Elimination of “MR” Language from NYS Social Security Law
Senator Persaud and Senator Mannion have introduced NYS Senate bill S.6195, which eliminates references to "mental retardation", "mentally retarded" and "the mentally retarded" within New York State Social Services Law. The Arc New York worked closely with Senator Persaud’s office to develop and review the appropriate terminology prior to the bill's drafting and introduction. We expect a co-sponsor in the Assembly to introduce the bill soon.
Despite previous changes in 2011 to the Mental Hygiene Law to eliminate these offensive terms, they persist in other sections of New York state law. The same laws that establish benefits and services for New Yorkers living with disabilities have continued to be plagued by these words.
The Arc New York will continue to work with legislators to ensure that additional references do not linger within state law. We will keep you updated as the bill progresses and provide ways to voice your support.
NYC FAIR Hosting Two Virtual Town Halls Next Week
NYC FAIR (Family, Advocacy, Information & Resources) will host town halls on Monday April 19 and Thursday April 22 at 7:00 PM. Come meet and learn with family advocates as they explore pressing topics affecting our loved ones. The information for both events are below.
Moving from School to Adult Services: What Do You Need to Do? What are Adult Services?
Monday, April 19, 7 PM
A forum to hear from those who help on the transition and those who have made it safely to the other side
Budget Passed…What’s in, What’s Out?
Thursday, April 22, 7 PM
Guest Speakers:
- Susan Constantino, President/CEO at Cerebral Palsy Associations of New York State
- Wini Schiff, Associate Executive Director of Legislative Affairs, IAC (Inter Agency Council)
- Nick Capoletti, CEO, LIFEPlan CCO
If you have questions for the panel, you may send them within the registration form or email info@nycfair.org
Direct Support Workforce and COVID-19 Survey: Providing Support During the COVID-19 Pandemic
This past winter, The Arc New York worked with the Institute on Community Integration (ICI) and the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals (NADSP) to help advance the Direct Support Professional (DSP) Workforce and COVID-19 6-Month Follow-up survey. Of the nearly 9,000 DSPs who completed the survey nationally, 938 were from New York! It is the largest study ever conducted on the DSP workforce.
To view the full report and various summary reports, you can visit the ICI website, which provides a detailed look at the study itself. Since New York had such a high response rate, researchers were able to provide a state specific data sheet. The findings are interesting, compelling, and reinforce the need to fight for our workforce now, more than ever. This new data will further support The Arc New York’s advocacy efforts, already underway. More information can be found in a press release from NADSP.
We will share the opportunity to participate in the 12-month survey later this spring or early summer when it is available.
CMS Webinar on Direct Support Workforce
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will host a webinar titled "Building Capacity in the Direct Service Workforce: Moving Forward from the Summit," on April 28 from 3:00 PM – 4:30 PM. The webinar build upon the session, "Quality Jobs Equal Quality Care: Building Capacity in the Direct Care Workforce" that was held at on December 3, 2020.
By the end of this interactive webinar, participants will:
- Learn more about DSW challenges, approaches, and promising practices related to implementing person-centered care, coordinating care across settings and systems, and encouraging professional development.
- Hear directly from state Medicaid agencies about promising practices supporting capacity building in the DSW.
- Provide feedback through interactive polling and discussion on the recommendations identified by participants of the HCBS Conference intensive.
- Learn more about an upcoming learning collaborative and other future DSW learning opportunities for state Medicaid agencies.
Featured Facilitators:
- Michelle Reynolds, PhD, University of Missouri Kansas City (UMKC), Director of Individual Advocacy and Family Support, UMKC Institute for Human Development
- Erika Robbins, Vice President, The Lewin Group
- Barbara Kleist, Program Manager, Institute on Community Integration, University of Minnesota
Arc US Webinar: Fundraising Events for the Future
The Arc US Webinar Series is a new initiative introducing quarterly webinars that showcase successes of chapters of The Arc and leaders in the disability field. Participants will learn about new programs, systems, and organizational processes that may be beneficial to your community and organization.
The inaugural webinar, "Fundraising Events for the Future," will be held April 29 from 2:00-3:00 PM. Presenters Josh Leik and Jim Poster from The Arc of York County will talk about how they increased their chapter's fundraising efforts by 60% in just one year. Participants will learn about:
- Adjustments they had to make during COVID
- The difference between sponsorship and underwriting
- Strategies to keep sponsors engaged
- How they utilize their board to help thank larger sponsors
Register here to learn how you can boost your chapter's fundraising efforts!
