COME TO ALBANY THIS TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10TH, TO FIGHT FOR THE 2.7% INCREASE!
Advocates for hundreds of hard-pressed community providers and hundreds of thousands of 黑料正能量ers seeking critically needed mental health and addiction recovery related services and supports are coming to Albany聽this coming Tuesday, February 10,聽to call on the legislature and Governor Hochul to provide a 2.7% targeted inflationary increase in this year鈥檚 budget. The Rally will cap a series of advocacy events, including yesterday鈥檚 news conference and today鈥檚 budget hearing.
It鈥檚 essential need you to join us鈥ut this rally is about more than numbers, it鈥檚 about people. It鈥檚 about the peer specialists, case managers, outreach workers, crisis responders, and other staff who show up every day, often underpaid and overstretched, to support 黑料正能量ers in their most critical moments. It鈥檚 about ensuring that mental health and substance use services remain accessible, effective, and grounded in dignity and recovery.
Get on the Free Bus: Transportation for February 10th Legislative Day
FULL BUS Brooklyn:
Buffalo:
Hells Kitchen:
Hudson Valley:
Long Island:
North Country:
Queens:
Rochester:
Syracuse-Binghamton:
Union Square:
Be there. Be heard.
Fight for our staff. Fight for our services.
Demand a 2.7% Targeted Inflationary Increase.
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Mental Health and Addiction Advocates Demand Higher Inflationary Rate
Katelyn Cordero Politico聽 February 4, 2026
Mental health advocates are preparing to testify in front of the Legislature on Wednesday during a joint budget hearing for mental hygiene, where they will have the opportunity to share their requests and field questions from lawmakers.
Some advocates already started airing their demands for a higher inflationary rate increase that would allow for increased wages to behavioral health workers.
A coalition of mental health and addiction advocates took to the halls of the state Capitol on Tuesday demanding that a final budget deal include a 2.7 percent inflationary increase, saying Hochul鈥檚 proposed 1.7 percent increase falls short of what鈥檚 needed to cover the cost of living expenses, wages and benefits for workers in the field.
鈥淔ailing to invest a full 2.7% inflationary increase will only accelerate workforce turnover, leaving providers unable to retain the experienced staff people rely on for consistent, trusted care,鈥 Luke Sikinyi, vice president of Public Policy at the Alliance for Rights and Recovery, said in a statement. 鈥淓very time a worker is lost, people are forced to rebuild trust, restart their recovery journey, and risk falling through the cracks of an already overburdened system.鈥
Several of the advocates who spoke at the capitol on Tuesday are expected to air their concerns to lawmakers at Wednesday鈥檚 joining budget hearing. Both chambers are expected to deliver their one-house budgets later this month, which advocates are hoping will include a higher inflationary rate.