use your voice for change
Impact report: Personal needs allowance
$50 is the amount of money nursing home residents are allowed to keep of their income. This was set in 1988 and has not been increased since. In partnership with the NYS LTCOP, we launched a “Share Your Story” campaign and gathered more than 1,200 impact statements from nursing home residents, the results of which are reflected here.
Call to Action: Increase Personal Needs Allowance for Nursing Home Residents
The Personal Needs Allowance (PNA) is the small portion of income that nursing home residents may keep each month to pay for essential personal items that are not covered by Medicaid. The PNA is $50 and has not been adjusted or increased since 1988
Statewide Central Register of Child Abuse and Maltreatment
Thank you for the opportunity to provide testimony today on the Statewide Central Register of Child Abuse and Maltreatment, and the reporting process. The Center for Elder Law & Justice (“CELJ”) has been serving the Western New York region for over 45 years, providing free civil legal services to older adults, persons with disabilities, and low-income families. CELJ’s primary goal is to use the legal system to ensure that individuals may live independently and with dignity. CELJ also advocates for policy and systems change, particularly in the areas of elder abuse prevention, nursing home reform, consumer protection, and housing reform. Currently, CELJ provides full legal representation in ten counties of Western New York. CELJ’s Free Senior Legal Advice Helpline is open to all of New York State.
JOINT LEGISLATIVE BUDGET HEARING ON PUBLIC PROTECTION
Thank you, Chair Krueger and Chair Weinstein, for the opportunity to submit this
testimony to the Joint Legislative Budget Hearing on Public Protection. We present this written
testimony on behalf of Karen Nicolson , CEO of the Center for Elder Law & Justice
2024-2025 Executive Budget Topic: Economic Development
The Center for Elder Law and Justice (CELJ) greatly appreciates the opportunity to provide our
comments to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee on Economic Development. CELJ has been
serving the Western New York region for over 40 years, providing free civil legal services to older
adults, persons with disabilities, and low- income families. CELJ’s primary goal is to use the legal
system to assure that individuals may live independently and with dignity. CELJ also advocates
for policy and systems change, particularly in the areas of housing, elder abuse prevention, nursing
home reform, and consumer protection. Currently CELJ provides full legal representation in ten
counties of Western New York. CELJ’s Free Senior Legal Advice Helpline is open to all of New
York State. CELJ operates a central office in downtown Buffalo, with three additional offices in
Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, and Niagara counties.
2024-2025 Executive Budget Topic: Human Services
Thank you, Chair Krueger and Chair Weinstein, for the opportunity to submit this testimony to the
Joint Legislative Budget Hearing on Public Protection. We present this written testimony on behalf
of Karen Nicolson, CEO of the Center for Elder Law & Justice. The Center for Elder Law &
Justice (“CELJ”) has been serving the Western New York region for over 40 years, providing free
civil legal services to older adults, persons with disabilities, and low- income families. CELJ’s
primary goal is to use the legal system to assure that individuals may live independently and with
dignity. CELJ also advocates for policy and systems change, particularly in the areas of housing,
elder abuse prevention, nursing home reform, and consumer protection. Currently CELJ provides
full legal representation in ten counties of Western New York. CELJ’s Free Senior Legal Advice
Helpline is open to all of New York State. CELJ operates a central office in downtown Buffalo,
with three additional offices in Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, and Niagara counties.
2024-2025 Executive Budget Topic: Housing
Thank you, Chair Krueger and Chair Weinstein, for the opportunity to submit this testimony to
the Joint Legislative Budget Hearing on Housing. This testimony is presented by Kevin M.
Quinn, Director of Impact Litigation at the Center for Elder Law & Justice. The Center for Elder
Law & Justice (“CELJ”) has been serving the Western New York region for over 40 years,
providing free civil legal services to older adults, persons with disabilities, and low-income
families. CELJ’s primary goal is to use the legal system to assure that individuals may live
independently and with dignity. CELJ also provides for policy and systems change, particularly
in the areas of housing, elder abuse prevention, nursing home reform, and consumer protection.
Currently, CELJ provides full legal representation in ten counties of Western New York. CELJ’s
Free Senior Legal Advice Helpline is open to all of New York State. CELJ operates a central
office in downtown Buffalo, with three additional offices in Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, and
Niagara counties.
2024-2025 Executive Budget Topic: Health
Thank you for the opportunity to provide testimony on the Fiscal Year 2024-2025 Executive
Budget (“Executive Budget”). The Center for Elder Law & Justice (“CELJ”) has been serving the
Western New York region for over 40 years, providing free civil legal services to older adults,
persons with disabilities, and low-income families. CELJ’s primary goal is to use the legal system
to assure that individuals may live independently and with dignity. CELJ also advocates for policy
and systems change, particularly in the areas of housing, elder abuse prevention, nursing home
reform, and consumer protection. Currently CELJ provides full legal representation in ten counties
of Western New York.1 CELJ’s Free Senior Legal Advice Helpline is open to all of New York
State. CELJ operates a main office in downtown Buffalo, with three additional offices in
Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, and Niagara counties.