Budget funds new positions in agencies ALBANY — CSEA member lobbying led lawmakers to add direct care jobs in the final state budget. It’s something union leaders have long insisted on to alleviate constant mandated overtime in the state Office of Mental Health and Office for People with Developmental Disabilities. CSEA leaders applauded state legislators for adding 320 jobs in OPWDD and 219 positions in OMH, saying those hires will help preserve quality care for individuals with disabilities and mental illness and reduce stress on staff. The hires also represent a commitment from lawmakers to preserving state-operated services in the wake of the state’s plans to shift delivery of care to some individuals with disabilities to a new independent living model. CSEA also succeeded in lobbying against a further reduction in beds in OMH facilities. Pilot program A portion of the jobs allocated for OPWDD will be part of a state-operated pilot program for self-directed care that resulted from negotiations between CSEA and state officials. “We’ve said all along that even with a Taconic DDSO Local activist Tiffany Jones, left, meets with state Sen. Sue Serino to discuss the need for hiring in state OMH and OPWDD facilities to alleviate constant mandated overtime. shift toward independent living for people with disabilities, the state has a moral responsibility to remain involved in this process,” CSEA President Danny Donohue said. “I am confident this pilot program will reinforce the importance of state services. The need for helping people is not going to go away, so we need good people available to provide that help.” A first step, but more needed CSEA leaders on the ground with direct care staff say the latest hires should be just a first step in a greater effort to fix understaffing. “This is good news, but we do need more to be done statewide,” said Taconic DDSO Local President Terri Kraus. Taconic DDSO doesn’t expect additional new hires but did receive approval for a dozen new workers just before the state budget was resolved. Kraus said chronic understaffing has been complicated by new quality of care investigations from the state’s Justice Center. “While we understand that there are some workers who want overtime, the reality is that this constant mandated overtime that we’ve seen in OMH and OPWDD increases the risk of mistakes on the job,” said Southern Region President Billy Riccaldo, whose region includes the Taconic work force as well as CSEA members at Rockland Psychiatric Center, Mid-Hudson Forensic Psychiatric Center and Hudson Valley DDSO. — Jessica Ladlee What’s in the state budget? • 320 new positions in the state Office for People with Developmental Disabilities. Some of the new positions will be part of a state-operated pilot program for self-directed care. • 219 new positions in the state Office of Mental Health. • No further bed reductons in Office of Mental Health facilities. May 2015 The Work Force 7
Work_Force_May_2015
To see the actual publication please follow the link above