Assemblyman William F. Boyland Jr. State Budget Helps Families Through Human Services Programs

March 28, 2013

Assemblyman William F. Boyland Jr. 55th District announced he helped pass the 2013-14 state budget that supports critical programs for New York families, including child-care assistance, emergency assistance for the homeless and support for unemployed workers trying to get back on their feet (A.3003-E, A.3009-D).

“Many of the services provided by these crucial programs, like a hot meal or quality child care, wouldn’t be possible without adequate funding and support,” Assemblyman Boyland said. “It’s essential that we do everything we can to ensure the 55th District hardworking families have the resources they need to get by.”

Preserving programs to help struggling families

The 2013-14 state budget protects the following programs that were eliminated in the executive budget proposal and provides:

• nearly $7.3 million for Facilitated Enrollment programs that expand eligibility for child care assistance and allow parents to maintain employment while their children are being cared for in safe environments;
• nearly $5.1 million for Advanced Technology Training and Information Networking (ATTAIN) labs;
• $1.2 million for Non-Residential Domestic Violence Services to assist victims of domestic violence not residing in shelters;
• nearly $1.5 million for Settlement Houses to provide services such as job training, early childhood education and citizenship and legal education; and
• $750,000 to Career Pathways, which provides training for low-income young adults to prepare them for jobs in high-growth sectors.

The budget also funds vital programs that offer help to struggling families, including:

• $2 million for the Nurse-Family Partnership initiative, which provides services to help ensure health and success for first-time moms and their babies;
• nearly $1.4 million for Displaced Homemaker Services to provide counseling and job training to homemakers;
• $950,000 for Wage Subsidy services to assist low-income individuals and public assistance recipients find and retain employment;
• $800,000 to ACCESS – Welfare to Careers to help individuals attain equity in education and gain economic security through internship and job placement;
• $610,000 for Preventive Services that offer prevention, intervention and treatment services to low-income individuals and families;
• $500,000 for Emergency Needs for Homelessness Program (ENHP) to assist homeless individuals or those at risk of becoming homeless to stabilize their lives and move toward self-sufficiency;
• $500,000 for Advantage Schools to provide quality youth development opportunities to school-age children and youth;
• $250,000 for Educational Resources to increase education among low-income parents and individuals;
• $200,000 for the Fatherhood Initiative to increase the participation of fathers in the lives of their children;
• $144,000 for Wheels for Work to provide emergency automobile repairs to those who own a vehicle and can’t afford necessary repairs to keep it operable;
• $112,000 for Community Solutions to Transportation to assist low-income families with acquiring reliable used cars and registering and insuring their vehicles;
• $102,000 for the Bridge Program to provide job readiness and job search activities, academic services, and short-term skills training; and
• $101,000 for Caretaker Relative/Kinship programs to help caregivers access health, education, financial and legal services for the children in their care.

The budget also restores $1.6 million in funding for additional homeless housing programs. It allocates $250,000 for the Disability Advocacy Program to provide legal representation for those who have been denied disability benefits. The budget also allocates $4 million to the Indigent Legal Services Fund to help improve both the quality of and access to public defense services for those that are legally entitled to counsel, but cannot afford to hire an attorney.

“During these tough economic times, we simply cannot cut corners on programs that help families most in need of assistance find work, get ahead financially, stay healthy and care for their children,” Assemblyman Boyland said. “This year’s budget protects many vital programs and services that struggling families need in order to make ends meet.”

Investing in our community, protecting programs for at-risk youth

The 2013-14 budget combines the Youth Development and Delinquency Prevention Program (YDDP) and the Special Delinquency Prevention Program (SDPP) into a single Youth Development Program, streamlining access to these funds for community service providers. The budget also restores $1.3 million in funding for the Youth Development Program. Additionally, the budget reinstates funding for the following community-based initiatives:

• Community Reinvestment ($1.75 million);
• Safe Harbor for Sexually Exploited Children program (nearly $1.65 million);
• Child Care Subsidies ($1 million);
• Caseload Reduction ($757,200);
• Runaway and Homeless Youth ($254,456); and
• Center for Alternative Sentencing and Employment Services ($200,000).

“These programs are fundamental to protecting our at-risk youth and investing in the improvement of our communities,” Assemblyman Boyland said. “This year’s budget will provide thousands of at-risk youth safer alternatives than the streets and give them an opportunity to be successful.”

Renewing the promise to inner-city youth

The 2013-14 budget renews the inner-city youth employment program, providing a $24 million tax credit over four years for employers who hire unemployed youth 16 to 24 years of age who reside in a city of more than 55,000 or a town of 480,000.

“The benefits of this tax credit are twofold, giving at-risk youth a chance to gain valuable work experience and helping the businesses that hire them with much-needed tax relief,” Assemblymember said. “For many, this could be a first job where they learn the value of working.”

The program and credit will be available to employers in the clean energy, health care, advanced manufacturing and conservation industries. Eligible employers will receive up to $4,000 per employee if they retain the workers for an entire year. The program will be extended through 2017.

Protecting the unemployed

The 2013-14 budget gradually increases the weekly unemployment benefit from $405 per week to 50 percent of the state’s average weekly wage by Oct. 1, 2026. Additionally, the budget adopts the federal expansion of the Shared Work Program, which will help prevent employees from losing their jobs by providing employers with an alternative to laying off workers, Assemblyman Boyland noted.

“This budget provides support for individuals looking for work when there aren’t jobs to be found, a situation that leaves too many people in an undeserved limbo between unemployment and employment,” Assemblyman Boyland said. “These transitional periods can often put extraordinary amounts of undue stress on families.”

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