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Families Together in New York State
2014 Policy Agenda
Families Together 2014 Policy Agenda is created by families
of youth and children with social, emotional and behavioral challenges.
MAJOR PRIORITIES:
Raise the Age of Criminal Responsibility. We support Governor Andrew M. Cuomo's Commission on Youth, Public Safety and Justice that will deliver recommendations on how to raise the age of criminal responsibility in New York to 18 by December 31, 2014. New York is one of only two states that sets criminal responsibility at the age of 16. Minors arrested after their 16th birthday are tried as adults and incarcerated in adult correctional facilities. Approximately 46,000 minors come into contact with the New York State courts each year. Youth eligibility for adjustment, the family court process involving probation and resolution without court intervention, should be included in any state plan.
Fully Implement the Regional Centers of Excellence (RCE) Plan by Pre-Investing $25 Million for the Expansion of Community-Based Services and Reinvesting Medicaid Redesign Savings. We support the Executive Budget proposal that pre-invests an initial $25 million into community-based services and promises an ongoingcommitment of
$110,000 per every closed inpatient bed for these services, which include additional crisis and respite beds, waiver slots, and family and peer support services. Savings will happen slower than consolidation. This proposal ensures thousands of New York children and families will have access to community-based services, filling the gaps left by the reduction of inpatient beds. Additionally, we support the reinvestment of savings from the implementation of Medicaid Redesign from the Department of Health (DOH) budget and encourage investment toward children's services such as respite, transportation, and peer and family support services.
Continue reading the 2014 Policy Agenda HERE.
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