CSEA slams Cuomo's flawed Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities plans

BINGHAMTON, NY (09/13/2013)(readMedia)-- CSEA today warned state lawmakers that Gov. Andrew Cuomo's double-barreled assault on state psychiatric and developmental disabilities services will devastate the Southern Tier.

"Contrary to statements from the governor's office, CSEA has no interest in maintaining the status quo in mental health and developmental disabilities services – we stand with New Yorkers who want better services delivered in a way that benefits everyone," said CSEA President Danny Donohue. "The governor has put forth flawed plans that will abandon needed human services, leave the financial burden on families and local taxpayers as it further cripples struggling communities, such as Binghamton, Elmira and others across the Southern Tier."

CSEA submitted testimony to the state Senate and Assembly Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Committees, which began hearings on the plans this week.

The governor has proposed a vague plan to consolidate long-term inpatient treatment for people with mental illness, disrupt essential children's care and place greater emphasis on community services, but the administration has offered little detail about meeting needs of people and communities. Both Binghamton and Elmira Psychiatric Centers would be closed under the proposal.

Under Cuomo's developmental disabilities plan, the Broome Developmental Center would be closed and individuals in need of care would be placed through a new managed care approach that would favor private, not-for-profit providers and exclude state services from pilot projects testing this new model. Cuomo has refused to support any future for state developmental disabilities services and the dedicated employees who deliver them.

"Taking decent paying, middle class jobs with benefits away from experienced, dedicated, and caring state employees and replacing them with private, not-for-profit companies who fail to pay their direct care workers a decent wage hurts local economies and the quality of life for all New Yorkers, not just those receiving care," CSEA's testimony stated.

The communities where state employees currently provide vital services stand to lose tens of millions of dollars in decent paychecks that are spent in local communities, accelerating economic devastation and a race to the bottom.

Nearly 1,500 jobs are at risk with Cuomo's proposed closure of Binghamton and Elmira Psychiatric Centers along with Broome Developmental Center.

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Note: CSEA Central Region President Colleen Wheaton is scheduled to deliver the union's testimony at the Binghamton hearing.