September Edition 2004 - New York Nonprofit Press
September Edition 2004 - New York Nonprofit Press
September Edition 2004 - New York Nonprofit Press
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<strong>September</strong> <strong>2004</strong> <strong>New</strong> <strong>York</strong> <strong>Nonprofit</strong> <strong>Press</strong> www.nynp.biz 7<br />
BREAKING NEWS<br />
Breaking <strong>New</strong>s<br />
As we went to press, the following stories were unfolding.<br />
For continuing developments on these and other Breaking <strong>New</strong>s stories go to our website at www.nynp.biz.<br />
To receive our regular Email <strong>New</strong>s Updates, simply email us at editor@nynp.biz<br />
Governor Vetoes Budget Submission<br />
Final Outcome Uncertain<br />
On August 20th, Governor Pataki vetoed<br />
$1.8 billion worth of spending increases from the<br />
$101.6 billion State budget for FY<strong>2004</strong>-2005<br />
which had been passed jointly by the Assembly<br />
and Senate a week earlier. The vetoes reinstated<br />
significant cuts to human services which had been<br />
included in the Governor’s original $99.8 billion<br />
budget proposal.<br />
The Governor’s actions consisted of 195<br />
separate line item vetoes striking down specific<br />
appropriations. Last year, when the Governor<br />
struck down elements of a similar joint legislative<br />
budget submission, the Senate and Assembly<br />
simply overrode the vetoes. This year, a similar<br />
outcome is less certain. Neither the Senate nor<br />
Assembly had indicated what steps they would<br />
take in response to the Governor’s vetoes.<br />
The Governor’s list of vetoes impacted<br />
many human services programs. Among the<br />
most significant vetoes were:<br />
• Nursing Home Facility Viability Adjustment<br />
$12.5 million<br />
• Foster Care Funding for NYC Congregate Care Rates<br />
10.0 million<br />
• Temporary Assistance Programs<br />
4.4 million<br />
• SSI Increase<br />
3.0 million<br />
• Mental health community services<br />
4.5 million<br />
• VESID Case Services<br />
2.0 million<br />
• Extended Day/School Violence Proram<br />
1.5 million<br />
• Youth Development and Delinquency Prevention<br />
1.2 million<br />
• Settlement House Programs<br />
1.4 million<br />
• Licensed Social Worker Loan Forgiveness<br />
1.0 million<br />
• Family Preservation Centers 560,000<br />
• Independent Living Centers 536,600<br />
• Expanded In-Home Services for the Elderly 528,030<br />
• Education and Assistance Corporation 450,000<br />
• Runaway and Homeless Youth 307,800<br />
• Child Advocacy Centers 307,800<br />
• Elder Abuse Prevention Project 300,000<br />
• Domestic Violence Training Program 135,000<br />
Handelman Leaves NYANA<br />
Mark Handelman resigned his position as<br />
President and CEO of the <strong>New</strong> <strong>York</strong> Association<br />
for <strong>New</strong> Americans (NYANA) on August 13th after<br />
leading the organization for more than 25 years.<br />
Handelman “decided to leave NYANA in order to<br />
start his own consulting firm to assist non-profits in<br />
the area of management, strategic planning, and<br />
fundraising,” the agency reported in a statement<br />
issued on August 20th. “Mark is particularly interested<br />
in working with organizations that serve children<br />
with disabilities and special needs.”<br />
Jose Valencia, formerly NYANA’s Chief<br />
Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer, has<br />
replaced Handelman as President and CEO.<br />
NYANA, which had resettled 250,000 Jewish<br />
refugees from the former Soviet Union, had seen<br />
a sharp decline in this program in recent years as<br />
a result of tightened federal refugee policies following<br />
<strong>September</strong> 11th. An August 20th article<br />
published by The Jewish Week, a newspaper<br />
serving the Jewish community, tied Handelman’s<br />
resignation to this decline and resulting financial<br />
and organizational pressures on the agency. The<br />
article went on to state that “Handelman’s sudden<br />
resignation is said to have caused consternation<br />
among some staffers, who fear that NYANA, a<br />
venerable social service agency founded in the<br />
aftermath of World War II to resettle Holocaust<br />
survivors, may not survive much longer.”<br />
Handelman refuted the article’s assertions in<br />
a written response to The Jewish Week editor.<br />
“The article would lead the reader to believe that I<br />
left due to frustration with the organization and that<br />
the agency’s future is doubtful. Nothing could be<br />
further from the truth,” he stated. “Despite a dramatic<br />
downturn in refugee arrivals, NYANA annually<br />
provides important culturally sensitive social<br />
services to over 8000 immigrants, many of them<br />
former resettlement clients from the Soviet Jewish<br />
émigré community. After being at the helm of this<br />
wonderful organization for twenty-five years, I simply<br />
felt that it was the right time to seek new professional<br />
challenges for myself and thus decided<br />
to separate from the agency.”<br />
Valencia stated that NYANA had significantly<br />
expanded the range of services it offers to its<br />
existing refugee client base. “The target<br />
popoulaiton has remained the same but this is a<br />
multi-service agency now,” he said. “We have two<br />
clinics – a substance abuse clinic and a mental<br />
health clinic. We have ESL, legal services,<br />
domestic violence programs. We have one of the<br />
largest employment services contract with the City<br />
of <strong>New</strong> <strong>York</strong> and training programs with the State.”<br />
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