Family Support Services Committee Meeting Minutes – 4/12/16

Announcements:

1. Wendy De Leon, UCP of NYC announced:

• Family Reimbursement available (Manhattan and Staten Island).

For more information, call Danielle Raymond at 718-859-5420 ext. 244.

2. Claudia Vidal, Sinergia, Inc. announced vacancies:

• Overnight Respite opportunities available for Bronx and Manhattan residents.
• In-Home Respite opportunities available for Bronx and Manhattan residents.

For more information, contact Claudia Vidal at 212-643-2840 ext. 351.

3. Jay Kleinman, Lifespire announced vacancies:

• In-Home behavior management program

For more information, contact Jay Kleinman at 718-454-6940.

4. Shoshana Remer, Catholic Guardian Services announced vacancies:

• Openings for the Community Resource and Transition Center “CRTC” to help people navigate OPWDD. This includes guidance with the Front Door to helping MSC’s find openings in services.

For more information, contact Shoshana Remer at 718-828-0300 ext. 267.

5. Pat Liu Chang, General Human Outreach, Inc. announced vacancies:

• Case Management Service: Medicaid is not required, and bilingual staff

in Chinese and Korean.

• Resources, referral workshops, & public entitlements

For more information, contact Pat Liu Chang at 718-307-6563.

6. Liz Sofield, New York Foundation for Senior Citizens, Inc. announced vacancies:

• Immediate housing vacancies through our home sharing program

For more information, contact Liz Sofield at 212-962-7559.

7. Caroline Dunn, YAI announced the following:

• There will be a Latina conference on May 10, new Autism family support groups and resources and supports presentations available.
• There are openings in family reimbursement, parent training on behavior & sexuality, employment, and MAC summer camp.

For more information, contact LINK at 212-273-6182 or at yai.org/Link.

8. Doris Rodriguez, Sinergia, Inc. announced vacancies:

• Availability for non-Medicaid case management (Manhattan)
• Housing Advocacy (All boroughs)
• Educational Advocacy (Manhattan)
• Family Reimbursement (Bronx & Brooklyn)
• Overnight Respite (Manhattan)

For more information, contact Kirzis Lugo at 212-643-2840 ext. 336.

9. Mark Ampah, Catholic Guardian Services announced vacancies:

• Weekend overnight Respite Program

For more information, contact Bernadette Small at 917-608-3073.

All Documents including announcements distributed at meeting

RECREATION SERVICES Presentations by:

Keoni Movement Arts, CO/LAB Theater Group, Children’s Museum of Arts, and YAI’s You And I

Keoni Movement Arts presented by Paul Keoni Chun

1. Paul Keoni Chun started this blend of yoga, dance, and gymnastics program about 5 years ago for individuals with special needs.

2. There is one class on Fridays from 6-8pm for special needs individuals ages 14+ years called Yo-Dan-Nastics at DaNY Studios located at 305 West 38^th 8^th Avenue.

3. The class uses yoga, dance and gymnastics techniques to help individuals build coordination,

strength, balance and an awareness of their space, learn to self-regulate, develop enhanced self-awareness, gain order and consistency with a regular class, and gain social skills. There is also a class that combines regular individuals with special needs individuals.

4. The program is funded by foundations. Financial assistance is available.

5. The committee members expressed to Paul the need for activities for children on the weekends as well as afterschool programs.

CO/LAB Theater Group presented by Arielle Lever      HERE is the promo video

1. Arielle Lever is the Co-founder and Director of Educational Outreach. CO/LAB Theater Group, founded in 2011, is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing Creative Opportunities without Limits and Boundaries. CO/LAB offers individuals with developmental disabilities a creative and social outlet through theater arts.They offer on-site and off-site classes.

2. The core programs are on-site classes open to individuals ages 14 and over with developmental disabilities.  They staff each class with two Teaching Artists and 4-6 Supporting Artists, creating a 2:1 participant/artist ratio. The classes are highly visual and the emphasis is on collaboration.

3. There is also a guest artist series with Broadway actors that includes clown and puppetry.

4. CO/LAB Connect offers off-site classes where they go to other organizations to do a workshop. A fee is attached to off-site classes.

5. The next registration is in July for the Fall/September. There is a $100 deposit that is returned.

6. Arielle Lever, CO/LAB Theater Group announced:

• An original musical “ Camp Collab: The Musical” runs this weekend April 15 & 16 at 7PM and on April 17^th at 3 pm at the Actor’s Fund Arts Center (160 Schermerhorn Street ) in Brooklyn, NY.

For more information contact Arielle Lever at 347-989-4338.

Children’s Museum of the Arts presented by Michelle Lopez and Kirsten McNally

1. Michelle Lopez is the Director of Community Programs and Kirsten McNally is a Teaching Artist.

2. The staff of teaching artists and occupational therapists guide and mentor young artists ages 10 months to 15 years old.

3. There are three art making spaces on two main levels. The museum makes it accessible to children so that they can touch and have a connection with art. Admission is $12 per person, but there are also free programs. Michelle Lopez can send free tickets to organizations. Each ticket is for 4 individuals.

4. There are inclusive programs for individuals with disabilities. Stripes Wee for children 7 and under on the Autism Spectrum, but they don’t exclude other disabilities, and Stripes Media Lab for children 8 through 14 also on the spectrum. Inclusive Sundays is for students ages 8 through 14 with physical disabilities. The programs enable children to create art in a recreational setting. All inclusive programs are free.

YAI (You And I ) presented by Bobra Fyne

1. Bobra Fyne has worked as an HIV/AIDS prevention specialist and sex educator for people with intellectual and other developmental disabilities at YAI/National Institute for People with Disabilities Network.

2. You And I is a social skills training and recreation program. It supports and educates people with intellectual/developmental disabilities about social competencies, enabling them to find emotionally satisfying relationships through practice in a supportive environment. The program also provides opportunities for participants to expand social networks for fun and recreation.

There is an application to join the group and it is a free service. In order to be eligible, the individual must be 17 years and over, must live in Manhattan with their family, be OPWDD eligible, have an up to date psychological/psychosocial, and notification of any medication being

 

Next Meeting:                        Tuesday, May 10, 2016

                                                10:00am – 12pm

Topic:                                      Presentation by Partners Health Plan on FIDA

Location:                                 2082 Lexington Avenue, 4^th Floor

                                                                        New York, NY 10035

 

                        For more information: Janice Cruz-Marin ext. 330/jcruz@sinergiany.org