CSCS: Council of Senior Centers and Services of NYC, Inc.

IT IS IMPORTANT TO BRING HUNDREDS OF SENIORS TO CITY HALL AS THE CUTS ARE DEVASTATING TO SENIOR SERVICES

Date: Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Time: 10:00 am (usually goes for about two hours). The public can testify – register at the hearing that day (go up front on right side of the room to security guard at the desk)
Location: City Hall Chambers – 2nd floor (there is an elevator)

What is happening:
$43 million in proposed cuts to DFTA  - go to www.cscs-ny.org to see Action Alert
There are 13 new Councilmembers so it is very important for a strong showing of seniors as this is the first budget hearing from these Councilmembers. We also need to retain the historic support of City Council for aging services.
Please arrive at 9:45 to get into the Chambers on time.

CSCS and its members need to send a strong message that the cumulative effect of cuts results in less services to older New Yorkers and threatens the infrastructure of community-based agencies.

Please let us know if you are bringing seniors or for further information – Bobbie Sackman, (212) 398-6565 x226 or bsackman@cscs-ny.org (prefer emails).

THE AGING SERVICES NETWORK IS THE BEST – YOU’VE ALWAYS BROUGHT HUNDREDS OF SENIORS TO CITY HALL WHEN WE NEEDED IT – THANK YOU!

NY STATE OFFICE FOR THE AGING (SOFA) BUDGET
CUT BY $9.8 MILLION
ADDITIONAL LEGISLATIVE ADD-ONS, $5 MILLION, FOR SNAP HOME-DELIVERED MEALS, EISEP CASE MANAGEMENT & HOME CARE, AND COMMUNITY SERVICES FOR THE ELDERLY (CSE) NEEDS TO BE RESTORED

Governor David Paterson’s budget included the following cuts to SOFA’s budget:
•    $7 million in COLA increases for services funded through SNAP, EISEP, and CSE deferred for FY2010-2011.
•    $890,000 – elimination of the Congregate Services Initiative program
•    $2 million of state funds in SOFA’s budget would be cut and replaced with ARRA (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act) federal stimulus money which will exist for only one year making this an additional $2 million cut to SOFA.
•    $5 million – ARRA federal stimulus money was used to fund SNAP, EISEP and CSE. These funds are legislative add-ons and good for only one year.

WHAT YOU CAN DO:
1.    Please call your state assembly members and senators immediately with the message: “NO CUTS TO THE STATE OFFICE FOR THE AGING. CUTS TO MEALS-ON-WHEELS, TRANSPORTATION, HOME CARE AND CASE MANAGEMENT WILL ENDANGER THE LIVES OF OLDER NEW YORKERS.”
2.    Invite your state representatives immediately to your senior center, NORC, or program to discuss the cuts. It is important that seniors advocate for no cuts and ask questions during your state representative’s visit.

The state budget will be completed by March 31st.  Because of the difficult financial times the state is in, state assembly members and senators must hear from constituents in their district that they are opposed to cuts to the State Office for the Aging.  These cuts hurt elderly New Yorkers and family caregivers who depend upon the services to help keep their loved one in the community.

On Christmas eve, the U.S. Senate took a historic step toward protecting our elders from being beaten, neglected or exploited – our Senators, for the first time, passed the full Elder Justice Act by including it in their health care bill.

It is critical that the House of Representatives hears from you today.

Please take three minutes and send your representatives an email by clicking here and urge them to include the Elder Justice Act in Health Care Reform.

If you haven’t yet watched the documentary “An Age For Justice” take a few minutes and view it at www.elderjusticenow.org/videos.

For further information, please contact Karol Markosky, (212) 398-6565 x227 or kmarkosky@cscs-ny.org

Based on her professional experience, Bobbie Sackman knows that elder abuse often happens behind closed doors and often within families. She believes that it is time to stand and do something to protect the nation’s elderly.

5 things you can do right now:

1. Share a story via text or video
2. Encourage your Senators and your Representative in Congress to sign-on to the Elder Justice Act
3. Sign a petition
4. Watch and share others’ stories
5. Send your friends and colleagues to www.elderjusticenow.org to learn more

As a champion of elder rights, one of the most frustrating things for me is the lack of comprehensive federal legislation to protect older adults from elder abuse.  The Elder Justice Act– which has been in the hands of Congress since 2002 — will provide a foundation to prevent, detect, treat, intervene in and prosecute abuse of older Americans. Our country passed child abuse prevention legislation 25 years ago and the Violence Against Women Act 15 years ago, however no Federal law has been enacted that adequately and comprehensively addresses the issues of elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation. Current federal resources devoted to the problem of elder abuse are minimal – less than 2% of abuse prevention dollars go to mistreatment of older adults.  Don’t elders have a right to live free from fear of abuse, neglect, and exploitation?

Every year, an estimated five million older Americans are beaten, ignored or financially exploited, causing illness, suffering and premature death. Yet, elder abuse is not perceived as a national tragedy and collectively there is much silence around the issue.  Older adults who experience mistreatment have a 300% higher risk of death.  Elder Financial abuse alone costs older Americans $2.6 billion a year.

CSCS is getting involved in the fight and you can too!  Use these simple steps to  take action and then tell us about it here!  What can you do to protect seniors from elder abuse?

Take Action:

*Contact your representative and ask them to co-sponsor the Elder Justice Act

*Go to www.elderjusticenow.com to hear more about the national campaign