Proposed legislation would help establish group home task force in New York State
The peak of the COVID-19 pandemic impacted group homes three times more than the rest of the population in New York State, and currently a piece of legislation on the governor's desk is aimed at helping fix some of those problems.
The bill, sponsored by Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara, has passed the New York State House and Senate, and now waits for final approval from Gov. Kathy Hochul. If passed, it would establish a task force aimed at improving living conditions in group homes around the state.
Santabarbara, whose son has autism, says he's dealt with some of those problems first-hand, with one of the his biggest issues being communication.
"The communication failure during that period of time is something that we cannot have happen again," Santabarbara says. "This bill is about ensuring family members and disabled individuals have a voice to express their concerns, this creates a mechanism that just wasn’t there.”
The New York State Office for People with Developmental Disabilities says they were already experiencing challenges before 2020, especially workflow shortages. The pandemic only made things worse as it depleted direct support workers, nurses, and clinical staff.
In response to this, the state invested $28.5 million to increase wages for direct care workers, nurses, psychologists and medical doctors, adding enhanced overtime pay as well. They say workforce shortage is a key piece to their 5-Year Strategic Plan, dedicating 76 percent of its American Rescue Plan Act funds towards those workforce shortages.
Santabarbara still believes more needs to be done to address this issue, hoping to give the residents and their families a platform to express their needs on a constant basis.
“Should a chaotic situation like the pandemic happen again we need to ensure the communication lines are open," he says. "That’s what this bill is gonna do, this will establish that and make sure those voices are heard."
If signed, the legislation would take about two months to be put into action.
