Your guide to NYC's public proceedings.
PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Brianna McKinney, Chief Advancement Officer of Project Guardianship
5:04:10
·
144 sec
Brianna McKinney from Project Guardianship testifies about the critical need for a public guardianship system in New York, highlighting the current shortages in guardianship services and the potential cost savings of implementing an effective system.
- McKinney emphasizes that guardianship is a vital tool for those who can no longer make decisions due to conditions like dementia or mental illness.
- She notes that up to half of the cases in New York City cannot be assigned a guardian due to lack of qualified individuals.
- The testimony calls for city leaders to fund expanded nonprofit guardianship services, citing potential annual savings of $85 million in Medicaid costs.
Brianna McKinney
5:04:10
Good afternoon chairs Hudson, Brennan, and members of the committees.
5:04:14
Thank you for the opportunity to testify today.
5:04:16
My name is Brianna McKinney and I'm the chief advancement officer at Project Guardianship.
5:04:20
We're a nonprofit that provides person centered guardianship services to New Yorkers who have no one else, no family, no friends, and no financial means to manage their affairs.
5:04:30
We also advocate for reforms to improve and modernize New York's guardianship system.
5:04:35
Guardianship plays a vital role for people who can no longer safely make decisions due to advanced dementia, serious mental illness, and other conditions.
5:04:44
A guardian ensures access to medical care, manages finances, secures benefits, and meets basic needs like housing and food.
5:04:53
It is a tool of last resort meant to be limited in scope and used only when no other option exists.
5:04:59
When no longer necessary, it should be swiftly terminated and rights restored.
5:05:03
Yet today courts across New York struggle to meet the legal mandate to appoint a guardian in every case where one is needed.
5:05:09
In one third of cases statewide and up to half here in New York City, Judges report that they cannot appoint anyone because no qualified guardian is available.
5:05:18
Those who are poor, alone, or marginalized fall through the cracks because there's no public system to support them.
5:05:24
The consequences ripple across hospitals, courts, and social services, delaying discharges, postponing proceedings, and leaving thousands unprotected.
5:05:32
We were encouraged by the council's recent passage of resolution o five six one, which calls for a statewide public guardianship system in partnership with experienced nonprofits.
5:05:41
Unfortunately, New York State did not heed the council's call in their fiscal twenty six budget, allocating only a million dollars annually for guardianship services, an amount that's woefully disconnected from the scale of the problem.
5:05:53
With proposed federal cuts to Medicaid, Medicare, SNAP, and Social Security, this crisis will deepen.
5:05:59
Guardians can coordinate care, but they cannot replace the safety net.
5:06:04
Yet when done right, guardianship reduces unnecessary hospitalizations and nursing home placements, allowing people to age in their homes and communities, and saving approximately $67,000 per individual per year largely in Medicaid costs.
5:06:18
Meeting the statewide need would generate over $85,000,000 in annual savings.
5:06:23
We urge our city leaders to take action by funding expanded nonprofit guardianship services and helping build a stable accountable infrastructure of care.
5:06:31
Thank you for your leadership and the opportunity to testify today.