ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — Monroe County’s delegation, lead by Senator Samra Brouk, heard from community advocates Monday night about services they believe should be improved or added to the state budget.

Union leaders, school representatives and those advocating on behalf of the area’s 50 plus constituents participated in the public forum via zoom. They discussed a range of social service issues from food insecurity to mental health.

“I am here to highlight what was specifically missing from the governor’s budget,” said Sara Taylor, Founder, BIPOC Parent Mental Health Project, “significant funding to address mental health inequalities particularly in high poverty census tract of Black and brown families.”

Several mentioned the need to increase Medicaid reimbursement rates, and improve wage parity among not for private schools that take care of students with special needs and their public counterparts.

The four lawmakers on the zoom call say they will be working in Albany over the next few months to see that those funding concerns are part of the final budget.

“These stories, realities of the everyday that you are living are what need to drive how we are changing these systems in Albany,” Brouk said. “What is clear to us is that we are not serving everyone in the Rochester area and in New York State equitably.”

If the negotiations end on time. the final state budget should be completed by April 1.