Category Archives: Advocacy

GROW – Advocacy Group Based in Westchester Co.

Action Alerts, Advocacy, Other Counties (Not 5 Boroughs)

GROW is a parent and family run organization whose dedicated members have volunteered their time for over thirty years to advocate for a full range of support services to enhance the lives of people with developmental disabilities.

The following files give a complete picture of GROW: History, Position & Policy papers, and Brochure. Download Zip file & click to open: growpositionpapers

Visit website: www.growny.org

The Purposes of GROW are:

*To advocate to enhance the quality of life of persons with developmental disabilities
*To provide support and information to parents and families of persons with developmental disabilities.
*To promote the expansion of community residential opportunities and enhanced services for those living at home.
*To advocate for adequate funding necessary to ensure quality of services provided for persons with developmental disabilities.

IMPORTANT MEETING:  SEE ALL DETAILS IN COMPLETE NEWSLETTER:

GROW NEWS September 2015

THE FUTURE OF OPWDD Many changes are on the horizon… Listen and Learn Legislators on the NY State Mental Hygiene Committee will engage in a panel discussion of topics such as: • Managed care • People First Waiver • Front Door • Residential options • Self-direction • Guardianship • Other concerns that you would like addressed Come to the GROW General Meeting Sunday, October 25, 2015 Brunch & Networking: 10:30 a.m. Meeting 11:00 a.m. At WIHD – Cedarwood Hall Westchester Medical Center, Valhalla, NY

Parent Action Conference at PS 133 in Brooklyn

Advocacy, Events, Resources

FROM: PARENT-TO-PARENT NYC:

Great source of lots of information

 On Saturday, November 7th, we are co-sponsoring a Parent Action Conference at PS 133 in Brooklyn, (near the Barclay Center and many subway stops). We will have workshops on developing action plans to address school overcrowding, rising class sizes, special education, mayoral control, empowering parents and school leadership teams, opting out of testing, protecting student privacy, and many other critical issues. Free lunch and child care are included. Please register at Eventbrite today to reserve your ticket or click here: http://bit.ly/1KIC487.

See FLYER :Parent-Action-Agenda-Revised-6

NYS Senator David Carlucci: Meeting Information & Registration

Action Alerts, Advocacy, Bronx, Brooklyn, Events, Manhattan, nyc fair, opwdd, Queens, Resources, Staten Island, Surveys, , , , ,

LINKED HERE ARE THE HANDOUTS FROM OCTOBER 27TH MEETING

A RECAP & A TRANSCRIPT OF THE MEETING WILL BE POSTED ASAP

Resource Events for Oct 27 mtg NYC FAIR MISSION

NYC FAIR MISSION

SummaryofConcernsFinal

 

 

 

NYC FAIR Was A Presence @ Assembly Hearing on October 20th

Advocacy, Events, opwdd, Testimony, , , , ,

Re-cap by Barbara V. Crosier, Cerebral Palsy Assoc. of NYS of NYS Assembly Hearings on October 20th, 2015

WE WILL POST ADD”L COVERAGE AS AVAILABLE

READ TESTIMONY GIVEN

“The Assembly Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Committee’s hearing to identify barriers to the successful implementation of the OPWDD Transformation Agreement  was held on Tuesday, October 20, 2015,  in Albany.

Assembly Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Committee Chair, Aileen Gunther was joined at various points by Assemblymembers John McDonald, Donna Lupardo, Tom Abinanti and Didi Barrett. The hearing went to 5 pm with 29 individuals presenting testimony.  Attached is the list (http://assembly.state.ny.us/av/hearings/) of those who presented testimony with Helene DeSanto presenting for OPWDD and the nine panels primarily comprised of parents.”

…………………..
“Assemblymember Gunther said that she clearly heard how critical it was for additional funding be added for residential and day supports, direct support professional wages and that managed care had not been implemented successfully for individuals with I/DD in any state.  The hearing provided a wonderful opportunity for families and advocates to voice the growing concerns of the developmental disabilities field.”

The hearing can be seen at: http://assembly.state.ny.us/av/hearings/

View articles from Ploitico Story on Hearing

featuring quotes from Elly Rufer, NYC FAIR Executive
and AP story on Hearing (Syracuse.com)
 
 

RESIDENTIAL REQUEST LIST: MORE TIME…

Action Alerts, Advocacy, Surveys

RE: RESIDENTIAL REQUEST LIST: MORE TIME…

This Just IN:
We have received the email below from OPWDD and have been asked to distribute it widely to families and staff :

If you have already completed the Residential Request List survey, we thank you very much!

 If you have not yet completed the survey and still want to, please call 1-844-679-3369 on:

  • October 16 (Friday) from 5pm – 7:45pm
    October 17 (Saturday) from 9am – 5pm
    October 26 – October 30 (Monday – Friday) from 5pm – 7:45pm OR
    October 31 (Saturday) from 9am – 5pm.


PLEASE NOTE: The telephone survey is not available from Sunday, October 18 to Sunday, October 25.
The telephone survey will end on Saturday, October 31, 2015 at 5 pm, so you will not be able to complete a survey after 5pm on Saturday, October 31, 2015.
You do not have to be on the Residential Request List to do a survey. For more information, please go to http://www.opwdd.ny.gov/opwdd_abo…/commissioners_page/…/home.

NOTE: OPWDD WEBSITE STILL HAS OLD DATE.