Aging Service Advocates Oppose Mayors Cuts

April 14, 2011 - PRLog -- A coalition of aging service advocates lead by the Council of Senior Centers and Services (CSCS), Federation of Protestant Welfare Agencies (FPWA), United Neighborhood House (UNH), CityMeals on Wheels, the Human Services Council, and UJA-Federation assembled on the Steps of City Hall to inform the public and to speak out against the proposed cuts 6.6 million dollar cut to case management.
A 6.6 million dollar cut would leave home bounder older New Yorkers alone and venerable.

Fatima Goldman, Executive Director/CEO of the Federation of Protestant Welfare Agencies stated: “Case management is vital and links seniors with essential services such as entitlements and benefits, medical services, home delivered meals, home care, and many other supportive programs.  Case managers are lifelines for isolated, homebound elders, and in some instances have saved seniors’ lives when they have faced physical, financial or emotional abuse and neglect. Due to the expected growth in the elderly population as well as the current demand for services, we urge that funding for this core service be restored and baselined,”

Baselining is a budget word which means that the Mayor allows the case management funds to remain in the Department for the Aging (DFTA) budget so there is not a cut and the funds flows into the budgets of case management agencies immediately.  This will ensure continuity of services to home bound elderly New Yorker.

Cara Berkowitz, Director of City and Public Affairs, UJA-Federation of New York: “Case management services are a lifeline to vulnerable seniors who otherwise could not perform daily tasks, such as cooking and cleaning, on their own.  These seniors have made invaluable contributions to the City of New York through decades of work and raising families and the city needs to honor its commitment to care for these clients in their time of need.”

Marcia Stein, Executive Director, Citymeals: “Case management agencies are the entry point for home delivered meals and the social workers they provide are an essential support to an increasingly frail elderly population, most of whom live all alone. These agencies should be spared the inefficiency inherent in lobbying the City Council for one third of each year.”

Igal Jellinek, CSCS executive director, stated: “The impact to senior’s citizens is unacceptable.  Upwards of 8,000 homebound elders will lose case management services, and another 900 seniors who were already on case management waiting lists. The average caseload, already 70, would increase to 85 and higher. Plus 112 social workers called case managers would lose their jobs. We need the public to call the Mayor and tell him not to cut case management.”

The Council of Senior Centers and Services (CSCS) promotes the quality of life, independent living, productivity, and dignity of mature older adults principally in New York City.  CSCS champions elder rights. For more information visit the CSCS web site at cscs-ny.org.

# # #

The Council of Senior Centers and Services (CSCS) promotes the quality of life, independent living, productivity, and dignity of mature older adults principally in New York City. CSCS champions elder rights. visit the CSCS web site at cscs-ny.org.