Join Disability Unite and the NYC Commission on Human Rights for a free 34th anniversary celebration of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in New York City.
The ADA, signed into law July 26, 1990, by former President George Bush, is the the country’s first comprehensive civil rights law for people with disabilities.
This year’s hybrid event combines in-person festivities at the Central Park Naumburg Bandshell and an online experience. You can join in virtually via this website or in-person at the bandshell.
For virtual participants, the Disability Unite Festival will be livestreamed on the website with all access accommodations for those unable to travel or not located in NYC.
Offerings include Disability Inclusion Training and on-stage performances.
Details
When: Sunday, July 14, 2024
Time: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Where: Virtually and at the Central Park Naumburg Bandshell, Terrace Drive near W. 72nd St., New York, N.Y., 10019
Parents and families are an important part of the Special Education process. Participants in this free webinar will gain a foundational understanding of the entire IEP process, including but not limited to, the Committee on Special Education (CSE), the roles and responsibilities of all parties, the various components of the IEP, and the transition planning process.
New York State (NYS) regulations defines an IEP as a written statement for a student with a disability that is developed, reviewed and revised by a Committee on Special Education, Subcommittee on Special Education or Committee on Preschool Special Education. The Individualized Education Program (IEP) is the cornerstone of the special education process for each individual student with a disability.
Webinar listing first seen on WIHD’s community calendar. Check it out here for more.
Details
When: Tuesday, July 16, 2024
Time: 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Parent to Parent NYS is offering a virtual training on Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. It’s designed to provide parents with an understanding of the law, how it applies to educational programs and to students with disabilities.
FYI, Section 504 is a federal civil rights law that prohibits discrimination based on disability in any program or activity operated by recipients of federal funds. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), on the other hand, is the federal law that makes available a free appropriate public education to eligible children with disabilities throughout the nation and ensures special education and related services to those children. Section 504 does require development of a school plan, although this written document is not mandated. The Individualized Education Program (IEP) of IDEA may be used for the Section 504 written plan.
Tina Beauparlant, regional manager, Education Specialist, Parent to Parent of NYS, will present the webinar.
Details
When: Tuesday, July 16, 2024
Time: 1 p.m. to 2:15 p.m.
Omnium® Circus, an inclusive and accessible circus company, will be at the New Victory Theater this month with I’mPossible. It features a diverse cast of contortionists, acrobats, skilled dancers and more with a wide array of abilities and disabilities.
Every performance will incorporate audio description, captioning, sensory-friendly lighting and sound, and a calm environment where movement and vocalization are welcome. The theater will also have fidgets and ear defenders available, a calming corner and an activity area with a live feed of the show if audience members need a break from the excitement.
Additionally, one performance, on April 28, is exclusively sensory-friendly. It’s kept to 60 minutes with no intermission (the other performances are 90 minutes with a short intermission) and the seating capacity of the theater is reduced.
The circus says it’s the only one in the world to be presented in both English and American Sign Language.
Details
When: April 12 – April 28, details here
Sensory-friendly performance: Details here
Where: The New Victory Theater, 209 W 42nd St., New York, N.Y., 10036
Ages: 5+
Cost: Tickets start at $24 and are available at the New Victory Box Office (209 W 42nd Street) leading up to the performance and starting two hours before curtain time on performance days.
Tickets can also be purchased online at NewVictory.org and via phone: 646-223-3010.
The LIFT (Leadership, Internship, Friendship, Transition) internship program at Shames JCC for young adults with developmental disabilities provides a comprehensive and inclusive learning experience where participants will cultivate essential work skills and prepare for successful employment opportunities.
The program is free and runs from June 24 – Aug. 2. It has two cohorts from which to choose, Monday/Wednesday and Tuesday/Thursday.
Each aspect of the curriculum, from group tasks and specialized topics of conversation to real-world opportunities for practice, is crafted to foster development of practical skills and confidence in the workplace environment.
Each day will start at the JCC for learning segments. In the afternoon, interns will transition into their internship placements. Participants will engage in a variety of hands-on learning opportunities aimed at honing vocational skills in the fields of food service, childcare and grounds keeping/custodial services.
Each participant will be paired with a job coach who will offer personalized guidance and mentorship throughout the 6 weeks. From resume refinement to interview preparation, our job coaches are committed to equipping participants with the tools and knowledge necessary to excel in their job search.
Each potential intern must complete the application linked here.
To set up an interview, email Brandon Roberts, supportive services program manager, at broberts@shamesjcc.org.
Ages
18+
Shames JCC on the Hudson, 371 S. Broadway, Tarrytown, N.Y., 10591
Identifying the agencies that work with students and their families post-high school is a critical component of transition planning. This webinar will explore self-determination and its impact on postsecondary success.
The discussion will include a look at adult service agencies and the different types of programs they provide.
Details
When: Thursday, April 11, 2024
Time: 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Organized by the Hudson Valley School-Age FACE Center and the NYSED OSE Partnership.
Descubra una comunidad acogedora adaptada a las necesidades únicas de los padres hispanos que crían niños con discapacidades. Nuestro grupo de padres proporciona un espacio culturalmente sensible donde pueden compartir experiencias, obtener conocimientos y establecer conexiones con otras personas que enfrentan desafíos similares.
Venga a compartir con nosotros en una reunión informal donde compartiremos información, recursos y encontrarás el apoyo que necesites mientras crías a un ser querido con necesidades especiales y/o médicamente frágiles, sin importar la edad de la persona. Después de registrarse usted recibirá el enlace de Zoom para ingresar a la reunión en el correo electrónico que provea al registrarse.
This Parent to Parent of NYS Zoom group is a welcoming community tailored to the unique needs of Hispanic parents raising children with disabilities. This parent group provides a culturally sensitive space where people can share experiences, gain knowledge and establish connections with others facing similar challenges.
Share information, resources and find the support you need while raising a loved one with special needs and/or medically fragile, regardless of the person’s age.
Details
When: Monday, April 15, 2024
Time: 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Si tiene preguntas por favor contacte con: Gabriela Burgos at gburgos@ptopnys.org.
While The Boost’s posted events don’t usually wander past the Lower Hudson Valley, I’m always up to share something from New York Sen. John Mannion, chairman of the Committee on Disabilities, who is, as expected by his position, a wonderful advocate for the developmental disability community.
He’s now behind an upstate disability fair, which he says will bring together “some of the region’s best services and resources for individuals with disabilities and their families.”
The free event will include a variety of vendors, and you’ll be able to visit their booths to learn about their services and supports.
Details
When: Thursday, April 18, 2024
Time: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Where: DeWitt Community Room, 148 Sanders Creek Pkwy., East Syracuse, N.Y., 13057
No need to register. Questions? Call 315-428-7632.
When musician Pete Kozak, who has worked in the world of developmental disabilities for 15 years, invited a music-loving client to hear his band play, he was surprised by the young man’s reaction: He didn’t want to go.
“And then I realized nothing about it would accommodate him,” Kozak says. “Concerts are played at night, in dark light and in crowds.”
It was a lesson that simmered and then turned into a solid idea: Especially Everyone (EE), a non-profit organization based in Greenwich, Conn., that produces inclusive interactive concerts for people of all abilities.
The star of the shows, which are called The Especially Everyone Experience, is a 10-piece band that plays a mix of original and cover songs, and invites the audience to sing, dance and play along during each performance. (Kozak is on vocals and percussion.) Each show has a designated sensory break area, the noise level is kept at a moderate volume and hearing protection, such as earmuffs and earplugs, are provided. There are also sound stations where participants can try out instruments before the show and during breaks.
The Boost spoke with Kozak, EE founder and director, as well as a behavioral therapist, about how it all started and where things are going.
Were there any other incidents that inspired you to switch gears and form EE?
Actually, yes, my very first client. He was a 65-year-old man with developmental disabilities and I took him to an activity that turned out to be a game of duck, duck goose. Everyone there meant well, but it was clear to me that it wasn’t appropriate for him. So many adults with disabilities find themselves doing things meant for little kids.
Yes — there aren’t enough activities that give adults a sense of being, well, adults. How did things get off the ground?
I’ve played music my whole life and grew up playing in bands, including a wedding band. Back in about 2018 my friends and I repurposed the wedding band to throw a Sunday afternoon concert to address the sensory issues [that stopped my client from going to my concert].
We started out doing them quarterly and then COVID hit and things came to a stop. During that time I started writing some original music with one of my partners, Jon Schmarak, who’s in a masters program for music therapy.
After COVID, the project turned into an original band with a musical therapy spin. In 2022 we had a soft relaunch and then developed the material into a full show, The Especially Everyone Experience, which debuted in October 2023.
Any plans for expansion?
Well, we also have a vocational side. We partner with vocational programs and run opportunities within the productions for people [with developmental disabilities] to work. So, we have a greeter, and have people working on our next event as production assistants.
We’re also going to be stepping into the educational and lesson space.
Do you charge for the shows?
It depends on the venue. This weekend we’re playing in Nyack [April 7 at the Nyack Center] and I rented the venue so we have full control and are just asking for a suggested donation. Other venues it’s not as easy for us to do that. We’re trying to be creative to keep costs down so anyone can come. There’s a void and we’re hoping to fill it!
This guest post was written by Chris Palega, family caregiver, NYADD regional lead – Finger Lakes
The Family Support Services (FSS) program is rooted in a small pilot project, started in 1984 by the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD), that assisted 200 families who were supporting loved ones with developmental disabilities at home.
As the program grew across the state, OPWDD, working in partnership with families and non-profit provider agencies, developed and delivered person-centered, family-driven supports and services designed to help meet their unique and, at times, overwhelming challenges.
Today, FSS provides a broad spectrum of supports and services including advocacy, help for families with high and complex needs, respite and transportation. FSS’s most popular program, Family Reimbursement, covers the cost of goods and services families need to help keep them intact and fully functional. These programs are tasked with meeting a number of goals including maintaining family unity and maximizing the potential of a family member with a developmental disability.
In July 2022, OPWDD implemented changes to Family Reimbursement policies via Administrative Directive Memorandum (ADM #2022-02R). Unfortunately, these changes have undermined the program’s ability to support families, causing them to suffer needlessly. Some Family Reimbursement programs across the state have even closed under the additional administrative burdens of this ADM. Families are losing hope.
It’s important to know that FSS was established legislatively via Mental Hygiene Law § 41.43 and supported by Chapter 552 of the Laws of 1992. In just a few brief paragraphs, these statutes speak with clarity and conviction about the importance New York State placed on families who care for their loved ones with developmental disabilities at home.
But despite legislative intent that “family support services should be family-driven,” families were not engaged to drive these policy changes. And despite legislative intent that family supports be “goods, services, and subsidies, determined by the family,” OPWDD compiled and issued a non-allowable list of goods and services without allowing families to determine anything.
Over the past two years, families, providers and others have poignantly and repeatedly raised their voices to deride these policy changes. In March 2023, a research report by the Statewide FSS Committee provided data and stakeholder engagement on the negative impact these policy changes were having on OPWDD’s ability to meet the goals set forth for FSS.
More recently, Sen. John W. Mannion, chair of the Senate Committee on Disabilities, and Assembly Member Rebecca A. Seawright, chair of the Assembly People with Disabilities Committee, both sent letters to OPWDD Commissioner Kerri Neifeld stating their unequivocal opposition to these policy changes.
Despite all of this and repeated assurances from OPWDD that these policies are open to change, they remain an inflexible foil to the agile, person-centered, family driven program that FSS Family Reimbursement once was.
In an effort to relieve the additional burdens this ADM has placed on families, the New York Alliance for Developmental Disabilities (NYADD) is advocating for:
We are firm in our belief that family caregivers reduce the demand on an overwhelmed system of more costly and more restrictive residential placements. Likewise, these families greatly reduce the demand on a paid Direct Support Professionals (DSP) workforce that’s already in crisis.
NYADD, along with many in our community, believe that properly targeted investment in family caregivers is not only the right thing to do, but is among the most responsible and effective investments that can be made as we work to ensure the success of both OPWDD and the people it’s committed to serving.