Assemblyman Phil Palmesano (R,C,I-Corning) today rallied with disability advocates and home-care beneficiaries to stand strong against the governor’s proposed budget cuts to the Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program (CDPAP), a critical funding stream that allows family members to hire direct-care professionals for vulnerable loved ones.

The $75 million cut would erode patient choice and jeopardize services that aging New Yorkers and those with physical and developmental disabilities rely on.

“This would be a devastating blow for patient choice, quality of care and quality of life for some of our most vulnerable citizens. By allowing family members to hire and direct caregivers themselves, you’re increasing the likelihood that care will be personalized and transformative. It also drives costs down by cutting out third party vendors or service providers who aren’t directly accountable to the patient,” said Palmesano.

“Budgeting is about priorities. What message does it send when we cut valuable resources for some of our most vulnerable New Yorkers? In the context of a $175 billion budget, there is absolutely no conscionable reason to cut a program that’s enhancing quality of life for the disabled and giving their family members piece of mind and freeing them up to provide for their families,” said Palmesano.

Palmesano also disagrees with a provision which would jeopardize the status of family members designated as caregivers under the current program, a needless change that would force many vulnerable individuals into institutions who currently benefit from personalized care from a loved one.

In 2017, Assemblyman Palmesano and his Minority colleagues worked to secure $55 million for service providers who care for the developmentally disabled afford to retain direct care professionals. In 2013, Assembly Minority politicians fought to restore $90 million in proposed programming cuts for New Yorkers with developmental disabilities.

“This is important to our conference. Every couple of years, it seems like the governor believes he can shortchange these vulnerable people. Not on our watch. Whether it’s protecting good programs like CDPAP or fighting for better wages for direct care professionals, we’ll go to the matt to make sure that vulnerable New Yorkers can lead fulfilling, healthy lives,” said Palmesano.