- Introductions were completed.
- Minutes from the last meeting were approved; if you would like to refer to past minutes, they are always available on the DD Council website: (www.manhattanddcouncil.org).
III. Announcements : DD Council attachments Oct 17 (1)
AHRC NYC
Program vacancy list is attached.
New York Deaf-Blind Collaborative
Free services for children ages 12-21 who are deaf and blind; see attached for details. There will also be webinars for families and professionals on Thursdays at 7:30pm on a series of topics.
Equestrian Therapy
After school programs are starting in November. Contact Richard Brodie for information at 212-535-3917 or richardbrodie10@gmail.com.
Sinergia
Flyers are attached for Family Support Case Management, Free Evaluations for people seeking eligibility (which can be conducted in the home and on weekends), Housing Programs, Supported Employment (SEMP), and Pathway to Employment Services.
Sheltering Arms
MSC services available in all boroughs except Staten Island; see attached for information.
NYC FAIR – Family Advocacy Information Resource
See attached for a meeting on October 23, to discuss CCOs and CAS. Registration required. Any parents who want to become involved with NYC FAIR should go to www.nycfair.org, or email questions@nycfair.org.
ADAPT Community Network – formerly UCP of New York City
Information is attached regarding program vacancies and family reimbursement. Information is also attached for an upcoming free Family Forum on 10/26 on “My Child Has Autism: Now What?” and on “Sensory Smart” on 11/16.
Call 718-436-7979 ext. 704, or email familyconnect@adaptcommunitynetwork.org
YAI
Information is attached for service vacancies. For information about any YAI programs, please call 212-273-6182, or email link@yai.org.
Esperanza
See attached for information on day hab services, pre-vocational, respite get-away trips upstate, and Wednesday and Saturday recreation programs for people living in Manhattan and the Bronx.
New York Lawyers for the Public Interest
Workshops are held for parents of children ages 0-21 in the DOE or who are receiving CPSE services. See attached for details on upcoming special education trainings for parents in October, being held in English and Spanish.
NYLPI has an intake line available from 9am to 3pm, where people with any disability can call for information. If the staff at NYLPI can’t assist, they will refer the person to the appropriate provider. Call 212-244-4664 for details.
QSAC
Current program openings are attached.
Marco Damiani, Chair of the Manhattan DD Council, has been appointed CEO of AHRC, effective December 2017.
COUNCIL DUES ARE DUE! See attached for the invoice for non-profit agencies to pay dues. Paid members will have any non-fundraising events listed on the Council’s calendar of events.
Presentation: Martha Jackson, Assistant Commissioner, Employment & Business Development, Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities (MOPD)
MOPD currently has a staff of 14. They plan to add 8 additional employees for employment projects. Marco suggested hiring someone with extensive DD experience as one of the 8.
Martha discussed a number of employment initiatives currently underway at MOPD, including:
- Disability Accessibility Coordinator – checks city websites for accessibility
- ASL Direct – pilot project, involving video contact for live communication
- NYCGO Accessible Tourism Guide – 61 million people with disabilities visited NYC last year
- 50% of all taxis will be accessible
- Federal tax incentives for business
- Disability Pride Parade
- Inclusive Design Guidelines
In addition, they are working on a grant, NYC at Work, a public-private partnership to increase employment of people with disabilities, 76% of whom are unemployed. Their goal is to connect 1,500 people with disabilities with a job that is a good match. They are utilizing both supply and demand sides; on the supply side, they are developing a Talent Coalition, and are seeking assistance from DD agencies. On the demand side, MOPD now has a Business Development Council.
Please see the attached powerpoint for additional information.
- State News – Liz Cambra
- There is an ADM regarding respite categories, detailing time limits, with a summary of the changes. A prior approval form for intensive respite is out. Go to sm.brooklyn.intensive.need.respite@opwdd.ny.gov.
- Certified Residential Opportunity list (CRO): NYC’s numbers on the CRO list are much lower than expected, possibly due to under-reporting. NYC was allocated only 113 residential opportunities, out of 455 statewide, in the recently released RFS. Agencies and MSCs should ensure that people needing residential services within 2-3 years are added to the CRO list. In future there will be one list, instead of the CRO and RRL currently in use. The single list will be broken out by year of need.
- Residential RFS: 36 agencies have applied. OPWDD is now vetting them through DQI and fiscal. There is a review committee which includes 2 families; Elly Rufer volunteered to participate.
- Care Coordination Organizations (CCOs): OPWDD is hosting a family forum on CCOs on November 9, 5-7 pm, at IAC. OPWDD is starting to contact agencies that haven’t yet affiliated with a CCO yet to urge them to consider doing so.
- City News – Sandra Piggee
Janice Chisholm is on leave at this time.
- IAC/Federation – Ryan Garofalo
- CAS: Ryan explained that CAS is OPWDD’s new approach to assessing individuals’ skill level. Kate Bishop presented on CAS at IAC’s Residential Committee. She stated that 15,000 CAS assessments have been completed. CAS results are posted in OPWDD’s CHOICES. The committee presented Kate with problems with the implementation of CAS, including errors in the findings. Kate said that the MSC is the point person, and the appeals process is to be handled by the MSC, who is required to first check the individual’s record and then go back to everyone who was interviewed to double check. Ryan said that IAC is conducting a survey to see how many and what types of CAS errors have surfaced.
- Rate for residential and day services: The new rates are out. Some agencies will see increases, but others will experience losses. Agencies must identify any errors and advise IAC. IAC will work with DOH and OPWDD to resolve any issues.
VII. Committees
Family Support Services: Wendy De Leon announced that the Fair brochure is almost ready. Wendy asked agencies to e-mail her the number of brochures you want and she will mail them to you. Wendy emphasized the need for volunteers, pointing out that the Fair is a Council event, for which Council members should share responsibility. She circulated volunteer sign-up sheets. She reported that the six workshops are: Benefits and Entitlements by Gary Shulman; CCOs by Carol Lincoln; Managing Challenging Behaviors by Lana Small, YAI; Family Support Services—English by Janet Davis and Kathy Kelly, and a separate Spanish session by Mara Henriquez, YAI; Self-Direction by Todd Pinkus, Meaningful NY. Next meeting: Tuesday, November 14, 2017, 10:00 am – noon, Sinergia, 2082 Lexington Ave., 4th floor. Topic: Self-Direction by Todd Pinkus, COO, Meaningful NY. Information: Yesenia Estrella (212) 928-5810 x 173; yestrella@esperanzacenter.com.
Legislative: Jim Malley reported that the Legislative Breakfast will be March 9, 2018, at Barnes & Noble, Union Square. If you have thoughts or ideas for the Breakfast, please e-mail them to Jim. Next meeting to be announced. Information: Jim Malley (212) 928-5810 x 101; Jmalley@esperanzacenter.net
Transition: Kathy Kelly announced that the committee met the previous day. They had a speaker about a pilot project for young adults with I/DD on supported decision-making regarding guardianship. This is alternative model to full guardianship. In the alternative model, a team is assembled to assist the person in making important decisions.
The 2018 graduates are beginning to look at programs. The next meeting will be Wednesday, November 8, 2017, 9:30 am – noon, AHRC, 80 Van Dam Street, 6th floor. Information: Kathy Kelly (212) 780-2724; Kathy.kelly@ahrcnyc.org.
Manhattan FSS Advisory Council: Margaret reported that the September 25 meeting where Kate Bishop spoke on Self-Direction had a record attendance of over 100 people, not only from Manhattan but from all boroughs. Attendees had a range of familiarity with Self-Direction, but everyone learned from the presentation. Next meeting: Thursday, November 2, 2017, 10:00 am – noon, Center for Family Support, 333 7th Ave., 9th floor. Carol Lincoln will be presenting on Care Coordination Organizations. Information: Margaret Puddington (212) 799-2042; Margaret.puddington@gmail.com.
MSC Committee: Carol Lincoln reported that Anice Cox is no longer a co-chair. The last very successful meeting was co-sponsored with the Brooklyn MSC Committee and featured Kate Bishop speaking on several current issues. Next meeting: TBD. Information: Carol Lincoln (718) 859-5420 x 225; clincoln@adaptcommunitynetwork.org.
VIII. New Business
Marco Damiani explained that the Executive Committee met several times over the summer with a view toward restructuring the DD Council committees to better meet needs. Current committees are based on funding streams. We are now looking at ways to restructure the committees to better match the changes in the field and to realign with the changing service environment. We are proposing combining the Family Support, Transition, and MSC committees into a single larger committee whose focus would be education and information/outreach; accessing servings; coordinating services. Currently, there is much duplication across committees—e.g., all the committees are interested in learning more about CCOs, CAS, self-direction, etc. By combining the committees, we would address the same issues with a broader base. We propose trying out this new structure from January through June and then re-evaluating. We would need to amend the by-laws to do this. A proposed revision will be sent in advance of the next DD Council meeting, at which we will vote on the amendment.