NYS Rec and Entertainment Starting March 7, 2025

Be sure to visit links for more information and, where applicable, to register. If you’d like to share your event or activity on The Boost, please contact us here. It would be great to have more activities around the state.

Sat., March 15, 2025: Take a Deep Breath Interactive Concert: Bronxville. An interactive concert for the developmental disability community. Cost: $6 – $12. (Concordia Conservatory)

Fri., March 21, 2025: Fun Friday – Dance Aerobics: West Nyack. Ages 14 – 24.  GYMGUYZ will lead a dance aerobics class. Time: 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Where: Besso Community Room, 4th floor, Palisades Mall by the ice rink. To learn more, contact Emily Rocks at ERocks@BridgesRC.org or (845) 624-1366 Ext. 107.

Sat., March 22, 2025: Sensory-Friendly Screening of Disney’s Snow White: Bedford Playhouse in Bedford.

Six Sundays starting March 23, 2025, ending May 11, 2025: Inclusive Lacrosse with Able Athletics: Bedford, N.Y. Athletes participate in inclusive sessions designed to foster teamwork, skill-building, and confidence in a supportive, adaptive environment. All abilities welcome with activities tailored to needs.

Thurs., March 27, 2025 – Sat., March 29, 2025: Marvels of Media Festival: Astoria (Queens) at the Museum of the Moving Image. This wonderful festival recognizes the outstanding media work of autistic media-makers through an exhibition, film screenings, and in-depth panel discussions.

Thurs., March 27, 2025: Monthly Open Mic: Cos Cob, Conn. Welcoming space where people of all abilities can share their talents, connect, and celebrate music together. (Especially Everyone and River House)

Thurs., April 3, 2025 – Wed., April 9, 2025: 17th Annual ReelAbilities Film Festival New York: The festival is committed to reframing disability through the power of film.

Year-Round

We Rock the Spectrum Kid’s Gym: There are two New York-based We Rock the Spectrum franchises, one in New Rochelle (Westchester County), the other Staten Island. Locations in Brooklyn and Long Island in the works.

AMC Sensory-friendly films: Ten AMC movie theaters around New York State offering sensory-friendly screenings. Go to the link to find the ones near you.

The Boost’s Guide to the Best Museums for People with Developmental Disabilities Added: Jackie Robinson Museum in Manhattan!

The Boost’s 2024 Westchester County Recreation Resource List (Children and Adults) 

I Love NY’s Accessible Places and Programs

Photo: Dance aerobics in Rockland County (stock photo) Credit: Pexels.com

Homepage roundup Feb. 28, 2025

Elon Musk keeps tweeting the ‘R-word.’ Disability advocates say he needs to stop. (USA Today)

After Maine native testifies before Congress, Elon Musk targets his disability (pressherald.com)

As G.O.P. Eyes Medicaid Cuts, States Could Be Left With Vast Shortfalls (nytimes.com)

House Vote Tees Up Billions In Cuts To Medicaid, Disability Services (Disability Scoop)

Concerns mount over potential loss of Medicaid funds for schools

Red states try to backtrack after suing to end disability rights. Critics say their statement is legally toothless. (fastcompany.com)

New York lawmakers and advocates push for increased funding for disability services (cbs6albany.com)

Connecticut State lawmakers approve special education funding despite Lamont’s objection (nbcconnecticut.com)

Disability awareness could become part of Florida’s school curriculum (Floridapolitics.com)

Senate advances bill to ban use of corporal punishment on disabled Oklahoma school children (oklahomavoice.com)

Developmentally disabled Missourians suffer abuse, death in state’s dysfunctional system (missouriindependent.com)

Colorado to slash care to young children with developmental disabilities (denverpost.com)

Kids’ disability rights cases stalled as Trump began to overhaul Education Department (Chalkbeat.org)

Teens with disabilities were getting help with life after high school. Then DOGE started cutting. (Chalkbeat.org)

Special education enrollment climbs to nearly 8M (k12dive.com)

More Developmental Disability News for Week Ending Feb. 28, 2025

Potential Medicaid cuts has people on edge, special ed enrollment climbs, Kelly Clarkson spotlights inclusive businesses and more developmental disability news for week ending Feb. 28, 2025.

SPOTLIGHT: ELON MUSK’S CONTEMPT FOR DISABLED

The richest man in the world and haphazard slasher-in-chief of federal programs keeps on mocking people with disabilities.

Elon Musk keeps tweeting the ‘R-word.’ Disability advocates say he needs to stop. In the last week alone, Musk has included it in at least three tweets. Both Musk and President Trump “perpetuate the ignorance, hate and violence that has harmed, and in many cases destroyed, the lives of disabled people in the past and in more recent times.” (usatoday.com)

After Maine native testifies before Congress, Elon Musk targets his disability A man’s testimony about how to reduce waste, fraud and abuse resulted in this tweet from Musk, followed by two laughing emojis: “blind director of watchdog group funded by George Soros testifies that he does not see widespread evidence of government waste.” (pressherald.com)

MEDICAID

As G.O.P. Eyes Medicaid Cuts, States Could Be Left With Vast Shortfalls (nytimes.com)

House Dems warn GOP plan is ‘devastating’ for 7 million New Yorkers on Medicaid (nystateofpolitics.com)

House Vote Tees Up Billions In Cuts To Medicaid, Disability Services (Disability Scoop)

Concerns mount over potential loss of Medicaid funds for schools School advocacy groups warn congressional leaders that cuts to Medicaid would jeopardize school-based healthcare for students who have disabilities and who come from low-income families. (k12dive.com)

SECTION 504

Backlash leads Republican attorneys general to declare support for a landmark disability rights law The 17 Republican state attorneys general who submitted a lawsuit targeting the addition of a gender identity-related disorder to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 — which prohibits, among other things, discrimination on the basis of disability in K-12 schools and higher education institutions that receive federal financial assistance — have “clarified” their position and told a federal judge that they support protecting disabled people’s rights. (apnews.com)

Red states try to backtrack after suing to end disability rights. Critics say their statement is legally toothless. (fastcompany.com)

NEW YORK

New York lawmakers and advocates push for increased funding for disability services (cbs6albany.com)

Kelly Clarkson Show Spotlights NY ‘businesses that thrive’ hiring people with autism, neurodiversity (Youtube)

MTA to revive popular program that allows students with autism to record PSAs for NYC’s subway system The 2024 cancellation of the program didn’t last long. (nypost.com)

OUTSIDE OF NEW YORK

Connecticut State lawmakers approve special education funding despite Lamont’s objection The bill has been sent to the governor. (nbcconnecticut.com)

Disability awareness could become part of Florida’s school curriculum (Floridapolitics.com)

Senate advances bill to ban use of corporal punishment on disabled Oklahoma school children (oklahomavoice.com)

Developmentally disabled Missourians suffer abuse, death in state’s dysfunctional system (missouriindependent.com)

Colorado to slash care to young children with developmental disabilities It’s due to “emergency cost containment measures” to early intervention programs. (denverpost.com)

TRUMP ADMIN & EDUCATION

Kids’ disability rights cases stalled as Trump began to overhaul Education Department (Chalkbeat.org)

DOGE blocked from accessing Education Department’s sensitive student data until March 10 The Privacy Act bars federal agencies from sharing personal information “to any person, or to another agency,” except for in limited circumstances. (K12dive.com)

How Department of Education cuts could hurt resources for students with disabilities (pbs.org)

Teens with disabilities were getting help with life after high school. Then DOGE started cutting. (Chalkbeat.org)

EDUCATION

Special education enrollment climbs to nearly 8M The number of students with disabilities, ages 3-21, could jump by about 1 million students between 2021 and 2025 if the current rate of increase continues. Schools already show the strain. (k12dive.com)

JUSTICE SYSTEM

‘Not a get-out-of-jail-free card:’ Should autism, other disabilities be considered in court? (wmar2news.com)

STUDIES

People with intellectual disabilities can get smarter as they age I take studies with a grain of salt, but who wouldn’t want to read this one? (Times of Israel)

Photos Show 24/7 Role Parents Play Caring for Medically Fragile Children at Home

NOTE: The slide show below, The Boost has discovered, is best seen on a larger screen. It’s not an optimal user experience on a mobile device. We are trying to fix.

At-home health care is of critical importance for medically fragile children, especially those who are disabled and would otherwise be forced to live in institutions. But a critical in-home nursing shortage has meant that parents must make up for chronic gaps of care to keep their children safe at home.

This is not a job for the fainthearted. Homes often resemble mini-intensive care units and require families to do the same level of work as a licensed practical nurse or registered nurse. Many are forced to leave careers in order to give their children the needed attention to survive. (See the startling statistics after the slide show.)

A New York State bill, the Complex Care Assistant Act — reintroduced this year in both the State Assembly and Senate — aims to mitigate the impact of the in-home nursing shortage. It would establish a program for individuals — who’d be hired by and receive support from a nursing agency — to become complex care assistants for certain Medicaid enrollees. It currently sits in the Senate and Assembly Health committees.

The slideshow below features photos from New York-based families who take care of medically fragile children with disabilities. These families, like countless others, spend hours on the phone with pharmacies, durable medical equipment companies, therapists, and doctors offices in order to ensure that their children have what they need.

Additionally, they must learn the skills required to utilize equipment including CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machines and central venous catheters, handle complex medication regimens and seizure management, and take care of daily living skills ranging from transfers, toileting and dressing to special diets. And all this is just the tip of the iceberg.

A Dire Situation

The most prominent barrier to accessing quality home care services, reports the American Academy of Pediatrics (APA), “is a shortage of workforce, a hurdle that can be even higher when considering home care services that specialize in pediatrics. Home care workforce shortages are driven by difficult hiring practices, variable training requirements, and most significantly, inadequate payment.”

And according to a study published by the AAP this month (February 2025), the pediatric home health care population “has increased in America, with approximately 1 in 20 children discharged from a hospital to home with specialized durable medical equipment and/or home health care  services.”

Here are some other key bullet points from the study:

• “Home health care services [should be] delivered by a range of health professionals, including RNs, home health aides, and therapists, based on the skill level needed for a child’s care tasks. Notably, however, in current common practice, care tasks of all skill types are delivered in part or even in whole by family caregivers, typically unpaid and without work-hour restrictions.
• “Numerous qualitative studies have linked inadequate home health care to poor health outcomes including emergency department visits, additional medical procedures, and non-medically necessary hospitalization.
• “Home health care gaps result in significant parental stress and negative health consequences. … These studies have [also] demonstrated how caregivers can often feel overwhelmed and unsupported, even becoming socially isolated, which further worsens their caregiving capacity.
• “A recent national-based study found that families of children with special health care needs … lost an average of $18 000/year per family to care for their child’s medical needs.”

To learn more, read Guest Post: Why We Need the New York Complex Care Assistant Act. Posted last year, it remains timely and links to a Facebook page where you can find ways to advocate.

Photo: Just some of the equipment and supplies needed by a young girl named Rian. She has CDKL5 deficiency disorder, which causes uncontrollable seizures. She’s nonverbal, has cognitive impairment, and is severely delayed. She also cannot walk, requires full nutrition and hydration, and all of her meds are through her G-tube. Rian has an implanted heart loop monitor that tracks her Ventricular Tachycardia. She also requires 2 liters of daily oxygen due to her respiratory distress and very low desaturations. Additionally, Rian receives multiple medications four times a day. She requires her chest vibration vest at least twice daily and nebulizer treatments twice daily with her chest PT. 

NYS Virtual Webinars Starting Feb. 28, 2025

WEBINARS & MORE

For a full list of organizations offering webinars in New York, check out Your One-Stop Guide to Navigating I/DD System and Services via Webinars & Workshops.

All are free unless otherwise noted.

Fri., Feb. 28, 2025 : Diploma and Credential Options for Students with Disabilities: Participants will learn about self-determination skills and its relation to students determining an individualized pathway to graduation from multiple options.  (FACE, NYSED OSE Partnership, LHRPC and Mount Vernon City School District)

Mon., March, 3, 2025- Thurs., March 6, 2025: Employment and You! Resources and Strategies for Success: Statewide experts on employment resources for people with disabilities including contacts and methods that can help support and keep a job. (Univ. of Rochester Medical Center and WIHD)

Tues., March 4, 2025: NYC FAIR’s Virtual Town Hall: What’s in the State budget? What’s not? Find out here. You can submit questions prior to the event.

Tues., March 4, 2025: EI (Early Intervention) to CPSE (Committee on Preschool Special Education) for Families: This presentation will guide parents through the process of transitioning their child from Early Intervention to the Committee on Preschool Special Education. (FACE and. NYSED OSE Partnership)

Tues., March 4, 2025: General Info Session to Learn More about Supported Decision-Making: Learn more about supported decision-making (SDM) and the SDMNY facilitation process. Includes time for Q&A. (Supported Decision-Making NY [SDNY])

Wed., March 5, 2025: Support for Neurodivergent Children and Adults Experiencing Grief: Explore the impact of grief and loss on children and adolescents with ASD and their families. Topics covered will include typical progression of grief and bereavement and ways children and adults on the spectrum may experience and express grief differently from the neurotypical population. (Stony Brook University LEND)

Wed.,  March 5, 2025 – April 2025: 2025 National Self-Direction Conference: Virtual Series (Applied Self-Direction)

Sat., March 8, 2025: GiGi’s Educator Symposium: Join a team of experienced educators and therapists from across the GiGi’s Playhouse Network to learn how to teach individuals with Down syndrome the way they learn best.

Wed., March 12, 2025: SibSpace Lecture Series: Supporting + Empowering Families to Manage Conflict and Prevent Crises: Families can learn how to foster understanding, build stronger connections, and handle difficult moments with confidence with their neurodiverse adults. Open to families, siblings and professionals. (NY START)

Thurs., March 13, 2025: Residential Placement Online Discussion Group for Parents: For families with children and adults of all ages that currently have children in residential school or a group home. Support and conversation. (Parent to Parent of NYS)

Mon., March 17, 2025: What You Need to Know about Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) (Parent to Parent of NYS)

Tues., March 18, 2025: Self-Direction for Individuals with OPWDD: Get a better understanding of self-direction including the process, things to think about regarding a broker, what can be included in a budget and what is a fiscal intermediary. (Rockland Community Services)

Tues., March 18, 2025: Parents Considering a Residential Placement Discussion Group (Parent to Parent of NYS)

Wed., March 19, 2025: Disability Conversations: “Hear Our Voices” Self Advocacy Group Meeting: Disability Conversations Group has educational talks about living with disabilities in an accessible way. Different topics and speakers are chosen each month. (WIHD’s Community Support Network)

Wed., March 26, 2025: College Pathways for Students with Intellectual Disabilities: Information on college options for students with intellectual disability and highlight resources available for students and families on the Think College website, including the only national directory of these programs in the country. Cost: $25.  (Think College)

Sat., April 5, 2025: Youth Abilities Fair: A Special Needs Resource Fair: Suffolk County. Includes a sensory room and magic show. Address: Middle Country Public Libraries, Eastwood Blvd., Centereach, N.Y. Time: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. (In partnership with Middle Country SEPTA)

NYS Rec and Entertainment Starting Feb. 28, 2024

Be sure to visit links for more information and, where applicable, to register. If you’d like to share your event or activity on The Boost, please contact us here. It would be great to have more activities around the state.

Sat., March 1, 2025: Music for Autism Virtual Concert: The concerts feature professional musicians, including Tony Award winners, Grammy-nominated classical artists, and Pulitzer Prize winners. To ensure equal access for all, every Music for Autism concert is fully subsidized. (Music for Autism)

Sun., March 2, 2025: Sensory-Friendly Screening of A Bug’s Life: Jacob Burns Film Center in Pleasantville.

Wed., March 5, 2025: Spread the Word Inclusion Day at Sleepy Coffee, Too: In Sleepy Hollow. Showcasing the impact of inclusive language and actions for individuals of all abilities. “Kindness activities” for all ages throughout the day and from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. an inclusion rally with speakers. Contact Sleepy Coffee for more info.

Wed., March 5, 2025: Silver Screen Legends Virtual Inclusive Dance Party: Celebrate the Academy Awards and dance to some legendary soundtracks. (Daniel’s Music Foundation)

Fri., March 7, 2025: Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony for Pound Ridge Library Sensory Room & Book Reading: Join this library in Westchester County as it opens its new Sensory Room and newly refurbished Children’s Room. Featuring a special story time highligting the library’s commitment to inclusion and accessibility.

Sat., March 22, 2025: Sensory-Friendly Screening of Snow White: Bedford Playhouse in Bedford.

Six Sundays starting March 23, 2025, ending May 11, 2025: Inclusive Lacrosse with Able Athletics: Bedford, N.Y. Athletes participate in inclusive sessions designed to foster teamwork, skill-building, and confidence in a supportive, adaptive environment. All abilities welcome with activities tailored to needs.

Thurs., April 3, 2025 – Wed., April 9, 2025: 17th Annual ReelAbilities Film Festival New York: Info to come.

Year-Round:

We Rock the Spectrum Kid’s Gym: There are two New York-based We Rock the Spectrum franchises, one in New Rochelle (Westchester County), the other Staten Island. Locations in Brooklyn and Long Island in the works.

AMC Sensory-friendly films: Ten AMC movie theaters around New York State offering sensory-friendly screenings. Go to the link to find the ones near you.

The Boost’s Guide to the Best Museums for People with Developmental Disabilities Added: Jackie Robinson Museum in Manhattan!

The Boost’s 2024 Westchester County Recreation Resource List (Children and Adults) 

I Love NY’s Accessible Places and Programs

Photo: A Bug’s Life. (Credit: Jacob Burns Film Center)

The Breakthrough Fund — Apply Now! — Helps People with Developmental Disabilities Get Healthy for Free

First posted Nov. 21, 2024; applications are still open.

Exercising is easier said than done. This is especially true for people who have intellectual and developmental (I/DD) disabilities, including those on the autism spectrum, as they often require support and specialized teachers to participate in activities. Many gyms, however, are expensive to join, and the costs add up should someone be interested in taking classes.

With this in mind, Jake Allyne and Steve Goodman, founders of the Westchester County-based inclusive fitness center, Breakthrough Fit Co., started The Breakthrough Fund. Its goal: To help those with disabilities who want to get healthy but are in need of financial aid to do so.

The program goes one step further: It provides families with a professional who can help them navigate the New York State OPWDD application process and other Medicaid services that can help pay for things such as community classes and activities.

“Our mission is to help the neurodivergent community to live longer and better lives,” says Mark Shearon, who heads the Breakthrough Fund’s board of directors. “My son, Max, is 21 and has special need and is nonverbal. I finally got him to [Breakthrough Fit], where he’s been going twice a week, and I see what a massive difference exercise can make.”

The link between exercise and longevity is well known. Doctors, numerous studies and government agencies all tell us that active people generally live longer and are at less risk for serious health problems.

This makes exercise even more important for people with I /DD, as the risk for premature death increases with this population. The lack of equitable access to health care is an obvious reason, but so is a critical lack of physical activity. People with disabilities often exhibit sedentary behaviors, which you can no doubt confirm as you’re likely used to seeing your loved one in front of the TV, and are less likely to meet physical activity guidelines than people without disabilities.

Launched in 2024, the fund is currently accepting applications for a year of wellness.

Participants do six wellness activities a month, including activities with the fund’s partners: Able Athletics (inclusive group sports), Swim Angelfish (adaptive swim lessons and water safety), Jennifer Hill Yoga, and Diet & Nutrition with Caraballosa Nutrition.

Lena Martino, who has 25 years of experience in the field, is the navigator who guides families through the complex world of OPWDD services.

While the fund currently is designed as a bridge to cover costs while people apply and/or are put on waitlists, it will also consider any neurodivergent or otherwise developmentally disabled child or adult who can prove they’re in need of financial assistance.

If this seems right for your loved one, check it out. It might make a huge difference in their lives.

“Prior to going to Breakthrough, my daughter would go with my husband to the track and walk,” says Ardsley, N.Y., parent Michele Bernstein, whose daughter, Adin, has I/DD. “But it was nothing at the level of exercise she’s getting now at Breakthrough. She gets personal training, weight training and does cardio. She’s very strong and has lost weight.

“They really push her and hold her to a very high standard,” Bernstein adds. “It amazes me what they get out of her. And she loves it.”

More News Feb. 21, 2025

Senate adopts $340 billion budget blueprint for Trump’s agenda after marathon ‘vote-a-rama’ (NBCnews.com)

Trump Rebuffs Senate G.O.P. and Backs House Budget Plan (Nytimes.com)

As Governors Meet in D.C., Possible Federal Medicaid Cuts Loom as Big State Funding Issue (kff.org)

NYS Senator Fahy Introduces Consumer Wheelchair Repair Act to End Repair Monopoly (nysenate.gov)

Iowa Medicaid Sends $4M Bills to Two Families Grieving Deaths of Loved Ones With Disabilities (KFF.com)

Tweed New Haven Airport creates Sunflower Program to help passengers with hidden disabilities (fox61.com)

What’s behind the ‘D Word’ billboards around Kalamazoo, Mich.? (mlive.com)

Ohio families of children with disabilities file lawsuit over unannounced home visits (nbc4i.com)

Bill would require special education discussions during Texas school board meetings (tcu360.com)

GOP-led lawsuit that could dismantle disability protections draws public backlash (Stateline.org)

How to Build a Neurodiverse City  (Bloomberg.com)

Donald Trump’s Next Diversity Target: People With Disabilities (The Nation)

Kids’ disability rights cases stalled as Trump began to overhaul Education Department (AP)

Opinion: What the Trump Era Looks Like for Disabled Students in K-12 (New York Times)

Developmental Disability News for Week Ending Feb. 21, 2025

The latest on potential cuts to Medicaid, how to build a neurodiverse city, and move developmental disability news for week ending Feb. 21, 2025.

SPOTLIGHT: Medicaid

Fri., Feb. 21, 2025: Senate adopts $340 billion budget blueprint for Trump’s agenda after marathon ‘vote-a-rama’ Not many details are out yet. The House is not in session this week, and plans to take up its own competing budget resolution next week. (NBCnews.com)

Trump Rebuffs Senate G.O.P. and Backs House Budget Plan This was on Feb. 19, the morning after an appearance on Fox News, during which Trump was adamant that there should be no cuts to Medicaid. But he then endorsed a House bill that has deep cuts to Medicaid on the table. (New York Times)

As Governors Meet in D.C., Possible Federal Medicaid Cuts Loom as Big State Funding Issue The National Governors Association (NGA) meeting started Thurs., Feb. 20, and goes through the 22nd. (KFF.org)

STATE NEWS

NYS Senator Fahy Introduces Consumer Wheelchair Repair Act to End Repair Monopoly (nysenate.gov)

Iowa Medicaid Sends $4M Bills to Two Families Grieving Deaths of Loved Ones With Disabilities (KFF.com)

Tweed New Haven Airport creates Sunflower Program to help passengers with hidden disabilities (fox61.com)

What’s behind the ‘D Word’ billboards around Kalamazoo, Mich.? It’s a Disability Network Southwest Michigan campaign, “Disability is not a bad word.” (mlive.com)

Ohio families of children with disabilities file lawsuit over unannounced home visits (nbc4i.com)

Bill would require special education discussions during Texas school board meetings (tcu360.com)

SECTION 504

17 states claim Section 504 overreach A suit questioning the addition of “gender dysphoria” to the definition of a disability under both the Rehabilitation Act and the the Americans with Disability Act (ADA) has raised concerns among disability rights advocates that Section 504 could be eliminated — and that this is the suit’s goal.

A quick primer with info from K12dive.com regarding Section 504 and schools:

• Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 prohibits, among many other things, discrimination on the basis of disability in K-12 schools and higher education institutions that receive federal financial assistance.
• Section 504 accommodations for students with disabilities can include academic, mental and physical supports.
• For K-12 students, those services can take place in a general or special education classroom. Elementary and secondary students with disabilities could also be entitled under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act( (IDEA) to a free, appropriate public education. K-12 students can qualify for services under both IDEA and Section 504 service or just one of the two or the other.

GOP-led lawsuit that could dismantle disability protections draws public backlash (Stateline.org)

NEURODIVERSITY

How to Build a Neurodiverse City A NYC public school is part of a new, multi-year project, The Neurodiverse City. (Bloomberg.com)

New program improves surgery experience for neurodiverse kids (Health.ucdavis.edu)

No mind left behind: How travel embraces neurodiversity (Travel Weekly)

DIVERSITY

Donald Trump’s Next Diversity Target: People With Disabilities (The Nation)

EDUCATION

(From the Politico newsletter 2/20/25: “Those inside the department say it’s eerily quiet as staffers await the fulfillment of Donald Trump’s campaign trail promise to demolish the department in its entirety.”)

Kids’ disability rights cases stalled as Trump began to overhaul Education Department (AP)

Tracking Trump: His actions on education  (Hechingereport.org)

Opinion: What the Trump Era Looks Like for Disabled Students in K-12 (New York Times)

DOGE slashes millions from Education Department research (USA Today)

TRAVEL

Major US airlines challenge Biden-era DOT wheelchair accessibility rule (USA Today)

NYS Rec and Entertainment for Week Starting Feb. 21, 2024

Be sure to visit links for more information and, where applicable, to register. If you’d like to share your event or activity on The Boost, please contact us here. It would be great to have more activities around the state.

Fri., Feb. 21, 2025: Rom-Com Movie Night: In Nyack, N.Y. For youth with disabilities ages 14-24. To register, contact Emily Rocks at erocks@bridgesrc.org, 845-624-1366 ext. 107. (Bridges)

Sat., March 1, 2025: Music for Autism Virtual Concert: The concerts feature professional musicians, including Tony Award winners, Grammy-nominated classical artists, and Pulitzer Prize winners. To ensure equal access for all, every Music for Autism concert is fully subsidized. (Music for Autism)

Fri., March 7, 2025: Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony for Pound Ridge Library Sensory Room & Book Reading: Join this library in Westchester County as it opens its new Sensory Room and the newly refurbished Children’s Room. Featuring a special story time highligting the library’s commitment to inclusion and accessibility.

Six Sundays starting March 23, 2025, ending May 11, 2025: Inclusive Lacrosse with Able Athletics: Location is in Bedford, N.Y. Athletes will participate in engaging, inclusive sessions designed to foster teamwork, skill-building, and confidence in a supportive, adaptive environment. All abilities welcome with activities tailored to needs.

Thurs., April 3 – Wed., April 9, 2025: 17th Annual ReelAbilities Film Festival New York: Info to come.

Year-Round:

We Rock the Spectrum Kid’s Gym: There are two New York We Rock the Spectrum franchises, one in New Rochelle (Westchester County), the other Staten Island, with locations in Brooklyn and Long Island in the works.

AMC Sensory-friendly films: There are 10 AMC movie theaters around New York State offering sensory-friendly screenings. Go to the link to find the ones near you.

The Boost’s Guide to the Best Museums for People with Developmental Disabilities Added: Jackie Robinson Museum in Manhattan!

The Boost’s 2024 Westchester County Recreation Resource List (Children and Adults) 

I Love NY’s Accessible Places and Programs

Photo credit: Freepik.com