I. Introductions were completed.
II. Minutes were approved; if you were unable to open them, they are available as always on the DD Council website (www.manhattanddcouncil.org).
III. Announcements
YAI
Information attached for vacancies, Project GROW, the Autism Family Support Series, an Adult Yoga group, psychological evaluations, and a free Education Workshop in January. See each one for contact information, or call YAI Link at 212-273-6182, link@yai.org or www.yai.org/link.
UCP of New York City
Vacancy list attached, along with information on the Family Reimbursement program and some Family Forums in November.
QSAC
Program vacancy list attached.
CARES
Offering clinical services, evals, and other services all in many languages and dialects. Call Leah Esther Lax at 212-420-1970, or lelax@caresnyc.org.
Heaven’s Hands
Opportunities for respite, SEMP, Pathway to Employment, and day hab in Queens and Brooklyn. A new program will be opening in Queens for people who need extra supports. Call 718-788-5252, ext. 133.
Catholic Guardian Services
See attached for information regarding the Community Resource and Transition Center.
ArchCare
See attached for current openings at the Developmental Disabilities Clinic at Terence Cardinal Cooke.
AHRC NYC
Program vacancy list is attached.
Sinergia
Program vacancy list is attached.
NYC FAIR
Letter writing campaign to legislators and policy makers; see attached for details. For instructions and sample letters, go to www.nycfair.org.
Other
Free online training opportunity for individuals, families, and provider agencies for eight online courses on Personal Outcome Measures (POM). MSC’s can get credit for completing the course. See attached for details, and to register someone, send their name, email address, and any agency affiliation, to Suzanne@iacny.org.
Presentation on NYC Emergency Management and Planning for People with Disabilities by Kathryn Dyjak, Elizabeth Angeles, and Christopher Pagnotta
The new Access and Functional Needs unit, addressing issues of access for people with disabilities, is now embedded in all the units of NYC Emergency Management. They want to reach out to the developmental disabilities community to be sure they are not omitting anything—for example, transportation needs during emergencies, equipment needed at shelters. They are examining whether shelters are ADA compliant, whether signage is adequate for people with disabilities, whether adult diapers are available, etc. They are surveying 100 shelters, which will also have accessible bathrooms. They are also working closely with the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities. Council members were able to provide several good suggestions to the team. They are continuing to do presentations to encourage people to offer additional suggestions for improving access.
For homebound evacuation to shelters, call 311. The Advance Warning System is a special means of outreach via trusted providers and organizations that deal with people with disabilities. They can also do automatic phone calls. People can sign up for Notify NYC alerts to register for emergency notifications at NYC.gov/notifynyc or 311. An Access and Functional Needs Symposium will be held December 3. The team also distributed Ready New York guides for developing personal emergency plans. Kathryn Dyjak may be reached at kdyjak@oem.nyc.gov. Please see the attached powerpoint for more information. DD Council Meeting Slides 11-6-15-kd
IV. State News – Donna Limiti
A Front Door feedback committee has been established with providers and provider associations to tackle problems. They are planning to send out satisfaction surveys to families. They are considering establishing an alternate way of reaching the Front Door, such as an 800 number to direct calls or an online mailbox. Donna pointed out that sometimes phone calls are not returned because the caller’s voice message was not understandable. The Information Session is now a powerpoint. A video is being finalized after critiques from a number of groups. Complaints about the Front Door should be brought to the attention of Elizabeth Cambra at Elizabeth.cambra@opwdd.ny.gov or Donna Limiti at donna.limiti@opwdd.ny.gov or the Commissioner’s Correspondence unit at commissioners.correspondence.unit@opwdd.ny.gov. Interpretation can be provided at Information Sessions.
The START program will be piloted in NYC, the 3rd region in NYS to do so. START is a community-based program that provides crisis prevention and response services to individuals with intellectual/developmental disabilities and behavioral health needs, as well as their families and those who provide support within the community. An RFP was issued for START in NYC and proposals were reviewed; OPWDD is now selecting one provider for Brooklyn and Staten Island and one provider for Manhattan, the Bronx, and Queens. Donna stated that OPWDD is hoping to set up the therapeutic treatment/respite component in NYC faster than the other two regions did.
OPWDD found that there is an insufficient number of respite opportunities elsewhere in NYS, not so much in NYC. OPWDD is now doing a survey by region of respite capabilities of different types of respite (in-home, crisis/emergency, overnight), and will be holding respite focus groups in the coming weeks.
OPWDD held a symposium on Strategies for the Future: Supporting Complex Needs on November 5. There was a keynote on Responding to Change, Shaping the Future by Mary Lee Fay, Executive Director, National Association of State Directors of Developmental Disabilities Services and another on Maximizing Technology to Support Transformation for Complex Needs by David O’Hara and Izel Obermeyer, plus four workshops. Video of the conference will be available on the OPWDD website.
The closing of sheltered workshops is a big issue upstate, but not so much in NYC, as we have very few workshops. At OPWDD’s Employment Forum in the Bronx, only three workshops were represented, but there was good feedback about transitioning into alternative models. Information will be available on the OPWDD website.
Twelve new IRA residential opportunities were opened for Manhattan individuals in the last year. Of the 12, Human First developed 1, Community Options developed 3, and UCP developed 8 (in Brooklyn but for Manhattan individuals). Going forward, only smaller residences will be approved, and co-locations in the same building or next door will be discouraged for both supervised and supportive residences. However, Donna Limiti can approve co-locations on a case-by-case basis and make her recommendations to Albany. She explained that it is not impossible to develop co-located residences, but that should not be the default model. The co-location policy does not apply to ISS/a person’s own home.
Liz Cambra provided an update on NYC people with developmental disabilities who have been left in hospitals by their families who could no longer manage: there are currently 25 people in hospitals in NYC, of whom 3 are from Manhattan and 7 are not known to OPWDD.
V. City News – Sandra Piggee
Sandra explained that the RFPs for vocational services have been released by Public Health Solutions, which will monitor the review process. Lynn Decker researched the due date for the RFPs: November 30.
VI. IAC/Federation – Suzanne Timmerhans, Jim Malley
IAC:
Suzanne explained that the Governor’s decision to pay a $15/hour minimum wage to state employees raises issues for the non-profit providers, who want to be able to provide not only the $15/hour minimum to their DSPs but also an increase sufficient to maintain the pay differential that currently exists between the minimum wage and DSP salaries as well as longevity salary increases earned by DSPs.
The Transition Panel is wrapping up its work and will present final recommendations by February 15, 2016. Draft recommendations will be posted on the OPWDD website around January 1.
OPWDD will maintain current respite rates through March, 2016, despite the respite cap.
IAC members decided to continue advocating for higher tuition for 4410 special education preschools, which received only a 2% increase despite State Education’s request for 3.1%.
Jim added that IAC provided comment at the hearing of the Assembly’s Standing Committee on Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities. IAC is also working on the conversion of SEMP rates: not enough funding has been provided. IAC is closing its development finance pool #22. IAC is also surveying all types of programs that lost their leases, which appears to present a serious issue currently.
Federation:
Federation is looking at borough roles in the local services plans. Borough representatives met at IAC regarding legislative items and strategies. Next Federation meeting to be announced.
VII, Committee Reports
Family Support Services: Wendy De Leon and Yesenia Estrella reported that work on the Fair is continuing. The Fair will be Monday, December 14, 2015, 10:00 am – 2:00 pm, NY Academy of Medicine, 1216 Fifth Ave. at 103rd St. Volunteers are still needed as greeters and guides. There is still booth availability. A few agencies are needed to prepare the packets. There will not be a December committee meeting. Next meeting: Tuesday, January 12, 2016, 10:00 am – noon, YAI, 460 West 34th Street, 11th floor. Information: Wendy De Leon (917) 965-2950 x 109, wdeleon@ucpnyc.org.
Legislative: The Governor will release his budget proposals in about 2 months. We will need to keep track of the minimum wage issue for DSPs in non-profit agencies in light of his minimum wage increase to $15/hour for state employees. Whatever support the Governor includes for higher salaries for DSPs in DD services will be an indication of his commitment to the field. The higher salaries cannot be funded by providers. This issue is sidetracking us from other issues we should also be working on, such as residential development and managed care.
Advocacy visits to certain Manhattan state legislators are underway. Next meeting: to be announced. Information: Jim Malley (212) 928-5910 x 101; jmalley@esperanzacenter.net.
Transition: Kathy Kelly reported that the committee met on October 14 and 30 people attended, including 4 parents. They had a presentation on Self-Direction and ISS. There are about 90 June 2016 graduates from District 75 and some 853 schools. Most already have eligibility, and half of those with eligibility also have MSC. Patricia Webb, OPWDD’s liaison to the schools, has been very helpful to the transition coordinators. Next meeting: Wednesday, December 9, 2015, 9:30 am – noon, AHRC, 83 Maiden Lane, 11th floor board room. Information: Kathy Kelly (212) 780-2724; Kathy.kelly@ahrcnyc.org.
Manhattan Family Support Services Advisory Council: Margaret Puddington reported that the council met on November 9, 2015. An update on legislative advocacy efforts was given, and Hope Levy, IAC, and Ravi Dahiya, Independence Residences, presented on the START program. Next meeting [set subsequently]: Tuesday, January 5, 2016, 10:00 am – noon, Sinergia, 2082 Lexington Ave. at 125th Street. Topic: Donald Lash, Executive Director, Sinergia, will present on encounters by people with DD with the law. Information: Margaret Puddington (212) 799-2042; Margaret.puddington@gmail.com.
Service Coordination: Carol Lincoln reported that at the October 23 meeting Ernie McNutt, AHRC, presented on the Front Door. Next meeting: Friday, November 20, 2015, 10:00 am – noon, UCP, 80 Maiden Lane, 2nd floor training room. Topic: Ticket to Work and other incentives to employment. Information: Carol Lincoln (718) 859-5420 x225; clincoln@ucpnyc.org.
Childrens Committee: No report. Next meeting to be announced. Information: Christina Muccioli (212) 780-2532; Christina.muccioli@ahrcnyc.org.
Outreach & Family Engagement: Lynn Decker reported that a Council social media workgroup met and is exploring Twitter, Mail Chimp, facebook, etc. for outreach possibilities. They will conduct a survey on how Council members use the website, and they will ask Council committee for their e-mail lists.