OFFICE OF MENTAL RETARDATION AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES

Agency Mission

The Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities (OMRDD) administers a statewide system of care structured around 13 Developmental Disability Services Offices (DDSOs) for persons with developmental disabilities and their families. A staff of 21,958 provides direct services and oversees a network of over 600 not-for-profit residential and day program providers in the community. Direct services are provided at eight Developmental Centers (DCs) and at State-operated residential and day programs based in the community.

A net Developmental Center census decline of 27 is projected to result from: 186 persons transitioning to other residential settings, 40 multiply disabled persons transferring from Office of Mental Health facilities, 40 emergency placement admissions, and 79 Secure Treatment Initiative (STI) beds becoming available for a total of 123 STI beds. Twelve of the Secure Treatment Initiative beds are located in the Brooklyn Developmental Center, and 111 are at the Sunmount Developmental Center in Franklin County.

Year-to-Year Change

The Executive proposes a net All Funds increase of $40,849,300, or 2.02 percent. On an All Funds basis, the State Operations appropriation decreases by $7,065,000 or 0.68 percent. The Aid to Localities All Funds appropriation increases by $56,087,300, or 6.07 percent. Capital Projects appropriations decrease by $8,173,000, or 11.75 percent.

Legislative Changes

An analysis of Patient Income Account (PIA) fund balances over a twelve year period shows that for ten of the twelve years the account had large fund balances at the end of the fiscal year. The fund balance at the end of SFY 1998-99 was nearly $14,000,000. The Assembly proposes that $10,000,000 of the fund balance in the PIA be used to offset General Fund spending.

Based on historical experience, it is projected that there will be an unspent balance of over $4,000,000, which is taken as savings.

The re-estimate of patient revenue enables $10,000,000 to be added to the PIA offset account to effect a General Fund savings.

Legislative Proposals

The Assembly continues its strong historical commitment to consumers, their families and the direct care staff serving the developmentally disabled. The Assembly is pleased to note that, although the Governor vetoed funding the Legislature provided in the SFY 1998-99 budget for additional residential placements, he now agrees with the need for service expansion. The Assembly supports the proposed appropriation for the New York State Creating Alternatives in Residential Environments and Services (NYS-CARES) program which, at full funding, will eliminate the current waiting list of persons needing out-of-home residential placements. The Assembly proposes that action be taken in the SFY 1999-2000 budget to assure the future availability of sufficient program resources to fund all of the beds and services promised in NYS-CARES. To facilitate achieving that goal, the Assembly recommends providing $50,000,000 in Dormitory Authority bonding for a NYS-CARES capital program. The Assembly's plan also recognizes the need for adequate staffing in order for the NYS-CARES program to succeed. Therefore, a two-percent inflation adjustment to State Aid is proposed for community based not-for-profit programs.

The Assembly further proposes that funding of $1,100,000 be restored to the Youth Opportunity Program to maintain full funding of $1,600,000. This highly regarded program provides mentored work opportunities to disadvantaged high school students identified by their schools as being in danger of dropping out. Moreover, absent proof that privatizing will not decrease the quality of pharmacy services, the Assembly proposes maintaining full funding for forty-four pharmacists and pharmacy aides.

The Assembly recommends that legislation be introduced amending the Mental Hygiene Law in relation to continued funding of residential schools for the mentally retarded and developmentally disabled.