- 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: See Flyers Here
Five Borough Family Support Services Advisory Council
All boroughs will share information, events, thoughts, and concerns on April 19, 2017. See attached for details.
Sinergia
See attached for information on the NYS Region 1 Parent Training and Information Center Collaborative. Free evaluations for people who live in Manhattan and are seeking OPWDD eligibility. Evaluations can be conducted in the home and on the weekends.
ADAPT Community Network – formerly UCP of New York City
Information for the 2017 Annual Family Summit on 4/26/17 is attached, along with the services and supports list. Immediate availability for Community Habilitation. For more information, email projectconnect@ucpnyc.org or go to www.ucpnyc.org
YAI
Information is attached for service vacancies, including family reimbursement and free evals in Manhattan. Registration is attached for the annual Latino Conference, which will be held on May 3.
For more information about these programs, or the Autism Family Support Series, Autism parent support group, an Adult Yoga group, psychological evaluations, and all other services, call YAI Link at 212-273-6182, email link@yai.org or go to www.yai.org/link.
IAC
The Sixth Annual Conference, “Visionary Leadership,” will be held June 6-8. For information, professionals can go to www.iacny.org.
QSAC
Current program openings are attached; call 718-728-8476 for more information.
AHRC NYC
Program vacancy list is attached; if anyone is interested in summer camp programs, now is the time to apply.
Birch Family Services
Parent support services will begin during the week of April 3. See attached for details on the series for people across the lifespan.
Presentation: Sonja Williams-Richardson, Assistant Director, Learning and Talent Development, YAI
Regional Centers for Workforce Transformation (RCWT)
How can we support provider agencies and stakeholders?
The RCWT are regional collaborations created to develop the competencies and ethics of New York’s 110,000 Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) who support people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Together with service providers, DSPs, people with disabilities, their families, and other stakeholders, the RCWT are building workforce capacity based on the NYS DSP Core Competencies and the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals’ Code of Ethics. There are six RCWT regions; Sonja is the lead in Region 4.
The RCWT do free trainings and presentations, support agencies and/or HR training departments, share resources, meet monthly. They have a new facebook page and website, which includes a wealth of training videos and shared resources from provider agencies. Check out the website at www.workforcetransformation.org. Sonja can be reached at 212-273-6237 or sonjawr4rcwt@gmail.com. Information attached.
- State News – Liz Cambra
- Conflict Free Case Management: The release of the RFA draft has been delayed. Information about revised timelines will be available in May. OPWDD is still in discussion with CMS.
- High Needs Funding: Talks with CMS are continuing. OPWDD is proposing that agencies could request four levels of enhanced staffing, with a specified number of additional hours for each.
- National Core Indicators: Surveys are being sent to agencies. OPWDD is requesting that agencies participate.
- People First Community Services Fund: Additional documentation is needed.
- NYS Budget: The enacted budget includes $55 million for enhancing the salaries of DSPs ($45 million for OPWDD; $10 million for OMH and OASAS). Everything else is the same as previously reported.
- State News – Sandra Piggee
No report.
- IAC/Federation – Jim Malley, Suzanne Timmerhans
IAC:
- Success in the bFair2DirectCare campaign was attributable to letters, postcards, rallies, in-district visits, group visits to the capital, Times Square billboard, legislative breakfasts, postings on social networks, the joint effort for Lobby Days, and most importantly, that we had a wrong situation that needed to be righted.
- IAC is still working on education issues.
- IAC has been scrutinizing the Heightened Scrutiny campaign and has voiced concern that Article 16 clinical services have been kicked out of residences, but that individual practitioners (IPSIDD), who do not have to pay attention to integration of services, have been allowed as replacements, and that there have not yet been any sample acceptable leases made public. Agencies are finding it difficult to get IPSIDD approval. CSM is looking at co-location of Article 16 clinics and day programs as a violation.
- Tax liens – As of 2012 the law has changed. Agencies must file annually for tax exemption; if not, their property is subject to tax liens.
- IAC’s Annual Conference will be held on June 8 and 9 and will feature workshops on schools, housing, and the future of Medicaid.
Federation:
A group of 10 Council members met on April 4 to review this year’s local plan. Basically, there were few changes. We will continue to place creation of a decent wage for DSPs as our top priority, with residential development second. The city-wide group is scheduled to meet on April 25.
VII. Committee Reports
Family Support Services: Yesenia Estrella reported that there was a presentation from the MTA on reduced fare cards at the last meeting. Agencies are requested to send a representative to the FSS Committee meetings. Topic at the next meeting: presentation by NYC Emergency Management, Tuesday, May 9, 2017, 10:00 am – noon, Sinergia, 2082 Lexington Avenue, 4th floor. Information: Yesenia Estrella (212) 643-2840 x 349; yestrella@sinergiany.org
Legislative: Jim Malley reported that all the boroughs held their legislative breakfasts on the same day to demonstrate that we are speaking with one voice. We plan to do the same next year on March 1. The committee will soon hold a post-mortem of the breakfast. Next meeting to be announced. Information: Jim Malley (212) 928-5810 x 101; jmalley@esperanzacenter.net.
Transition: Kathy Kelly reported that at the March 8 meeting, ADAPT Community Network (formerly UCP of NYC) and AHRC presented on their adult day programs. Since the advent of the Front Door, the committee no longer holds “student information” meetings, so they decided to share information about the different programs at monthly meetings. Council members emphasized the importance of reaching out to community schools as well as District 75. Topic at the next meeting: presentation by self-advocates from AHRC on how to live independently, Wednesday, April 19, 2017, 9:30 am – noon, AHRC, 83 Maiden Lane, 11th floor. Information: Kathy Kelly (212) 780-2724; Kathy.kelly@ahrcnyc.org.
Manhattan Family Support Services Advisory Council: Margaret Puddington reported that START presented at the April 6 meeting. START has now been implemented in NYC. The presenters stated that eligibility for START is limited to individuals age 6 and up who have both I/DD and a mental health diagnosis, or autism together with significant emotional/behavioral issues. Next meeting to be announced. Information: Margaret Puddington (212) 799-2042; Margaret.puddington@gmail.com.
Service Coordination: Anice Cox announced that information/registration for the annual MSC Forum on May 19 will be posted on the DD Council website. Topic for the next meeting: special needs trusts, Friday, April 28, 2017, 10:00 am – noon, Contemporary Guidance Services, 52 Broadway, 4th floor. Information: Carol Lincoln (718) 859-5420 x 225; clincoln@ucpnyc.org.
Childrens/Education Committee: No report. Information: Christina Muccioli (212) 780-2532; Christina.muccioli@ahrcnyc.org.