Manhattan Developmental Disabilities Council
Next Meeting
Tuesday December 20th, 2022
10:00 A.M.
Virtual Zoom meeting
Meeting ID: 933 3291 9204
Passcode: 183158
Manhattan Developmental Disabilities Council Minutes
November , 2022
I. Introductions Plans are being discussed to transition into a hybrid meeting. The challenges are finding space and technology to be able to handle the new format. We will reassess after October and back to school to make sure there is no uptick. Hope to transition by the end of the calendar year. If you have space available please let us know. II. Minutes The October minutes are posted on the Council website. If you would like to refer to past minutes, they are always available on the DD Council website: (www.manhattanddcouncil.org).
III. Announcements
Manhattan DDcouncil@gmail.com. Please send all information and flyers to the email address. All non-fundraiser events can be posted on the website.
We will continue our meetings via zoom and we appreciate everyone who participates
ADAPT Community Network – formerly UCP of New York City
Please contact ADAPT Community Network’s Project Connect at 877-827-2666 or projectconnect@adaptcommunitynetwork.org. We have openings in Family Reimbursement, Com. Hab, Home Modifications(not in Manhattan), ISS, Housing Assistance Services. We are offering telehealth services via Station MD and Day Hab Admissions is running virtually. contact mhwang@adaptcommunitynetwork.org or 718-594-7374 or Kliebman@adaptcommunitynetwork.org
Contact projectconnect@adaptcommunitynetwork.org or call 877-827-2666.
Ohel Bais Ezra
Family reimbursement funds available Manhattan and Queens
Call 718-686-3451 or email Communityservices@ohelfamily.org
YAI
Funds still available for emergency respite.
Travel Training workshops for staff, parents and caregivers. In the workshop, we will discuss the Travel Training program in detail, including the stages of training and pre-service documentation. Please feel free to email TravelTraining@yai.org.
All inquiries should be directed to YAI LINK at 212 273 6182 or link@yai.org. You can also fill out a Getting Started form to begin the screening process.
Transition to independence for people with Autism who are not waiver enrolled
Crisis Intervention
Day Habilitation
YAI Arts Day Hab without Walls
Emergency Respite Fund
Holiday Respite (ages 6 to 18)
Overnight Respite (ages 5+)
Parents with Special Needs: Program to empower parents with I/DD to strengthen parent/child interaction and enhance independence. The program focuses on goals identified by the parents to enhance their effectiveness and lead a balanced parenting lifestyle.
In-Home Behaviour Management
Social Skills (ages 9+)
You and I Social Networking Skills (ages 18+): This group offers adults the opportunity to learn social and dating skills in a structured setting.
Independent Living Skills (ages 18+): A series of 12-week group sessions, providing the opportunity for adults to learn and develop skills in a group setting. A parent/caregiver education component is also included to help families bring the information home.
NY START(CSIDD)
212-273-6300
Accepting referrals. Provide help with conflict and behavior needs.
Crisis intervention. Coordinators on call 24/7. Crisis line available
February 21st on line training.
NYLPI – looking for services for immigrants with disabilities that do not require Medicaid. NYPLI has frees services and trainings available on future planning, guardianship, and special education rights; call 212-244-4664 for information or by requesting assistance online www.nylpi.org/get-help. We also provide a resource guide every Friday https://nylpi.org/resource/special-education-remote-learning-information-contacts-resources-links/
Sinergia– Offering Service coordination and Family Reimbursement to all Boroughs. We also offer non-Medicaid Free Evaluations and case management for Manhattan residents. We have openings in our Day Habilitation program and our employment program. Please feel free to reach out Jsantana@sinergiany.org There is also Housing Advocacy available as well https://www.sinergiany.org/services/housing-assistance
Esperanza has a day hab program in Washington Heights, and funds available for transportation reimbursement for Manhattan only. 212-928-5810
GHO– We have openings in CH, DH, DHWOW, Job training/employment program, IRA, etc. We have family reimbursement money as well We will have upcoming workshops and social parents gathering virtually for Korean and Chinese speaking families. For all information inquiries, feel free to contact me at 718-307-6570 or via e-mail: dquirk@ghoinc.org.
GHO has contract with CDNY continue to assist Chinese and Korean speaking families enrolling into Care Design’s care management regardless of language barrier. Speak to Joe Tan 718-2616552 ext. 2054. Workshop on April 7 at 11:00AM
The Center for Discovery. We are an OPWDD run residential facility, as well as DOE run school. We are currently accepting applications for residential placement. Please have anyone interested have their school district send the child’s referral packet to us directly. Call me with any questions 845-649-5104 or slivanos@tcfd.org. Website: www.tcfd.org. We are also working on a brand new DDPC partnership grant for restraint and seclusion reduction analysis for all of NYS. If you would like to participate please reach out to help! Opening children’s hospital in 2021.
Health Care Advocate ICAN. Please contact Lynn Decker, ldecker@cidny.org 646-442-4188. I am the designated participant advocate for enrollees in the FIDA-IDD plan with Partners Health Plan, and can assist others enrolled in Medicaid Managed Care plans.
Elmys Silvia Navas from family reimbursement we have opening for Queen and Brooklyn we are accepting applications. Please feel free and contact me at 917-324-6825 or 718-789-7539
Goodwill- opening in Harlem Dayhab without walls
Summertime Gallery – an art studio + gallery for artists with and without disabilities pushing towards a more inclusive art world. We currently have two exciting groups we have during the week.
Studio Hours is a virtual group where we use different prompts, materials, and mediums to create art together. This is less of a step by step class but more of an art family/community where artists encourage and support each other.
Our second group is Art Walks + Talks. This hybrid group consists of visiting art museums or galleries in person every other week, and the opposing week we are virtual and create art using inspiration from the week prior. This group is great for those who want to immerse themselves in the NYC art world.
These groups accept Self-Direction and fee-for-service. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to anna@summertimegallery.org or check out our website at Summertimegallery.org
Open the Lid– We offer Individual and Group, Web-Based Empowerment Classes that teach self-regulation, self-advocacy and communication skills in a supportive, inclusive community with neurodivergent people and allies.
Open the Lid Web -Based Empowerment Classes for any age, label or location
VIRTUAL COFFEE: HTTPS://www.openthelid.com/coffee
FREE TRIAL www.openthelid.com
EMAILsupport@openthelid.com
CALL/TEXT 607-339-8092
CARES Article 16 and Article 31 clinics– FSS Grant in Brooklyn and are able to provide free evaluations for individuals looking to obtain OPWDD eligibility. Please contact me at pratz@caresnyc.org or 212-420-1970 ext. 123
MTA Accessibility Coming Soon OMNY Reduce Fare Training Please Contact Sara Bahri Systemwide Accessibility sara.bahri@nyct.com set up date time on zoom Please Update Reduced-Fare Metro Cards Information no photo need https://new.mta.info/fares/how-to-apply-reduced-fare-metrocard need print out page only address phone and email address mail Mail to MTA Reduce Fare 130 Livingston St Brooklyn Ny 11201
reduce fare OMNY go on https://reducefare.mta.info/omny-registration
if need to Presentation Disability systemwide email accessibility@mtahq.org seniors Call mta Government 646-252-2660 link omny.info Baby stroll my mtainfo/accessibility
Please visit the MTA website for the redesign of the new buses from the Bronx into Manhattan. New elevator in Times square.
NY foundation for seniors– Home care program is looking to talk to people who are interested in housing
Metro community health centers-4 centers available in Staten Island, Manhattan, Bronx and Manhattan dental
Lifespire has immediate openings in behavior management and parent training in Manhattan. Email Jay Kleinman at jkleinman@lifespire.org for further information or to make referrals
Anchor Health –independent from OPWDD. We service both children and adults(contact info in chat) At Anchor Health, we provide compassionate, skilled, person centered home care services to individuals and families.
Anchor’s home health aids are trained in crisis intervention, IDD and mental/medical health and are supervised by a licensed clinical social worker. Our home health aids make it possible for people to live more satisfying lives in their homes. We are Medicaid funded and are independent from OPWDD. I can be reached at 347-709-9181 or psych1325@gmail.com for assistance or inquiry.
Gateway Counseling Center– We currently have openings for Group Day Hab site-based and Without Walls, Supplemental Group Day Hab, Pre Vocational (Pilot program), and Community Habilitation for Manhattan. To make a referral, I can be reached at (929) 237-7222 or via email mary.tejada@gccnyc.org
III. State News –James Doherty
- OPWDD is very involved with the strategic plan The commissioner went through the State to get feedback from the public in person and on line. OPWDD is now finalizing the 2022-2023 strategic plan. IT was released on November 1,2022. It will be a guidepost for the priorities and improvement. The plan focuses on strengthening the Workforce Technology and collaboration, transforming the agency through Innovation and change and enhancing person-centered supports and services
- CSIDD which is formerly NY Start those agencies similar to all other agencies have had difficulty hiring and recruiting. YAI is now in good shape and SUS has been able to give and has resumed admission. It’s important to know that State wide there has been a temporary hold on admissions. It should not affect Manhattan but important to know. CSIDD is a focus is to reduce crisis in order to result in less hospitalization, more access to community and less disruptive to their lives.
- October 13th DOH extended the covid-19 public health emergency for an additional 90 days and the last extension of the public health emergency will end in January 11 2023 and the federal government is committed to providing states with a 60-day notice prior to the end of the public health emergency still extends the some of the provisions under Appendix and it will remain in effect for six months following the end of the public health emergency
- V. City News – Gavin Meyers
Test positivity is 11% in the last 7 days. 2484 cases per day. Cases are decreasing overall.
If you do test positive with at home rapid test here is a number to call as you can not go to your PCP at this time. Hospitalizations are decreasing
COVID Treatment Options: People who have tested positive for COVID-19 may be able to receive outpatient treatment to help reduce COVID-19 symptoms and avoid hospitalization. Treatment usually works best if you begin it soon after you start feeling symptoms, so get tested right away.
There are two types of treatment for people with mild to moderate COVID-19:
- Monoclonal antibody treatment: A one-time IV or injection to help give you antibody protection while your body works to produce its own antibodies. This treatment is covered by Medicaid and Medicare plans at no cost. If you have private insurance, check with your provider and health plan.
- Oral antiviral pills: These pills — taken daily for five days — help stop the virus from replicating. This reduces the amount of virus in your body. The FDA has authorized two pills to treat COVID-19 — paxlovid and molnupiravir. Both of these treatments are currently free. Learn more about treatment here!
- Booster Shots
- New booster is available targeting the omicron subvariant. There is a two month period from your most recent vaccine or if you had covid please wait 90 days.
- At least one vaccine booster shot is recommended for everyone 12 and older who is fully vaccinated.
- If you are eligible, you can get your booster shot two months after you received your first booster. The second booster must be either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine.
- We are still operating free in home vaccines. As well as transportation if you can not get to a site.
- To find more information about the COVID-19 booster visit: https://www1.nyc.gov/site/doh/covid/covid-19-vaccines.page
- Monkey Pox
- Currently in New York there is one case per day. eligibility has expanded so anyone of any sexual orientation or gender identity he was at risk for MPV. walk-in clinics will be closing anything soon so a lot of the locations for obtaining this vaccine you can go to your primary care physician. If you need a second dose you need an appointment and it has to be 28 days after the first.
- For information about monkeypox, including vaccination, symptoms, or transmission please visit: https://www1.nyc.gov/site/doh/health/health-topics/monkeypox-vaccination.page
- To get text alerts about vaccination appointments and other monkeypox updates for NYC, text “MONKEYPOX” to 692-692 or, for Spanish, text “MONKEYPOXESP”.
VI. IAC Report –Chris Treiber
- We are happy that Kathy Hochul won and that the commissioner and Kim Hill will remain.
- Budget ask this year is Four Thousand dollar salary increase for Direct Support Professionals.
- In the assembly there will be have to be new chair for the assembly committee on disabilities. Tom Abinanti lost in the primary so there’ll be a new chair. There will be a new chair for the health committee as Richard Godfrey retired. We are keeping our fingers crossed in regards to the senate for the chair of the disability committee um Senator John Mannion is in a very close race with Republican Rebecca Shiroff and the election was extremely close and therefore it’s on a recount. according to the news Rebecca Shiroff who is the Challenge leads at this point by 400 votes but it’s an automatic recount both Senator Mannion and his challenger are both asked for recounts so we’re going to have to wait and see what happens if Senator Mannion was to lose they would have to be a new chair of this disability committee appointed in the Senate.
- OPWDD is moving forward with the conversion from CR conversions to IRA’s
- Working on an update on Data with Day Hab, what type of program are they in?
- The commissioner is reconstituting the Day program work group.
- Discussing with OPWDD about Self Direction and how to make the FI system work.
Education 853(school age) and 4410 (pre school) schools (Chris Treiber)
- There are two specific bills to education: one is in regards to interim plus rates interim plus rates allow preschool programs and school age programs that have filed for a tuition waiver to basically get increases in that specific year. The last budget year allowed all the programs to get increases but only for the one year. This new bill would extend the interim plus rates indefinitely and allow providers to continue to get paid even if they file a tuition waiver. According to SED that there’s more than 150 tuition waivers outstanding which means that if this bill isn’t signed all of those programs will not get increases. In terms of next year, they won’t receive the increase until a resolution to their waiver takes place and for some schools they wait 3-5 years for a waiver resolution This becomes a financial problem for those schools
- The other bill that we are strongly supporting is to delay the reconciliation process for schools so that schools would be able to first put money into a surplus account or a reserve account if they have that money available before it’s reconciled. The real concern around this is if reconciliation was to take place before schools were able to put money into some sort of a reserve fund or a surplus that funds would be recouped by the State. In many cases schools right now are unable to spend all their money because they can’t hire enough teachers and teacher assistants so they have a lot of unspent money. The reality is that if the State was to take that money back and lower their tuition if they were able to hire all the staff the next year they wouldn’t be able to because they wouldn’t have the funding.
- We are fighting for an increase for Early Intervention as they have not gotten an increase in almost 30 year
- IAC s asking for a change in the OMIG (office Medicaid Inspector General) policies to enact sensible changes to make policies and procedures that that would prevent undue harm to the providers.
- Lobby days will be a combination of in Person and virtual program. We are also having visits at the local level. Naida has their own lobbying efforts which IAC supports
- The Regents board discussed funding for a preschool inclusivity grant for districts to provide a Continuum of services to children with disabilities they also are looking to statutory changes to streamline current application process for school districts so they can provide special education services. It is concerning as to why SED is moving in this direction.
- SED is looking into new funding so we can have a redesign regarding funding. Some of these specifics were not discussed with IAC and therefore they will be looking for clarification.
- There are still 500 children looking for services. This is creating a burden on the system. IAC is concerned about what families will do. There is no viable plan to address anything
- Health Concerns: Covid continue to be a concern., However, RSV, flu and Coxasckie is also a big issue.
- A staff vacancy and turnover survey that just went out hopefully we’ll have results in a few weeks and we’ll be able to give everyone a really good picture of where
we stand. We do know that many of our schools have vacancies. many staff possibly as they have in the past um but very few have said that they’ve
- We are very backed up in terms of evaluators due to staff shortages.
- All children 6month-59months must understand that in order to get services children must be vaccinated for the flu. After January 1,2023 we will not be able to have them in school.
VIII Committee Reports:
Manhattan FSS Advisory Council: Co Chairs Jackie Goldberg and Mary McGuire-Weafer
Had a meeting in November regarding housing. We had over 25 people and it was nicely attended. The next topic will be employment and coaching.
Family & Provider Information Committee: Co-chairs: Wendy De Leon & Luisa Eusse-Roché
November 29th will be our first meeting where providers can speak about vacancies in Family support services. If you are interested in joining please let us know. This month the meeting will be on Tuesday but in general the meetings are the odd months. On Wednesdays.
January’s meeting will be the role of the care manager. March meeting will be the directory.
The updated FSS directory is available on our website( ManhattanDDcouncil.org) in English, Chinese and Spanish.
Legislative Committee: Co-ChairsJim Malley & Lynn Decker
Transition meeting Co Chairs – Andrew Harris and David summers
Manhattan Transition Committee Meeting
Wednesday December 14th. about employment services. Come learn about transition planning and the services available through NY State Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD), including supported employment services, day habilitation programs and more. We’ll discuss:
• What services are available after high school
• How you can successfully navigate the system
• Unique challenges and solutions
We will also have space for open discussion and networking for families, school staff, service provider agency representatives and others to discuss areas of interest and needs so we can best support youth in transition. All our welcome to join!
If you have any questions please feel free to contact us:
David Summers, AHRC NYC, david.summers@ahrcnyc.org
Andrew Harris, P138M, aharris27@schools.nyc.gov
New Business
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