2026 New York State Budget Invests in People with Developmental D...

On May 9, Governor Hochul announced passage of the Fiscal Year 2026 State Budget. This final Enacted Budget represents agreement between the Governor and the two houses of the state Legislature, the Senate and the Assembly.

• Inflation Refund

• Middle-Class Tax Cut

• Child Tax Credit

• Access to Child Care

• Universal School Meals

With this budget, Governor Hochul has made clear her commitment to families – including those of people with developmental disabilities and hardworking New Yorkers like our direct professionals whose support is so essential to our system. I was honored to have a few of our Direct Support Professionals beside me at the Governor's State of the State Address this year when the Governor announced she'd seek to deliver the largest middle-class tax cut in more than 50 years. And Governor Hochul delivered in this budget with nearly $1 billion in tax relief for New Yorkers. To fight back against inflation, this year’s budget includes New York’s first ever inflation refund, which will send checks up to $500 to families making up to $300,000 per year. Governor Hochul has also expanded the state’s child tax credit up to $1,000 annually per child under four and up to $500 per child aged four to 16.

Beyond these common-sense cost-saving measures, New York’s Enacted Budget holds promising wins for our frontline workforce, while increasing health equity and modernizing research capabilities for people with developmental disabilities. 

• 2.6% Targeted Inflationary Increase, the Fourth Consecutive Increase Totaling Nearly $1.4 Billion

• $850 Million in Updated Reimbursement Rates for Residential and Day Service Providers Meant to Increase Wages for Frontline Workers

The Governor’s Enacted Budget continues the four-year trend of inflationary increases for New York’s frontline workers at 2.6%. In addition to this increase, the Governor has extended the nearly $850 million in updated reimbursement rates for non-profit residential and day service providers to allow them to offer more competitive wages for frontline workers, ensuring better retention, fewer staffing vacancies, and a better quality of life for people with developmental disabilities. We’re already hearing about the positive impact on providers for hiring and retention.

We know that access to healthcare is not equal for all New Yorkers. That’s why we’re happy to announce that this year’s budget includes $25 million to create Regional Disability Health Clinics across the state to improve access to health care and resulting health outcomes for people with developmental disabilities.

The Enacted Budget also includes $75 million to modernize the Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, OPWDD’s research arm.

New Funding to Establish a Genomics Core Facility

This investment – the largest in IBR’s history – will establish a Genomics Core Facility to better understand genetic defects underlying people’s disabilities.

New Funding to Create a "Center for Learning" on the former Willowbrook State School Property

This funding will also reimagine the former Willowbrook State School property into a "Center for Learning," recognizing the importance this site had in sparking New York State’s disability rights movement and influencing the developmental disabilities delivery system across the nation.

Governor Hochul knows that employment open doors for everyone. This year’s Enacted Budget continues to build on New York’s Employment First initiative by more than doubling the maximum tax credit for businesses that hire people with disabilities from $2,100 to $5,000. This significant increase will not only benefit people with developmental disabilities who want to work but also the businesses that choose to offer them that opportunity.

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