NEXT MEETING:
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2013
EVENING MEETING: 5:30 – 7:30 PM
METRO NY DDRO, 75 MORTON STREET
LIGHT SUPPER WILL BE SERVED
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Si su idioma es el Español y necesita intérprete durante la reunión es necesario avisarle a Margaret antes de 10 de septiembre del 2013. Llamarla al 212-799-2042. No habrá intérprete si no se pide con anticipación.
If you require interpretation in Cantonese, you must let Margaret know by September 10, 2013. Call : 212-799-2042. There will be no interpreter unless you request it in advance.
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Kathy Broderick, Part 2: Update on HUGE CHANGES affecting services for people with developmental disabilities
Families loved Kathy Broderick’s presentation last June when she shared her insights on recent budget cuts and other critical developments affecting services for people with developmental disabilities. Kathy, Associate Executive Director at AHRC, and former Associate Commissioner of OPWDD, brings a breadth of knowledge and experience—about services, budgets, and policy—that few can match. Families treasure her honesty and directness. We are excited that she will join us again to update us on the enormous systems changes that lie ahead.
Kathy Broderick, Segunda Parte: Actualización sobre los GRANDES CAMBIOS que afectan a la gente con discapacidades de desarrollo
A las familias les encantó la presentación de Kathy Broderick el pasado Junio, cuando ella compartió sus conocimientos sobre los recientes cortes del presupuesto y otros desarrollos críticos que afectan a los servicios para la gente con discapacidades de desarrollo. Kathy, Directora Ejecutiva Asociada de AHRC, y anterior Comisionada Asociada de OPWDD, trae consigo mucho conocimiento y experiencia—sobre servicios, presupuestos, y poliza—que pocos pueden empatar. Las familias atesoran su honestidad y su frontalidad. Estamos encantados de que ella se reunirá con nosotros nuevamente para actualizarnos sobre los tremendos cambios que nos esperan.
MINUTES, June 5, 2013
1. Announcements: Committee meetings in June
Family Support Services Committee
Tuesday, June 11, 2013, 10:00 am – noon
YAI, 460 West 34th Street, 11th floor
Information: Amy Bittinger (718) 859-5420 x 234
Transition Committee
Wednesday, June 12, 2013, 9:30 am – noon
AHRC, 156 William Street (2,3,4,5, A to Fulton St.)
Information: Kathy Kelly (212) 780-2724
DD Council
Thursday, June 13, 2013, 9:30 am – noon
YAI, 460 West 34th Street, 11th floor
Information: Margaret Puddington (212) 299-2042
Childrens Committee
To be announced
Information: Christina Muccioli (212) 780-2532
Legislative Committee
To be announced
Information: Jim Malley (212) 928-5810 x 101
Service Coordination Committee
To be announced
Information: Carol Lincoln (718) 859-5420 x 225
Please “like” the Facebook page of the Coalition of Families for Direct Support Staff for info on advocacy issues affecting people with DD. Access the Coalition page directly at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Coalition-of-Families-for-Direct-Support-staff/123511307797151
2. Family Support RFP
A new Request for Family Support Proposals (RFP) has been distributed to agencies. The allocation for Manhattan is $555,000. The RFP includes each borough’s priorities. Manhattan’s priorities were developed with both the Manhattan Family Support Services Committee and this Manhattan Family Advisory Council. Manhattan’s priorities are: 1) In-home respite for one or more of the following: new individuals, additional respite for existing individuals, emergency respite hours, overnight hours in family’s home. 2) Out-of-home respite for one of the following (no combinations): weekends away overnight; Saturday or Sunday respite without a designated site; after-program respite for adults; after-school respite for children with behavioral challenges; after-school respite for children. All out-of-home respite proposals must include transportation. All proposals in both priorities are capped at $75,000. Proposals are due in June 7 and will be reviewed over the summer.
3. Summer Legislative Advocacy
The DD Councils are planning a summer legislative advocacy campaign. The purpose is to build on the relationships we have developed with our legislators, especially this year with our non-stop budget advocacy. But this time we are not asking for anything. We just want to deepen the legislators’ understanding of our population and their needs. We want to emphasize how essential government funding is for the services our relatives depend upon and how dangerous new cuts would be. So each borough is going to plan constituent visits to legislators and invite legislators to visit programs in their districts. We plan to take photos at each event and present them as a thank you to the legislators in frames designed and made by our individuals. The theme is “Getting to Know Us.” We will present a brief history of DD services and a re-cap of recent developments. We will also reach out to federal legislators, since it is essential to maintain adequate Medicaid support for our services. The campaign will take place in July and August while the legislators are in Manhattan, not Albany.
4. Speaker: Kathy Broderick, Associate Executive Director, AHRC, on Life After the Budget Cuts
Kathy discussed the budget status, the Council on Quality Leadership’s personal outcome measures, the OPWDD Front Door, and the impending managed care. Please see the attached handout, which has a great deal of information.
In discussion of the recent budget savings plan, Kathy explained that the actions taken were much better than an across the board cut, where rates would have been reduced for services. Under the savings plan, different agencies would feel the impact in various degrees, with some agencies experiencing relatively minimal reductions.
Kathy was realistic about some of the potential problems that are looming (what will happen if savings are not achieved; what if the new reimbursement rates being developed under “rate rationalization” are not adequate for people with complex needs). But she also found much that could be positive (the personal outcome measures reveal important information about an agency and can change how the agency sees its role; the comprehensive assessment process could be useful if utilized appropriately and not simply to identify deficits; level of care and oversight under insurers might be higher). Kathy emphasized that all of these efforts are works in progress, changing frequently, and we cannot yet be certain about many aspects of the new service system.
Families who were present had a lively and impassioned dialogue with Kathy and asked that she return in the fall to provide an update.
Attachments: Manhattan Family Support Services Advisory Council Presentation By Kathy Broderick on June 5th, 2013, FSSAC Handouts June 13