Testimony

September 8, 2009

Good morning. My name is Steven Holden. I am from Hell’s Kitchen in Manhattan. I have been a member of the Self-Advocacy Association since 2007, and serve on the Board of Directors as the Sergeant-At-Arms. I have been attending the YAI Manhattan Day Hab since 2001.

Thank you for allowing me to testify on this crucial day. I know that we are going through a difficult time with the economy, but I am here to say that we need funding to keep our programs going. Without the funding they need, our programs can’t survive.

There have to be better ways to close budget gaps. It is a big mistake to do it by not giving trends to OMRDD programs. Costs go up, and if funding doesn’t go up agencies have to lay off staff. It’s like a domino effect. If there aren’t enough staff, it’s a big burden on the staff who are left and we’re not going to get the services we need. We need the right staff for support and guidance.

Even if they don’t have to lay off people, they can’t give them raises. If staff don’t get raises they won’t work because they’ll feel like they’re being cheated. Staff don’t get paid as much as you might think, and they have families to take care of. They have lives, just like we do. If they don’t get raises, they leave.

I’ve seen staff come and I’ve seen staff go. New staff are not as good as someone with experience. Although staff get good training there is still a lot they need to know to work with us well. We want staff to understand how to communicate with us and it takes time for them to learn how to do it right.

I know that times are tough right now, but I don’t think you should cut funding for our services.

One other thing I want to say is that you should erase the “R” word. I think it is just as bad as the “N” word. We need your support to make that happen.

Thank you.