Hi Everyone,
Thank you all for such a productive and enthusiastic kickoff meeting of Manhattan DD Council Transition Committee last week! We hope that the presentation and discussion were helpful to you in your work as families, provider agencies, and schools supporting youth through transition from school to adult services. Future meetings will touch on the high impact areas of concern and need that you identified in surveys and during our discussions.
We hope to see you all next month on Wednesday, November 20th at District 75’s office at 400 1st Ave, 2nd floor for our meet and greet with adult service providers. This is an opportunity for family members and school staff to learn directly from providers about programs that are available after school ends, including supported employment, day habilitation, and other services. We will also be distributing copies of our updated Adult Day Services Directory covering information on these services and where they’re offered.
**Provider agency representatives, if you haven’t already done so please confirm your attendance for the November meeting so we can make time for you to introduce the programs you represent and have space available for you to distribute materials and talk with interested attendees. Also send your contributions to the directory asap so that you won’t be left out.**
We’ve attached the “Nuts&Bolts” power point presentation reviewed at the meeting, as well as our flyers for the remainder of the first quarter and some other information that we hope will be helpful. We’ve also attached the anonymous survey that was distributed at the meeting should you wish to bring it to the November meeting (we will also have more blank copies of the survey on-hand as well).
As always, thank you for your feedback about the topics and areas of need that matter to you. We want the committee’s work to be informed by the voices of all stakeholders. See you all soon!
Manhattan Transition Committee
Maggie Maldonado, ADAPT Community Network, mmaldonado@adaptcommunitynetwork.org
Andrew Harris, P138M, aharris27@schools.nyc.gov
Introductions
Committee Goals:
Promote successful transition from school to adult service acquisition for students with developmental disabilities with a strong family focus. Create a welcoming and supportive setting to serve as a forum for “parent to parent” information sharing as well as to provide resources, information and linkage for students, families, schools, and provider agencies. Maintain an ongoing aggregate snapshot of the projected postsecondary outcomes and provider agency linkages for 2020 Manhattan graduates through updates from schools and district personnel. Provider agencies shared program openings, families shared concerns, questions, and successes
Presentation: OPWDD Nuts & Bolts
Covered range of services through OPWDD and ACCESS VR, processes for eligibility & Front Door. Presentation materials and further linkage to be distributed through committee email list
Open Discussion
Identified Concerns & Areas of Need
Families shared concerns, questions, and successes related to adult transition and identified the following concerns and areas of need:
Finding appropriate adult day services and post school options
Particular concern for day habilitation programs with behavior support, staffing ratios, readiness for travel training and independence in the community.
Work readiness/supported employment and length of employment supports.
Future planning
Article 17-A guardianship, supplemental needs trusts
Self-Direction
Tailoring and managing services to provide more individualized adult options, being fully aware of applicable services and getting through the administrative processes.
Behavior supports
NY START, in-home behavior management
The “right” Medicaid
Code 95 exemption from managed care requirement Managed Care plans vs. Managed Long Term Care Plans SSI Medicaid
Anonymous Surveys
Surveys identifying the committee’s demographic and areas of interest and need for future topics were disseminated. Outcomes will be maintained by the committee to help shape the committee’s direction and scope.
Next Meeting
11/20/19, 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. @ District 75, 400 1st Ave, 2nd Floor, NY, NY 10010 ***Meet & Greet with Adult Service Providers for Families & School Representatives!!***