Office of the New York State Comptroller Dinapoli - Rural Counties Face Shortage of Health Professionals

 

Rural Counties Face Shortage of Health Professionals

A new report by Comptroller DiNapoli examined healthcare professional shortages in 16 rural counties in New York state and found alarming shortfalls in primary care, pediatric, and obstetrician and gynecologist (OBGYN) doctors, dentists and mental health practitioners, with several counties having no pediatricians or OBGYN doctors at all. The shortage of mental health practitioners in New York’s rural counties may be the most severe, with all counties designated by the federal government as areas having professional shortages.

“Having access to health care is an essential quality of life issue and helps people live healthier lives,” DiNapoli said. “Addressing gaps in the rural healthcare workforce to alleviate current shortages and plan for future demand will not only positively impact the health of people living in less populated areas of New York, but could also create new jobs and bolster our rural economies.”

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State Faces $34.3 Billion Cumulative Budget Gap Through State Fiscal Year 2029

The state’s Financial Plan shows a growing structural budget deficit with a cumulative three-year budget gap of $34.3 billion, as forecasted by the Division of the Budget. When accounting for recent federal actions, the gaps as a share of spending reach levels not seen since the Global Financial Crisis of 2009, according to Comptroller DiNapoli’s report on the State Fiscal Year 2026 Enacted Budget and First Quarterly Financial Plans.

The $34.3 billion gap is up $7 billion since the January release of the Fiscal Year 2026 Executive Budget Financial Plan, and is attributable to downward revisions to the economic forecast and projected revenues, as well as increases in projected spending.

“The Financial Plan paints a challenging picture for the state that will only grow more problematic with the incoming federal cuts from the reconciliation bill signed by the President,” DiNapoli said. “This is likely just the beginning; the relationship between the federal government and the states is being restructured, and state governments will be facing drastic reductions in federal aid that could force difficult decisions about state revenue and spending priorities. There is an urgent need to formulate a fiscal response to the federal reconciliation bill and support New York’s safety net.”

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MUNICIPAL AND SCHOOL AUDITS

• Town of Oxford – Financial Condition
• Village of Penn Yan – Water Treatment Plant Overtime
• Cuba-Rushford Central School District – Cafeteria Purchases
• Southwestern Central School District – Claims Audit
• Cheektowaga-Maryvale Union Free School District – Lead Testing and Reporting
• Indian Lake Central School District – Lead Testing and Reporting
• Glen Cove City School District – Lead Testing and Reporting
• City of Poughkeepsie Industrial Development Agency – Audit Follow-Up

A L S O   I N   T H E   N E W S

• Comptroller: Rural N.Y. faces health professionals shortage
• N.Y. faces cumulative state budget cap of $34.3B through FY 2029
• Sales tax trend encouraging for region’s counties
• New York Comptroller’s audit ‘Highlights Opportunities for Improvement of State Apprenticeship Programs to Enhance Their Value & Reach’
• New audit reveals gaps in prison tablet program
• Comptroller: NY returning over $2M in unclaimed funds daily

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