On April 7, New York State leaders voted to approve a $212 billion Fiscal Year 2022 State Adopted Budget. We are grateful for actions to recognize increased state revenue, implement state tax policy reforms, and leverage federal stimulus such that critical restorations and historic investments could be made to support New York’s rebuilding and recovery efforts.

Following two decades of advocacy, the FY’22 State Adopted Budget will finally fully phase in $4 billion in Foundation Aid, the amount owed to New York’s students and schools because of the Campaign for Fiscal Equity legal battle. The budget will increase funding for schools this year by $1.4 billion, fully phase in the remaining amount over the next three years, and then maintain funding at that level thereafter. Additionally, the budget delivers the entirety of $13 billion federal education funds from the recent stimulus packages directly to schools. Together these actions mark a historic win for New York’s students and a monumental down payment on their education and future.

The budget also includes a historic $2.1 billion dollars to support excluded frontline workers and immigrant communities across the state who have been excluded from federal relief and entitlement programs. Other critical areas of support include $105 million expansion of universal pre-k statewide, and $2.4 billion in federal child care funds to expand access, lower family co-pays, and support child care providers. Moreover, the budget includes $2.3 billion dollars for an emergency rent relief program supported by federal aid that will be crucial to maintain housing stability for families. The budget also eliminates premiums for the Essential Plan for low-income New Yorkers, takes steps towards extending postpartum health coverage, and mandates a lower-cost high-speed internet service for low-income families. Lastly, the enacted budget restores critical funding for child welfare services and community-based supports for court-involved youth and closes to youth detention facilities making another important step in youth justice.

The enacted state budget includes several victories that CCC has advocated for, including the following:

Healthy

• Rejects a 1% across-the-board cut to Medicaid, the elimination of Indigent Care Pool funds for public hospitals, 5% cuts to local assistance, and reverses cuts to NYC’s Article VI General Public Health Works Program.
• Allows peer advocates to be reimbursed for telehealth services.
• Restores $11.9 million in funding to the Early Intervention Program.
• Restores and enhances funding for the Nurse Family Partnership.

Housed

• Establishes an Emergency Rental Assistance Program with $2.3 billion in federal aid and $100 million in state funding.
• Provides $200 million in capital funds for New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA).
• Allocates $100 million for the Adaptive Reuse Affordable Housing Program to fund conversion of vacant office and hotel space into affordable housing units.

Educated

• Fully phases-in $4 billion in foundation aid owed to schools over 3 years, and then maintains funding at that level thereafter.
• Allows for the full delivery of $13 billion in federal stimulus aid directly to school districts with no supplantation.
• Funds a $105 million expansion of Universal Pre-K statewide.
• Includes $2.4 billion in federal child care funds to lower family co-pays, raise eligibility levels, and support child care providers.
• Restores a $5 million cut to the Advantage Afterschool Program.

Safe

• Includes $2.1 billion dollars to support excluded frontline workers and immigrant communities across the state who have been excluded from federal relief and entitlement programs.
• Rejects a $30.5 million cut to child welfare services including preventive, kinship care and adoption subsidies.
• Increases the Foster Care Block Grant by $11 million.
• Maintains $250 million in funding for Raise the Age implementation for rest of state.
• Restores $4 million for community-based programs that prevent systems-involvement in child welfare and youth justice systems.
• Closes two juvenile detention facilities.