by Susan Lucas, Board of Directors President at The Arc Mid-Hudson As the parent of a daughter with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), I’ve navigated the challenges of caregiving while ensuring she has the resources to thrive. As Governor Hochul prepares her Executive Budget, she must include an investment in the I/DD service system to…Read More…

Buffalo’s winters are legendary for their severity, testing the resilience of residents and essential workers alike. During these storms, direct support professionals (DSPs) at our nonprofit provider agencies help ensure that people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) receive the care they need. These workers also provide stability for some of the most vulnerable members…Read More…

A major Suffolk County nonprofit plans to sell its Bohemia headquarters and reinvest the proceeds in its programs for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.  People’s Arc of Suffolk, formerly known as AHRC Suffolk until a rebrand last month, said it is looking for buyers for its home office since the mid-1970s to raise money as nonprofits…Read More…

New York is at a vital crossroads when it comes to supporting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) and the workforce that provides essential care. The voters of the state recently and overwhelmingly approved the Equality Amendment to the NYS Constitution, which I proudly sponsored. It protects from discrimination, for the first time within…Read More…

Aretha Franklin’s iconic demand for R-E-S-P-E-C-T resonates today as a rallying cry for New York’s disability community— a field that has long been undervalued despite its critical contributions to our state. People with intellectual and developmental disabilities — I/DD — remain insufficiently integrated into our health system, schools, and communities, while the dedicated workers who…Read More…

Hundreds of Advocates at New York Capitol Urged Lawmakers To Address Decades Of Inadequate Funding and Support People With Disabilities ALBANY, NY – On Tuesday, November 19th, over 300 members of New York Disability Advocates (NYDA) coalition rallied in the War Room of the Capitol to urge lawmakers to support a stable care system for…Read More…

11 a.m. – New York Disability Advocates rally at the New York State Capitol to encourage legislators to support a stable care system for people with disabilities in New York, New York State Capitol Building, War Room, second floor, State Street and Washington Avenue, Albany.Read More…

New York State’s final $237 billion budget fails to meet the needs of New Yorkers with disabilities, their families, the workforce that supports them and the nonprofit provider agencies. Awareness days and months serve as important reminders of the challenges facing people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and their families. Yet, these efforts, combined with the voices of…Read More…

A call for a Cost-Of-Living-Adjustment for nonprofit providers and a Direct Support Wage Enhancement to give direct care workers a much-needed bump in pay. My son Jonathan is 38-years-old and living with autism. He resides in a group home and attends a day habilitation program. Like many others living with a disability, Jonathan’s life is…Read More…

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Direct support professionals are individuals who provide people with disabilities help with their everyday needs. According to the state’s Office for People with Developmental Disabilities, there’s more than 100,000 across New York state. They’re an essential part of how Betsy Irish lives her everyday life. “She requires assistance with every activity of life, dressing,…Read More…