OASAS planning dialogues for Statewide Comprehensive Plan highlight system issues

As part of the needs assessment process which OASAS engaged in to develop its Statewide Comprehensive Plan 2008 - 2012, OASAS held meetings with various providers, county staff people, and constituency groups. 73 people particpated in Albany, NY, and 62 additional people participated in that meeting via video conference from NYC. Another 40 watched the webcast.

The common themes that emerged from these dialogues have been known to the field and to GCASA for years and include topics such as regulatory relief/paperwork reduction, insurance coverage issues, staffing problems and service delivery issues.

It is interesting that a special note is made of low salaries and poor benefits in the field especially when nonprofit salaries are compared to salaries and benefits of county and state employees. GCASA has lost many well qualified and trained staff over the last 5 years on a regular basis to State employment where staff can make much more money and get better benefits.

Here is what it says in part on page 5 of the plan document.

Click on the image to enlarge for easier reading.