Manhattan Developmental Disabilities Council
Next Meeting
Tuesday, March 18, 2025
10:00 A.M.
Come and hear updates from providers, OPWDD, and New York City DOHMH
Learn what’s happening as we continue to work to ensure services and supports for people with I/DD!
Hybrid Meeting – Join In Person OR Virtual
In Person:
AHRC NYC, 83 Maiden Lane, 11th Floor Board Room
Virtual:
Zoom
Manhattan Developmental Disabilities Council Minutes
February 18, 2025
I. Introductions
The December minutes are posted on the Council website. If you would like to refer to past minutes, they are always available on the DD Council website: (www.manhattanddcouncil.org).
We acknowledge recent passing of Ed Mathews from ADAPT community network
Ed worked or ADAPT for many years and has been involved in the field for over 50 years leading us through deinstitutionalisation. He will be missed as we move forward.
Condolences to Ed’s family and his adapt family and all those he has touched over the years
III. Announcements
ManhattanDDCouncil@gmail.com. Please send all information and flyers to the email address. All non-fundraiser events can be posted on the website.
We will continue our meetings in person and via Zoom and we appreciate everyone who participates
NY State Institute on Disability
Doris Khan
Family support service provider agency
Family reimbursement available for Manhattan families (camp, goods, services, etc.)
Jackie Tripodi, 929-202-1115, jtripodi@nysidinc.org
NYC FAIR
Upcoming town fair on CAS is canceled. Stay tuned for rescheduled town hall!
Sinergia
Openings for evaluations, case management, family reimbursement, housing advocacy, educational advocacy
Johana Santana, jsantana@sinergiany.org
YAI
Manhattan Crisis Intervention- We provide support with behavior management, toilet training, counseling and support connecting with other services including OPWDD eligibility. To place a referral, you can reach out to 212-273-6200 or email manhattancrisisintervention@yai.org
We also have openings in our other Manhattan programs:
Socialization Skills- a socialization program for people ages 9 and up with a diagnosis of autism. There are 10 weekly sessions in the fall and spring. Some of the topics reviewed include friendships, communication, social boundaries, etc.
Parents with Special Needs- PWSN empowers parents with developmental disabilities through direct support and skills training, to become more independent and successful parents. Some of the topics reviewed include parenting and family empowerment, skills training that include infant care, behavior management, safety awareness, time management and other topics. Parents must have parental rights of the child.
Independent Living Skills- 18 years+. This program features ongoing weekly group sessions spread across two semesters (10 weeks each). Topics covered include budgeting, nutrition & kitchen safety, decision making, problem solving, community & internet safety, stress management.
GHO
Services available: Day hab, day hab without walls, prevocational, non-Medicaid case management to assist families seeking OPWDD eligibility, evaluations, CCO referral, family reimbursement, assistance for Chinese & Korean speaking families. As well as CDNY
Contact Pat Liu Chang, 718-307-6563, Pat@ghoinc.org
Lifespire
Openings in Manhattan behavior management & parent training program (virtual or in-person), no wait list
Call Jay Kleinman, 646-338-5632 or email jkleinman@lifespire.org
ADAPT Community Network
ADAPT Community Network offers a wide range of supports including Family Reimbursement, Housing Assistance Services, Doorways to Independence (home modification and repair program), Community Habilitation, Overnight Respite, Day Habilitation, Health Services, Early Childhood and School-Age programs, and more. Please contact Project Connect at 877-827-2666 or fill out “getting started” online form for more information https://adaptcommunitynetwork.org/service-options/getting-started/.
1-877-827-2666 for more info
QSAC
Openings in Manhattan day habilitation program, 718-728-8476 x1222, jnunez@qsac.com
Openings in non-Medicaid case management and SD broker services, 212-244-5560 x2059
Ohel Bais Ezra
Family reimbursement funds available Manhattan Brooklyn and Queens
Call 718-686-3451 or email Communityservices@ohelfamily.org
Everett Community Services
Location in Brooklyn, openings in community habilitation & respite, day habilitation without walls (Bronx, available for Bronx & Manhattan residents)
Christopher O’Connor, 718-255-5946 x4056
Care Design NY
Care Coordination Organization (CCO), offering Care Manager services
Accepting new referrals, including those coming from other CCOs with wait lists
Assisting families through OPWDD eligibility, Medicaid enrollment, Medicaid waiver/parental deeming process
Summertime Gallery – an art studio + gallery for artists with and without disabilities pushing towards a more inclusive art world. We currently have two exciting groups we have during the week.
Studio Hours is a virtual group where we use different prompts, materials, and mediums to create art together. This is less of a step by step class but more of an art family/community where artists encourage and support each other.
Our second group is Art Walks + Talks. This hybrid group consists of visiting art museums or galleries in person every other week, and the opposing week we are virtual and create art using inspiration from the week prior. This group is great for those who want to immerse themselves in the NYC art world.
These groups accept Self-Direction and fee-for-service. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to anna@summertimegallery.org or check out our website at Summertimegallery.org
Esperanza -site based day program in Manhattan and the Bronx as well as recreational programs for adults. 212-928-5810
NYLPI – NY Lawyers assistance regarding Higher education (students attending college in NYS only) FACING DISABILITY DISCRIMINATION IN HIGHER EDUCATION? FREE LEGAL ASSISTANCE For Students in New York Navigating Challenges in Higher Education due to a Disability What We Offer: • Advice and Referrals • Accommodation Advocacy • Appeals and Grievances • Representation Getting Started: Contact us to schedule your free consultation and get connected to a Disability Justice Attorney to explore how we may be able to assist. Disability Justice Program New York Lawyers for the Public Interest (212) 244-4664 (voice/relay)
MTA– Reminder 59th St is being replaced by switch replacement, please give yourself additional time.
MTA will be hosting an open house information coming. Please check MTA website for information.
Access A ride assessment centre is now in lower Manhattan (3 stone Street) by appointment
Please do not park vans in bus stops.
AHRC- AHRC NYC has openings for Free Evaluations for Individuals who do not have Medicaid and are seeking OPWDD eligibility. Contact Marrissa.mcmillan@ahrcnyc.org or the Referral Information Center at 212-780-4491 or referrals@ahrcnyc.org
AHRC NYC has openings for Family Reimbursement. Contact Casey Barba at 917-715-8035 or AHRC.FamilyReimbursementPrograms@ahrcnyc.org
GoodWill– Day Hab vacancies
Excellent Home Care– Home care particularly focusing on minors to help with therapies and nursing. It is completely to the IEP. Contact us to explore if we can help you.
NYstate institute on disability– reimbursement for good service and camp – Jackie Trapodi
Guest presentation IDD Ombudsman program Guest Speaker Rachel Shuman
Community Services Society – 100 year old organization that promotes economic opportunity for New Yorkers.
Help people with health care
Direct assistance is though our help line
Have partnerships s with over 50 partners
IDDO
Definition of Ombudsman-Swedish word representative-can have many different types of groups that have this series.
WE are here to advocate and educate and be a liaison between the public and OPWDD
2023 was put into law. OPWDD has to fund an entity to have conflict free ombudsman program to advocates for induvial’s rights
CSS was awarded an award to fund this program
CHA, ICAN, MCCAP,CHAMP are all programs CSS runs
- Help line, case work, a person is assigned an advocate to help troubleshoot and solve issue
- Education and outreach
- Policy-collecting data on the types of issues CSS is seeing presenting it to OPWDD, what ae primary issues that people are experiencing while navigating the OPWDD system.
CSS is the HUB and spokes model and they have different spokes that make the wheel turn they work with parent and care giver, technical group, families and self advocates
Main partners are NYLPL (New York Lawyers for the Public Interest)
How can you request help for IDDO 1800-762-9290
Email iddo@cssny.org
Or you can fill out an online form
Services IDDO can provide
- Educate on OPWDD eligibility and front door process
- Explore certified and non certified housing options and mediate certified housing dispute
- Answering questions about roles of ccos and css managers
- Navigate self direction and other home and community based services
- Advise on fair hearing and due process rights and provide referrals to legal services as necessary
Services IDDO Does not provide
IDDO does not replace CCO’s
Do not assist with school base services-EG IEP
IDDO does not assist with access to early intervention services such as ABA
- Even if it’s not at IDDO program CSS can do a warm handoff to other agencies we work with if we have an issue that falls under one of our other programs.
- E.g. helping with Medicaid application, helping with ABA in EI
Questions
Can IDDO help mediate with issues that families are having in their specific agency?
- Contact help line-if it Is abuse or neglect and the justice centre is involved then IDDO can not get involved
Supervision of IDDO – what are deliverables
- There is not a certain amount of people that needs to be helped. The data is how many people are you assisting, where in the sate are you reaching, what are the issues, who are you speaking to? OPWDD person, or family. Categories- What is the need ? then what did we do to help?
Q-How much case management time can be give
- Our job is issue specific
- Q – struggling with no information on the need for housing-please focus on how many people need housing-high needs individuals who are not easy to staff in a group way
- Can social workers and case managers reach out to the IDDO program or does the family need to reach out directly
- A – yes the can do initial referral but we would prioritize speaking to the individual or person themselves
III. State News – James Doherty, Samrawit Tadesse
Proposed Executive NYS Budget
- Governor Hochul;s Executive Budget proposal includes the following:
Increase State spending on OPWDD programs by roughly $374 million to nearly $5.5 billion — excluding the local share Medicaid adjustment
$154 million to OPWDD to improve the ability of the State and non-profit sectors to recruit and retain essential frontline direct care, support and clinical workers
Includes $15 million to expand independent living opportunities for people with developmental disabilities.
$75 million over a 5-year period to modernize and enhance the physical infrastructure of IBR to create the Genomics Core Facility to provide customized identification of underlying conditions and Establish the Willowbrook Center for Learning by transforming Building 29 on the Staten Island campus
25 million to establish regional health clinics that will enhance access to health services for people with developmental disabilities.
Expanded Advocacy Efforts
- OPWDD has created a new Advocacy Services Office which reports to the Commissioner’s Office. This new office is led by Advocacy Services Director Lisa Salamy who began the position on February 10. This Office will lead the Peer Specialist Program, oversee the Ombudsman program, and focus on other advocacy efforts.
Accessing Life Podcast
- Click here youtu.be/4vjJEXPPwrc to access all four episodes or find them on OPWDD’s website: https://opwdd.ny.gov/news/news-publications.
- The next episode will be released in the coming weeks, and it will cover the impact supported decision making can have on a person’s life.
Care Coordination Program Evaluation
- American Institutes for Research (AIR) was selected through an RFP process to evaluate the effectiveness of Care Coordination practices. A Final Report is expected in early 2025.
CRO ADM
- OPWDD released the New York State regulation of OPWDD Certified Residential Opportunities ADM on December 19, 2024 describing how the agency will manage Certified Residential Opportunities going forward. As A reminder, Care Managers must fully explore the least restrictive housing that might be right for each person. OPWD determines if the person requesting housing needs the support of a certified home and assigns a priority level for each person based on things like the care a person needs because of their developmental disability, the availability of support from their family and friends and the risk of harm in their current home. Opportunities for certified housing are made available first for those in greatest need.
IV. Reyana Mckenzie, DOMHM
Community Service Board subcommittee position open for self-advocate
- Contact Reyana Mckenzie, rmckenzie@health.nyc.gov
- No updates this month
V. IAC Report
Updates
Advocacy
Lobby Days-2/11 &12 (New dates0 in Albany for all budget areas OPWDD, SED, DOH
5/6 SED only
Budget asks
OPWDD $850M cash infusion to rate rebasing-we are very happy for the Governor’s recognition of need for our sector but still need continuing increases commensurate with inflation.
Current asks:
7.8% rate increase
Wage commission to make recommendations to increase direct care salaries
Return OPWDD rate setting DOH to OPWDD
Still working on being included in capital climate imitative but will not include in budget asks
SED-tuition increase, include funding to support students continuing through the end of the year they turn 22, continuation of the modifications to current rate methodology until the new rate methodology is implemented
EI 5%increase
Implementation of the 4% increase for underserved areas was approved in the last year’s state budget(retroactive to 1/1/25)
OPWDD News
Updated CRO-ADM-although not new, it continues to present challenges for individuals in need of certified opportunities but not currently “in crisi”. Providers continue to struggle with vacancies. The link/page includes a you tube informational video for providers. IAC workgroup will continue and make recommendations to OPWDD ADM#2024-03 certified Residential Opportunities(CRO) office for OPWDD
Pathway new ADM 3/1/2025 training and roll out for directors-fee will be increased.
Possible Day Services VBP’s-more like bonus for moving from DH to less restrictive environments-
Timely investigations: early last year formal QI plan was required by CMS with only 75% compliance in timely investigations, 86% is the minimum which will increase to 90% as per the federal Access Rule. OPWDD is reviewing data in IRMA monthly to not justifications for delays- this will be ongoing. OPWDD; initial review of the last years data shows compliance between 84-86%-good improvement!
V. Manhattan DD Council Reports
Membership Dues
- Resuming dues collection for member provider agencies, email coming soon
- Dues had been on pause during Covid while events were slower
- Provide funding for annual events including Family & Professional Resource Fair & Legislative Breakfast
- Member agencies receive benefits: agency info and events posted on Manhattan DD Council website, discount on resource fair vendor table fees
VI. Committee Reports:
Manhattan FSS Advisory Council: Co-Chairs: Jackie Goldberg and Mary McGuire-Weafer
include NYC fair was on February 1, 10-3
The next meeting is March 25th at 10AM regarding the new ombudsman program
and April 9th is part 2 about guardianship. The first meeting is an overview and the 2nd meeting is hands on writing guardianship application. You must be at the first meeting to attend the hands on part.
MFSSAC Meeting – Guardianship Part 1
March 26 @ 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Manhattan Family Support Services
Advisory Council
Guardianship and Future Care Planning
Where do we begin?
…..a two part series
Stephanie Baran, Esq., AHRC NYC
Part One:
Wednesday, March 26th
10:00 am – 12:00 pm
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
Part Two:
Wednesday, April 9th, @ 10:00 am
“Assistance with the Application”
Registration link will be sent to ALL Part One participants
Mary McGuire-Weafer & Jackie Goldberg, Co-Chairs / Manhattanfamilyadvisory@gmail.com
Manhattan Family Support Services Advisory Council
along with our Manhattan Transition Committee
Next meeting is on ZOOM Guardianship & Future Care Planning, Part One, on Wednesday March 26th , 10am-12:00 noon with Stephanie Baran, Esq. AHRC
Part Two is a hybrid meeting “Assistance with the Application” on Wednesday April 9th @‘AHRC, 83 Maiden Lane 10:00 am AND opportunity to join on Zoom !
Please email Mary & Jackie Manhattanfamilyadvisory@gmail.com OR Andrew & Pat Liu at AHarris27@schools.nyc.gov
Transition Committee: Co-Chairs: Andrew Harris and Pat Liu Chang
Our next meeting will be on 2/12 . This will be our annual adult meet and greet via zoom. Everyone will learn about Day Hab employment services and more. This is a wonderful meeting and everyone should attend
Meeting second Wednesday of every other month (even numbered months)
- Planning to hold April & June meetings in person
- Stay tuned for Zoom & in-person meeting info!
Save the Date!
- Adult Services Meet & Greet
- Wednesday, February 12th @ 10am (Zoom)
If you have any questions please feel free to contact us:
Andrew Harris, P138M, aharris27@schools.nyc.gov
Pat Liu Chang, GHO, pat@ghoinc.org
Family & Provider Information Committee: Co-chairs: Wendy De Leon & Luisa Eusse-Roché
Next Meeting 3/12/2025 Recent Changes to the Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program (CDPAP) in New York State
Presented by Co-Chairs, Luisa Eusse-Roche & Wendy De Leon
New Business
Save the Date!
March 6th will be the 5-borough annual Legislative breakfast