Dear Friends and Colleagues:
The recently adopted 2013-2014 state budget includes challenges, but also opportunities, as the Office for People With Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) continues its transformation to a more person-centered service delivery system.
The budget bill included Governor Cuomo’s proposal to authorize the creation of nonprofit developmental disabilities individual support and care coordination organizations (DISCOs), which will allow an individual with developmental disabilities to begin receiving coordinated and integrated services in a way that recognizes his or her unique needs. The law also expands individual choice by authorizing managed long-term care plans and traditional health maintenance organizations to offer OPWDD services if they can meet the same care standards that will be applied to DISCOs.
These new service delivery options, combined with a more holistic needs assessment, and a comprehensive, person-centered approach to better match services to an individual’s needs and desires, means we will have more tools in place to continue transforming our system.
The final budget included an additional state funds reduction of $90 million. While this reduction will not be easy to implement, OPWDD will work closely with our stakeholders to minimize the impact on service delivery. Today I will convene the first special session of the Developmental Disabilities Advisory Council and the Provider Associations to discuss the development of targeted actions to address the reduction.
Together, we will find creative solutions to this new challenge, and emerge stronger, more efficient, and more effective.
Sincerely,
Commissioner Burke
P.S. Communication is critical to our collective success, and OPWDD’s Facebook page is a great place for individuals, family members, employees, advocates, and other stakeholders to exchange thoughts and ideas. Please feel free to join the conversation.