The state has short-changed services for people with disabilities, leading hundreds to rally for more support during a rally in Hauppauge.
Chanting “7.8 and don’t be late,” advocates and residents joined Suffolk officials in appealing to Gov. Kathy Hochul to increase the percentage of the state budget she proposed to fund disability services.
“It’s clearly not enough,” said Assemblywoman Jodi Gilgo, who organized the rally at the state office building. “There already wasn’t enough money from Albany and a 2.1% increase just won’t cut it. This is about people, not politics.”
Along with Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine, local officials called for a commission to review the wages paid to Direct Support Professionals and have the Office for People With Developmental Disabilities set the rates rather than the Department of Health. “The wages are not enough to keep up with the cost of living,” Romaine said. We need to attract people to help the people in need,” noting that inflation has taken a big bite out of people’s paychecks.
“This is about all of us. We need to invest in these special, loving people,” said rally speaker Bob Policastro of Angela’s House, a home named for his daughter that works with over 600 children a year. “This is about the parents and the agencies that fill the void in the system.” Senator Monica Martinez agreed: “It does take a village to make sure people live with dignity. The people who work with them must have the wages they deserve.”
“My son is in a group home and the staff there is wonderful but so underpaid,” said Hauppauge resident Gail Gottlieb. “They can make the same amount at McDonalds, and the job is much easier. Albany really needs to address this disparity.”
“We need to keep the lights on in the group homes,” Assemblywoman Giglio said, noting that some agencies have been waiting up to seven months for reimbursements from the state. “They can’t function like this. This is not just a political failure but a moral one. The people of New York are watching, and they will remember.”