Adviser Winter 2019-20 LeadingAge New York Adviser LeadingAge NewYork Winter 2019-20 | Page 50

One
Voice
New Year’s Resolution: Patient Advocacy
T
his is the time of year when people often reflect on the past year and set
intentions for the year ahead. I hope that as you do this, you add advocacy to
your list of new habits and intentions for 2020.
Ami Schnauber
We consistently hear about members struggling to recruit and retain necessary staff
and transition services to meet current consumer demands with limited financial
resources that don’t cover costs. Throughout the summer and fall, we’ve been
traveling the state to help tell this story to legislators in their local regions. These
meetings, which have included local provider members, have helped to develop
relationships with elected officials and ensure that they understand the challenges
that members are facing when the Legislature returns on Jan. 8 th and begins
addressing a significant budget shortfall.
Our challenge is to find innovative solutions
that are revenue neutral or generate savings
while also seeking reforms that allow
providers to work more efficiently.
As many are aware, the State is facing a $6 billion budget deficit
for the 2020-2021 fiscal year. That deficit is projected to grow
to $8 billion over the next three years. Our challenge is to
find innovative solutions that are revenue neutral or generate
savings while also seeking reforms that allow providers to work
more efficiently.
The good news is that LeadingAge New York has several
proposals that will do just that! Here are our key proposals to
help members thrive as we head into the new year:
• Civil Money Penalty Investment in Workforce: The State has
$8 million in federal funds from civil money penalties that are going unused.
LeadingAge New York proposes a New York Careers in Aging program
supported through these funds.
• Expanding Senior Housing with Services: LeadingAge New
York is asking lawmakers to support legislation that would establish a
dedicated Affordable Independent Senior Housing Assistance Program. The
program asks for an investment of $10 million over five years to fund resident
assistant positions in affordable housing and has a projected State savings of
$1.3 million per year.
• Medication Technicians: LeadingAge New York is working on
legislation that would establish a demonstration program authorizing
Certified Nursing Aides (CNAs) who receive advanced training to pass
medications in nursing homes under the supervision of a Registered Nurse
(RN).
• Role of the Nurse: LeadingAge New York is asking lawmakers to
support legislation allowing Adult Care Facilities (ACFs) to directly employ
Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) or RNs to provide occasional nursing
services. This legislation would lower costs of care for residents of ACFs and
would prevent unnecessary emergency room visits.
(See New Year’s Resolution on page 50)
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Adviser a publication of LeadingAge New York | Winter 2019-20