Assemblyman Ed Ra (R,-Franklin Square) yesterday joined a bipartisan group of colleagues, advocates and dozens of home-care recipients at a press conference in the Capitol to voice their opposition to Gov. Cuomo’s devastating cuts to the Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program (CDPAP) in his Executive Budget proposal that’s being vetted by lawmakers this month.

CDPAP provides personalized homecare services for individuals with physical and developmental disabilities, as well as seniors. The proposed cut, $75 million, would deliver a devastating blow to New Yorkers who rely on these services and the dedicated men and women who deliver them.

“To propose a $175 billion budget with billions in new spending while gutting needed programming for disabled and aging New Yorkers is absolutely senseless,” said Ra. “The CDPAP program emphasizes patient choice and personalized care. It’s working, and it’s an important part of New York State’s compliance with the Olmstead Act.”

The governor’s proposal would also jeopardize the status of family members designated as caregivers under the current program, a heartless change that would force many vulnerable individuals into institutions who currently benefit from personalized care from a loved one.

“By allowing family members to train and hire caregivers directly, or, in many cases, provide the care themselves, we’re taking the state of New York out of the processing, recruitment and administrative process and empowering the people closest to the Medicaid beneficiary.”

In 2017, Ra and his Minority colleagues successfully fought for $55 million in state aid to help service providers retain talented, dedicated direct-care professionals. In 2013, Assembly Minority politicians helped restore $90 million in proposed programming cuts for New Yorkers with developmental disabilities.

“We’re not going to balance the governor’s budget deficit on the backs of our most vulnerable New Yorkers. There’s plenty of other places to cut costs. We’re going to support those with physical and developmental disabilities, and we’re going to protect seniors, period,” said Ra.