Assemblyman Billy Jones (D-Chateaugay Lake) served as a panelist at City & State’s Virtual State Legislative Forum on Long-Term Care sponsored by AARP New York, joining several of his fellow lawmakers and AARP leaders to discuss challenges in the state’s long-term care system and possible solutions.

The forum was hosted virtually by City & State Editorial Director Jonathan Lentz. Assemblyman Jones was joined on the panel by Assemblymembers Sarah Clark (D-Rochester), Catalina Cruz (D-Queens), Ron Kim (D-Queens), Karines Reyes (D-Bronx), and Al Taylor (D-Manhattan), and Senator Sue Serino (R-Hyde Park), and AARP New York Legislative Representative Bill Ferris and Beth Finkel. The forum was held earlier this morning.

During the forum, Jones advocated for increased state support for home care including fair pay for home care workers and discussed his bill that will increase Medicaid reimbursement rates that cover the actual costs of delivering services in rural areas like the North Country (A802). “Home care workers have been ignored for years,” said Jones. “The proposed bonus included in the Executive State Budget is only a band aid and it’s past time that home care workers get the pay they deserve. Our loved ones and our neighbors want to age in place, and we must provide the resources to help ensure aging New Yorkers can live as independently as possible in the communities they helped build. This is not just in the best interests of our loved ones but will also save money in the long term.”

Jones also joined many of his colleagues in stressing the importance of funding and professionalizing the Long-Term Care Ombudsman program. “The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated a host of issues facing our long-term care system,” said Jones. “We need to properly fund the Long-Term Care Ombudsman program so that they can continue this important work and professionalize their staff that are mostly volunteers. I’ll continue to work with my colleagues to pass a state budget that strengthens this critical health care sector. After a difficult two years, it’s painfully clear that we must do more to ensure New Yorkers in long-term care settings are receiving the best care possible.”