenty twenty five adopted budget, dollars 11,100,000.0 was added to provide additional support to the HDM and OAC programs.
4:17:28
This funding was only added in fiscal twenty twenty five and not baselined.
4:17:33
How has this additional funding been utilized?
4:17:36
The 11,100,000.0.
Javier Lojan
4:17:40
To
Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez
4:17:45
I believe that was part of the cliff restoration, but we will get back to exactly on how it was localized.
Crystal Hudson
4:17:57
So do you know if it was part of the funding that was added in the executive plan?
Jose Mercado
4:18:03
We'll get back to you because I have difficulty trying to find that.
Crystal Hudson
4:18:06
Okay.
Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez
4:18:09
We're trying to figure out that exact dollar amount, and I don't want to misrepresent.
Crystal Hudson
4:18:13
No, I appreciate that.
4:18:14
Okay.
4:18:20
And, the NYC Aging's term and condition report on older adult center utilization data was provided to the council for calendar year 2024, but this report did not include the weighted utilization percentages, a vital component of the reporting requirement.
4:18:34
The council still has not received this data.
4:18:37
When does NYC Aging anticipate this data will be provided to the council?
Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez
4:18:41
That is a that is a technological issue that we're having with Passport.
4:18:48
And so when we can reconcile the data between Passport and our STARS program, we will be able to give you the most current data.
4:18:59
And we're also in the process of changing our data management to Vive.
4:19:05
And in that system that will be reconciled.
4:19:09
So we're in a data maze of data speaking to each other and being able to give you the adequate numbers.
4:19:18
The active no, it's not adequate numbers because the numbers are adequate.
4:19:22
The most up to date numbers.
Crystal Hudson
4:19:24
Understood.
4:19:25
Thank you.
4:19:26
What information can NYC Aging share with us today regarding utilization rates across the OAC network?
Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez
4:19:34
We're about 90%.
4:19:37
We're really pleased that
Crystal Hudson
4:19:39
Sorry, was the percentage?
Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez
4:19:42
Yeah, we're at 90% rate.
4:19:45
Ninety?
4:19:46
Ninety.
4:19:46
Yeah.
4:19:47
Well frankly, yeah.
4:19:48
We're at 90% rate.
Crystal Hudson
4:19:49
Okay.
4:19:50
Just wondering if
UKNOWN
4:19:51
it was
Crystal Hudson
4:19:51
90 and not nine.
Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez
4:19:52
And keep looking at pre pandemic as the number in the panacea.
4:19:57
And I think that we live in a new world, and I don't know that that should be the data which we are always measuring against.
Crystal Hudson
4:20:10
Okay.
4:20:11
Yeah, guess we can't, you know, keep going back to status And
Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez
4:20:17
we also have to take into account that more older, more people are turning 60 and their needs are different and so on, so we can address what those needs are and we will always see ourselves at a different pace.
Crystal Hudson
4:20:33
Okay.
4:20:34
Thank you so much.
4:20:35
That concludes our questions.
4:20:38
I don't think any other members have questions.
4:20:40
No.
4:20:41
Okay.
4:20:42
Great.
4:20:42
Thank you so much, commissioner,
UNKNOWN
4:20:43
and give Thank you very,
Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez
4:20:44
very much.
4:20:45
Thank you for your time, and thank you always for your commitment and serious commitment to older adults.
Crystal Hudson
4:20:53
Thank you.
4:20:53
Thank
Justin Brannan
4:20:54
Thank you commissioner.
4:20:57
Alright.