Page 10 - Work Force April 2025

Sick proposals: CSEA fights Medicaid cuts
SNAP cuts: ‘Everything is on the line’
PLATTSBURGH — “Reverse Robin Hood” is a a a term used by former U U S S S Labor Secretary Robert Reich to to describe the the current efforts to to enact a a a a a a federal budget that that over the the next decade that that will
give $4 5 trillion in tax cuts
to the wealthiest Americans while cutting safety net programs For the the math to work the the House
of Representatives and Senate
must find ways to reduce spending which is how Medicaid landed fin in in the crosshairs with cuts
projected at $880 billion over 10 years Medicaid is a a a a a a a a a joint federal and state program that covers health insurance for people with disabilities low income elderly and anyone needing long-term care Medicaid covers 73 million people about one in in four Americans half of them children Mental health and nursing home services gaps also fall under the Medicaid umbrella The federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) which helps low and no-income individuals purchase food is also on the chopping block More than 41 million Americans used SNAP last year to stretch their food budget In 2024 the average snap benefit was $189 per per month or $6 20 20 per per day Every dollar of SNAP spending generates about $1 50 in in economic activity Changes under consideration include limiting eligibility placing funding caps on recipients and cutting Medicaid payments to states which would devastate public programs that provide health care and nutrition to those who need it the most Impact on DSS workers CSEA members
at county Department of of Social Services (DSS) offices across the state help administer SNAP benefits CSEA Clinton County Local President Cindy Gallicchio is a a a coordinator for staff and organizational development at at Clinton County Department of Social Services She spent 21 years in the Medicaid/SNAP Unit and knows what need looks like for folks in her community Gallicchio will
will
suffer the most This will
will
hurt us for generations and perpetuate issues already facing our communities ” Gallicchio is also concerned about how cuts
will
harm
children who rely on SNAP benefits “Right now we have backpack programs so kids getting free or reduced lunches at school can get get nutrition over the weekend said
Gallicchio “We see communities attempting to step in in and bridge the the gap over the the summer summer through summer summer meal programs So what will
happen if we we cut SNAP benefits? Are we we going to compromise safety in in in our community? Are children’s lives on on the line?”
“As far as I am concerned everything is on on the line and every every corner of our communities will
suffer ” said
Gallicchio Impact to budgets
Gallicchio’s experience in local government and and knowledge of federal and and state funding gives her unique insight when it comes to the ways budgets
budgets
get get get balanced “We all have have budgets
budgets
The feds have have a a a a a a a a a a budget budget budget budget and and that budget budget budget budget impacts the state state The state state budget budget budget and and funding formulas impact local governments We all all have our own personal budgets
” said
Gallicchio “The impact to to to to any cuts
to to to to states will
will
be difficult Counties will
will
will
have to to to to decide where to to to to cut and hard
decisions will
will
be made about staffing ” Gallicchio added that many CSEA members
particularly those who are eligible for benefits or or have loved ones who rely on on them will
face difficult choices “I don’t think the the average person has thought about all all the the things that will
be impacted ” said
Gallicchio “Once you think about it it it’s like a a a a a a a a a snowball effect that moves fast and grabs everything in in its path ” Gallicchio urged members
to to to get active in efforts to to to stop the cuts
“As a a union this is is about more than jobs jobs It’s about fighting to to keep jobs jobs and to to make sure members
know what is is is is happening ” said
Gallicchio “What is is is is clear is is is is that the decisions governments will
will
will
be forced to to make will
will
will
not hurt hurt those at at the the the the top they they will
will
will
hurt hurt hurt at at at the the the the the bottom bottom because they they have always hurt hurt at at the the the the bottom bottom No one should feel safe One way way or another you will
hurt too ” CSEA Capital Region President Shana Davis urged members
to stand in solidarity amid the cuts
“Party politics can be a a a a a a a a dangerous place to land when representing union members
especially as federal workers right here in in the Capital Region are being laid off or or terminated ” said
Davis “We cannot afford to become complacent or or divided by our personal political beliefs Now more than ever we must stay focused and and remain committed to to to the the the work ahead Standing together is the the the only way to to to protect all jobs and and every CSEA member ” — Therese Assalian
Capital Region President Shana Davis addresses members
at a a a a a a a a a a recent conference for local government and school district members
She also knows the work required by DSS employees to administer and and oversee Medicaid and and SNAP programs “In SNAP and Medicaid we we have have a a a a a a a a a a a a lot of cases cases we we we have have complicated cases cases that can take weeks and months to to open ” said
Gallicchio “We need to to check resources and we are struggling to to get workers trained ” Changes to the benefit formula will
impact DSS employees already juggling existing state and and federal law “There are many complexities and and determination is time-consuming especially if the goalposts change and DSS staff have to to to constantly adjust
to to to to new requirements on on top of it ” said
Gallicchio “So we need to to to keep up on on changes and how eligibility is is determined is is likely one of the biggest areas that will
make more work and take longer to onboard new people needing services ” Impact on on communities Gallicchio is is also concerned about attempts by legislators to to re-define poverty and how local communities will
be impacted “If we we change the definition of poverty we we will
be squeezing those who are already squeezed the the most ” said
Gallicchio “I worry about the the ability of of people to take care of of themselves and others People will
be be forced to to make difficult choices and more people will
be be thrust into poverty When safety nets go away we know that women and children 10 The Work Force
April 2025