ALBANY -- A rare legislative hearing was held in Albany this week addressing an issue that many families in the state are facing -- the mental well-being of caregivers.
Because of the expense, more New Yorkers are now choosing homecare rather than nursing home care. And the same goes for New Yorkers with disabilities. As homecare has spiked, the State has invested over $60 million to fund family support services, Programs which include respite for some caregivers. Another term for respite? A mental health break.
The Assembly Standing Committee on Mental Health held this hearing to review the battery of state funded programs that help families through the Office of Mental Health, and the Office for Persons with Developmental Disabilities.
Legislative leaders impressed upon families and others that they are not looking at cuts, but simply examining programs in an attempt to understand the depths of the servces provided.
That said, with an $8 million budget gap and a new administration heading into Albany, cuts to such programs wouldn't be unexpected.
