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.
January, 2025: OPWDD and National Center for Cultural Competence Family Listening Sessions: Part of an effort to improve communication, language access and outreach to underserved communities. They’re intended to hear about people’s experiences in accessing supports and services based on a family’s cultural beliefs and practices, in your preferred language, and that are appropriate and fair for your family member with IDD. For families currently receiving supports and services, or have received them in the past, or are unable to access supports and services. (Georgetown University National Center for Cultural Competence)
Tues., Jan. 7, 2025: CPSE to CSE for Parents: Understand the transition process, learn how to be an active member of the transition team, to understand the difference between services in CPSE and CSE, and to understand the purpose of an IEP. (Mid-Hudson Family and Community Engagement (FACE) Center, NYSED OSE Partnership)
Wed., Jan. 8, 2025: Benefits Planning and Employment in the New Year: Myths and facts about employment and benefits. (The Strong Center for Developmental Disabilities)
Wed., Jan. 8, 2025: Diploma and Credential Options for Students with Disabilities (Mid-Hudson Family and Community Engagement (FACE) Center, NYSED OSE Partnership)
Thurs., Jan. 9, 2025 and Thurs., Jan. 16, 2025: Special Education 101: Virtual Training of the Parent Member: A 4-hour virtual training where participants will learn about the entire Committee for Special Education (CSE) process, and those eligible can join committee meetings as a volunteer Parent Member. (Mid-Hudson Family and Community Engagement (FACE) Center, Mid-Hudson Regional Partnership Center (MHRPC), NYSED OSE Partnership)
Mon., Jan. 13, 2024: Parent to Parent of NYS Father Group: Discuss the role of dads in navigating their children’s special needs. (Parent to Parent of NYS)
Tues., Jan. 14, 2025: 10 Basic Financial Steps for Families to Consider: From applying for government benefits and consideration of a letter of intent to a general overview of the ABLE act and special needs trusts. (Rockland Transition Consortium)
Tues., Jan. 14, 2025: Family Forum: Preparing for Your Child’s Annual Review: Explore how parents can effectively prepare for the annual review and be an effective member of the CSE. (Lower Hudson Family and Community Engagement (FACE) Center)
Tues., Jan. 14, 2025: Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) Services and Eligibility (WIHD Community Support Network)
Wed., Jan. 15, 2024: OPWDD Self-Direction: The individual must be eligible for OPWDD services and participating in Care Management services through a Care Coordination Organization (CCO) to be approved for self-direction. (WIHD Community Support Network)
Wed., Jan. 15, 2025: Disability Conversations: “Hear Our Voices” Self Advocacy Group Meeting: “Hear Our Voices” Self Advocacy Group Monthly Meeting.
Wed. Jan. 15, 2025: Supported Decision Making. What is it and how to get started: Learn more about it and how to get started with Naomi Brickel from Supported Decision Making New York. (Parent to Parent NYS)
Jan. 23, 2025, Jan. 30, 2025 and Feb. 6, 2025: Self Patience and Compassion: For Parents and Caregivers: Three-part virtual series designed to help you build patience and compassion for yourself while learning tools to stay grounded and present. Open to all. (NYC District 75 and FamilyKind)
2025 Fred J. Epstein Youth Achievement Awards: Nomination deadline is Jan. 15, 2025: The awards from Smart Kids with Learning Disabilities® recognizes the outstanding accomplishments of young people with LD and ADHD who make a lasting impact on their schools and communities.
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., Jan. 4, 2025: Sensory-friendly Mufasa: The Lion King at the Bedford Playhouse
Sun., Jan. 5, 2025: Sensory-friendly Tangled at Jacob Burns Film Center
Sun., Jan. 5, 2025: New York City Ballet Sensory-Friendly George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker®: Slight modifications include adjustments to lighting and sound levels, designated break areas and additional event staffing to assist with audience needs.
Sat., Jan. 11, 2025: NY Botanical Garden Holiday Train Show Sensory Friendly: Sensory Friendly Mornings for a calmer visit to the Holiday Train Show. Additionally, ticket provides access to NYBG’s outdoor gardens and collections.
January, 2025 – June 2025: Decks & Dice: A Young Adults Game Group: Tarrytown, N.Y. For young adults with and without disabilities, ages 21-35, support staff welcome. Every last Sunday of the month. Cost: $5 (Shames JCC on the Hudson)
Year-Round:
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: Disney’s Tangled, courtesy of Jacob Burns Film Center
CDPAP company claims no collusion with New York State in contract win, Connecticut lawmakers prioritize special ed, adults with disabilities under duress, and more developmental disability news for week ending Jan. 2, 2024.
N.Y. rejects claims that state colluded with CDPAP contract winner Plus, a top PPL executive also comes out fighting and says state did not steer the bidding process. (Times Union)
Disabilities Beat: New year, new changes to CDPAP has disabled activists worried WBFO speaks with activist Julie Farrar, who recently went viral for confronting Gov. Kathy Hochul in an Albany mall. (WBFO.org)
Op-Ed | Time to do right for New Yorkers with disabilities Assemblymember Rebecca Seawright, chair of the Assembly Committee on People with Disabilities, puts the focus on Direct Support Professionals. (Amny.com)
Feds approve tax to boost Medicaid reimbursement funds The new tax is expected to generate billions of dollars in additional Medicaid reimbursement funds, but things could change when President-elect Trump takes office. (nystateofpolitics.com)
Parents push for N.Y. to support care of medically fragile children The Complex Care Act, introduced in the last legislative session but not passed, would establish a program where family members would be paid and trained to care for their medically fragile children. (Timesunion.com)
Long Island Parents of neurodiverse children connect through Our Journey Facebook Group (Newsday.com)
Feds: Katz’s Deli agrees to make Manhattan deli ADA compliant Good news for pastrami lovers! (Newsday.com)
WSWHE BOCES adding three buildings in Wilton One space will be for special education, career and technical education. (Timesunion.com)
Judge rejects 26 NJ towns’ attempt to stop affordable housing law from moving forward (Gothamist)
CT lawmakers to prioritize special education in 2025 session (CTmirror.org)
New Canaan woman inspired by her sister with Down syndrome to create Ridgefield’s Prospector Theater (Newstimes.com)
Colorado’s wildly popular black license plates are powering programs for people with disabilities Some of the money from the throwback license plates are helping fund a new state office created to help people with disabilities get jobs and live independently. (Coloradosun.com)
Rhode Island settles with U.S. DOJ over violating rights of kids with mental health needs The agency found that the Rhode Island Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF) had “warehoused” children. (Rhodeislandcurrent.com)
Ohio families seek to retain right to care for disabled children The Ohio Dept. of Developmental Disabilities will force parents to attempt to hire outside care workers for their children. (local12.com, first seen in Medical Motherhood newsletter)
Oklahoma reduces the waitlist for disability services from 13 years to two years This drastic change reportedly is thanks to the state lawmakers giving DHS the funding it needed. (News9.com)
Many Adults with Disabilities Report Frequent Mental Distress: CDC Study (CDC.gov)
3 trends that worry disability advocates in 2025 Increasing use of AI, potential Medicaid cuts, and anti-mask attitudes. (Statnews.com)
A 1975 law helped kids with disabilities access education. Schools now need more help The costs of special education have led to a crisis for many schools. NPR looks back at how we got here. (NPR)
Research Finds Vaccines Are Not Behind the Rise in Autism. So What Is? (New York Times)
Autistic teen ‘let down’ by police, says sister This upsetting story out of Northern Ireland shows the importance of training police in how to communicate with people with complex needs. (BBC.com)
Check out America’s 9 most accessible national parks, according to reviews (USA Today)
Accessibility Is Worth Investing In: Why Hollywood Must Prioritize Disability Inclusion (Variety)
In November, 2022, New York State’s Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) officially released a five-year plan called, sensibly, the Strategic Plan 2023-2027. A guide to the agency’s policy and planning efforts for the next several years, its goal is to better meet the needs of the approximately 130,000 people OPWDD serves statewide.
As part of this effort, OPWDD must produce, by law, an annual report on its efforts and progress. Its 2024 OPWDD Annual Report, released in mid-December, 2024, adds more concrete outcome metrics, data, and infographics than in the 2023 report (its first), as well as information on OPWDD’s Short-Term Housing Strategy.
That strategy is “intended to offer solutions to some of the most frequently heard concerns regarding the sustainability of Certified Residential Services,” according to Willow Baer, OPWDD acting commissioner, on the agency’s website.
FYI, in support of this strategy, OPWDD separately released information on its updated Certified Residential Opportunities guidance in the form of an Administrative Directive Memorandum (ADM) describing how the agency will manage Certified Residential Opportunities going forward.
The announcement notes that “OPWDD is committed to supporting people to live in a home of their choice where they can be part of their community. Part of upholding that commitment is identifying residential opportunities as soon as they become available and matching those opportunities with people who need the support of certified residential services, particularly those with the most immediate needs. To provide consistency and to enhance efficiency in this process, OPWDD is launching a multiple stage initiative to amend the process.” That ADM is Stage 1.
Below, some cherrypicked highlights from the 2024 Annual Report:
Medicaid Spending
Direct Support Professionals
Self-Direction (SD)
Crisis and Complex Needs Efforts
Care Coordination
More CDPAP lawsuits in NYS, an artist with developmental disabilities shows at MoMA, special ed teachers are exhausted, and more developmental disability news for the week ending Dec. 20, 2024.\
Already Battered Disability Providers Say More Cuts Could Be Coming
A survey released this week by ANCOR finds that a whopping 90% of providers serving people with I/DD have faced moderate or severe staffing shortages in the last year. As a result, 69% said they had declined new clients and 39% indicated that they shuttered programs or services. More than a third said they were considering additional program cuts. (Disability Scoop)
The survey fittingly is called The State of America’s Direct Support Workforce Crisis 2024.
NY lawmakers delay promised boost to early intervention services The state promised families a major investment in early intervention programs, but lawmakers have yet to make good on their word. (msn.com via NY Daily News)
NY ed chief talks regionalization, state aid, special ed The discussion at a town hall touched on the need to “honor differences” when it comes to high school grad requirements for students with disabilities, and more. (lohud.com)
New Accessible Playground at Brewster Elementary School (Brewsterschools.org and Putnam Examiner)
How Fast is NY’s Home Care Program Growing? A report notes that “at the heart” of the Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program debate is the question of growth, and the percentage being cited is very “misleading.” (Fiscal Policy Institute)
Rochester home care agency sues Hochul’s troubled CDPAP transition Lawyers for All-American Homecare Agency are asking a federal judge to stop the state Dept. of Health from carrying out the proposed transition of CDPAP. The lawsuit joins a barrage of challenges. (Times Union)
NYS got help from union to rig the bidding for Gov. Hochul’s $9B home health aide program overhaul: suit Mark’s Homecare LLC filed the latest suit in Albany Supreme Court. (NYPost)
Empire Center Sues Health Department for Records on CDPAP and Medicaid One suit seeks records relating to the Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program, a costly and rapidly growing form of Medicaid home care that is being overhauled. (Empirecenter.org)
New York’s Fastest-Growing Union Is Management’s Best Friend — and Some Workers Don’t Even Know They’re Members This has some interesting info in it about New York’s leading health care union, 1199SEIU, and CDPAP. (TheCity.nyc)\
Commentary: New York’s seniors need home care. To get it, they need Hochul’s help. This says she can start by supporting the Fair Pay for Home Care Act and hitting the brakes on changes to CDPAP. (Times Union)
Conn.’s Prospector Theater Brings Sparkle to the Kelly Clarkson Show Guests were founder of The Prospector in Ridgefield, Conn., a non-profit providing employment for people with disabilities through operation of a movie theater and online popcorn business, and two of its “Prospects,” or employees. (Hamlethub.com)
Nevada governor asked lawmakers to scrap plan for autistic girls facility in favor of gaming-backed homeless campus (Nevadacurrent.com)
Alabama pediatric care clinic caters to patients with I/DD (whnt.com)
Justice Dept. Finds Arizona’s Dept. of Child Safety Discriminates Against Parents and Children with Disabilities (justice.gov)
Joshua Long has led Chicago Public Schools’ disability office for a year. What has changed? (Chalkbeat.Org)
Special ed teacher shortage creating ‘point of exhaustion’ More takes from a U.S. Commission on Civil Rights’ listening session. (k12dive.com)
Students with disabilities are spending more time in general ed. Are teachers being prepared? This report out of Oklahoma includes a look at the largest universities in the country that have a patchwork of special ed requirements for future teachers. (kgou.org)
A Little-Known Law to Fight Disabled Poverty Just Turned 10 The Obama-era ABLE Act is simple, popular, bipartisan— and it works. Why isn’t it better known? (Mother Jones)
Advocates are pushing to end lower wages for disabled workers. Some families are opposed. (USAToday.com)
Nine States Will End Medicaid for 3 Million People if Trump Cuts Program They are Arizona, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Montana, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Utah and Virginia. (governing.com)
Dad says daughter was called ‘this’: Angry parents protest Cracker Barrel over students’ treatment A crowd protested the Maryland Cracker Barrel where a group of special needs and autistic children were denied dine-in service. (USAToday.com)
School Choice for Some But Not for All? A new paper from the Center for Reinventing Public Education found families are often faced with convoluted admissions policies, limited transportation options and a dearth of choices. (The74million.org)
RFK Jr. thinks people like me are just evidence of Big Pharma’s crimes (MSNBC.com)
Secretary Buttigieg Announces Sweeping Protections for Airline Passengers with Disabilities (Transportation.gov)
This is the world’s most disability-friendly airline And…it’s Air New Zealand. (Conde Nast Traveler)
With This MoMA Artist, the Painting Does the Talking Marlon Mullen’s show at the Museum of Modern Art, the first by a developmentally disabled artist, speaks volumes. (New York Times)
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.
Fri., Dec. 20, 2024: Preparing for Your Child’s Annual Review Meeting: (WIHD Community Support Network and Yonkers City School District)
January, 2025: OPWDD and National Center for Cultural Competence Family Listening Sessions: Part of an effort to improve communication, language access and outreach to underserved communities. They’re intended to hear about people’s experiences in accessing supports and services based on a family’s cultural beliefs and practices, in your preferred language, and that are appropriate and fair for your family member with IDD. For families currently receiving supports and services. or have received them in the past, or are unable to access supports and services. (Georgetown University National Center for Cultural Competence)
Wed., Jan. 8, 2025: Benefits Planning and Employment in the New Year: Myths and facts about employment and benefits. (The Strong Center for Developmental Disabilities)
Wed., Jan. 8, 2025: Diploma and Credential Options for Students with Disabilities (Mid-Hudson Family and Community Engagement (FACE) Center, NYSED OSE Partnership)
Thurs., Jan. 9, 2025 and Thurs., Jan. 16, 2025: Special Education 101: Virtual Training of the Parent Member: A 4-hour virtual training where participants will learn about the entire Committee for Special Education (CSE) process, and those eligible can join committee meetings as a volunteer Parent Member. (Mid-Hudson Family and Community Engagement (FACE) Center, Mid-Hudson Regional Partnership Center (MHRPC), NYSED OSE Partnership)
Tues., Jan. 14, 2025: 10 Basic Financial Steps for Families to Consider: From applying for government benefits and consideration of a letter of intent to a general overview of the ABLE act and special needs trusts. (Rockland Transition Consortium)
Jan. 23, 2025, Jan. 30, 2025 and Feb. 6, 2025: Self Patience and Compassion: For Parents and Caregivers: Three-part virtual series designed to help you build patience and compassion for yourself while learning tools to stay grounded and present. Open to all. (NYC District 75 and FamilyKind)
2025 Fred J. Epstein Youth Achievement Awards: Nomination deadline is Jan. 15, 2025: The awards from Smart Kids with Learning Disabilities® recognizes the outstanding accomplishments of young people with LD and ADHD who make a lasting impact on their schools and communities.
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.
Sundays in December, 2024: NYC Transit Museum Holiday Nostalgia Rides: Consisting of eight cars from the 1930s. See link for times and accessible stations.
Fri., Dec. 20, 2024: Fun Fridays Holiday Movie Night with Bridges: West Nyack, N.Y., 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., BRIDGES office in the Palisades Center. The Boost can’t post the QR code for registration so contact Emily Rocks at ERocks@BridgesRC.org or (845) 624-1366 Ext. 107. (BRIDGES)
Mon., Dec. 23, 2024: Virtual Open Mic Holiday Edition: For neurodivergent/disabled people and allies of all ages, performers and audience: “Live Your Dreams as a Singer, Karaoke Star, Musician, Comic, or Poet. Or Come to Dance and Enjoy!” (Open the Lid)
Sun., Jan. 5, 2025: New York City Ballet Sensory-Friendly George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker®: Slight modifications include adjustments to lighting and sound levels, designated break areas and additional event staffing to assist with audience needs.
Sat., Jan. 11, 2025: NY Botanical Garden Holiday Train Show Sensory Friendly: Sensory Friendly Mornings for a calmer visit to the Holiday Train Show. Additionally, ticket provides access to NYBG’s outdoor gardens and collections.
January, 2025 – June 2025: Decks & Dice: A Young Adults Game Group: Tarrytown, N.Y. For young adults with and without disabilities, ages 21-35, support staff welcome. Every last Sunday of the month. Cost: $5 (Shames JCC on the Hudson)
Year-Round:
The Boost’s Guide to the Best Museums for People with Developmental Disabilities
The Boost’s 2024 Westchester County Recreation Resource List (Children and Adults)
I Love NY’s Accessible Places and Programs
Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons
Hundreds of thousands of students are entitled to training and help finding jobs. They don’t get it
Families left in dark about impact of alternate assessment track on students with disabilities
Commentary: CDPAP changes are needed to get runaway costs under control
Home Care Advocates, users demand alternatives as NY pushes CDPAP transition
Adults living with developmental disabilities in New Jersey require more support | Opinion
WA Legislature weighs paying parents who care for children with disabilities
California Might Kick 400,000 Kids Off Medicaid
Minnesotans with disabilities say state’s proposed budget cuts would ‘bring us backward’
Trump says ‘something really wrong’ with autism rates ahead of RFK Jr. vote
Autism Takes Center Stage As RFK Jr. Nomination For HHS Secretary Advances
A controversial autism therapy is gaining prominence, but some say it hurts neurodiverse people
Don’t Forget Americans With Severe Autism
Disabilities Beat: If federal funding stops, what’s at stake for disabled people?
Welcome to The Boost’s second-annual summer sleepaway spectacular.
The camps listed below are mostly in New York State, with a few in other North East locales. They all focus on programs for people with a range of developmental disabilities, and offer summer experiences such as outdoor activities, teen travel and college readiness.
Two things to note:
This list is designed to grow! If you have any camps you’d like to see added, contact The Boost here.
CAMP RAMAH IN THE BERKSHIRES: BREIRA B’RAMAH & TIKVAH
ROCHESTER ROTARY SUNSHINE CAMP
TRANSITIONS SUMMER IMMERSION EXPERIENCES
Trump draws false link between autism and vaccines, New York’s Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program change gets more pushback, and more developmental disability news for the week ending Dec. 13, 2024.
NY Republicans urge Congress to intervene in troubled CDPAP transition Eight New York GOP members argued that the state has evaded federal oversight and rushed the restructuring of the Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program (CDPAP). (Times Union)
Firm in alleged Hochul bid-rigging scheme was set for takeover before it even won contract A possibly hyped-up report that PPL posted a related job position prior to being awarded the contract. Not saying it might not be meaningful, but consider the source. (New York Post)
OP-ED: The negative impact of New York’s CDPAP program change on minority communities For the West African community, many of whom rely on multilingual caregivers, accessing culturally sensitive services through local fiscal intermediaries has been crucial. (Amsterdamnews.com)
Center for Disability Rights in Geneva, N.Y., says future in jeopardy under changes made by Hochul administration The Center holds a news conference to note that the CDPAP change will have “devastating” effects. (Finger Lakes Times)
Looking for Reform in All the Wrong Places: Why Can’t We Get Home Health Care Right? The Center for New York City Affairs takes on the CDPAP administrative change. (Centernyc.org)
Related: Hochul expected to veto contract transparency bill for second time The Boost won’t have the update in time for the newsletter, but the governor is expected to veto a bill Friday, Dec. 13, for a second time that would improve transparency of state spending. Current state Finance Law does not require the state comptroller’s office to review state contracts after the executive declares an emergency. And state leaders sometimes remove that oversight during negotiations — like with the recent $9 billion Medicaid home care contract.
UnitedHealth Is Strategically Limiting Access to Critical Treatment for Kids With Autism A secret internal cost-cutting campaign targets a growing financial burden for the company: the treatment of thousands of children with autism across the country. (ProPublica)
Anderson Center Worker Arraigned on Charges of Dragging Teen by his Genitals as Punishment (Thedailycatch.org)
Video of alleged abuse inside NY group home sparks calls for oversight This article, which follows the whistleblower video that shows alleged abuse of the resident at the Anderson Center for Autism, focuses on former state Assemblyman Tom Abinanti and his call for legislative action to install cameras in group homes. (fox5ny.com)
New York employer advocates for hiring people with disabilities Some 60% of the employees of eBizDocs have disabilities. (spectrumlocalnews.com)
Inside a one-of-a-kind home for teens and adults with autism A look at the Center for Discovery in Monticello. (CBSnews.com)
Newark charter schools getting $1M in grants to boost special education It’s from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. (mosaic.nj.com)
Calif. legislator introduces bill to classify rape of disabled child as violent felony Current California law does not consider the rape of a developmentally disabled child to be a violent felony. (sjvsun.com)
Families on edge as Colorado recommends rate cuts to providers of critical autism therapy (cbsnews.com)
A Cracker Barrel in Maryland was in the news this week for turning away a group of students with disabilities. It’s great to see the incident picked up and amplified by large outlets. Here are a few examples.
Cracker Barrel apologizes after turning away students with disabilities They were told the eatery doesn’t “accommodate to this type of group.’” (Today.com)
Cracker Barrel dismisses 3 workers after ‘unacceptable’ handling of special education students (USAToday)
Protest planned after Cracker Barrel refuses to serve autistic students The protest is being planned for Dec. 15, 2024, at the Cracker Barrel location. (Washington Post)
FDA’s proposed ban of electric shock devices has taken too long, autism advocates say With an administrative change in the nation’s capital, advocates are worried the FDA may lose its sense of urgency. (statnews.com)
Trump Suggests Kennedy Will Examine Debunked Link Between Vaccines and Autism Fasten your seatbelts. (New York Times)
Why Robots Are Not Effective Tools for Supporting Autistic People (the74million.org)
What do special education advocates anticipate from a 2nd Trump term? More projections, including that a federal role in special education will remain. (k12dive.com)
How a staffing shortage can make special education jobs more dangerous (NPR)
Dept. of Labor announces 13 states including NY and NJ to join initiative expanding opportunities for people with disabilities State government agencies will receive capacity-building support, policy development assistance and ongoing mentoring to increase competitive integrated employment for people with disabilities. (Dept. of Labor)
9-year-old with developmental disability chosen to light California State Capitol tree (Fox40.com)