Uncategorized

10.18.2018 Understanding new service and support systems for people with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities in housing and services and understanding the relevance of Intentional Communities: Support systems for people with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities need to be healthy, safe, person centered and of high quality, and they need to be sustainable for the long term. […]

9.6.2018 – On Wednesday, the House Energy & Commerce Health Subcommittee will consider the EMPOWER Care Act, bipartisan legislation to re-authorize the Money Follows the Person program, which helps people with disabilities move from institutions into the community. Lindsay Miller, Executive Director, New York Association on Independent Living. MFP is little known outside of the disability community, […]

8.9.18 – The recent refusal and later, accommodation, received by an incoming freshman student, with a disability, at SUNY Purchase highlights the issue on campus of accessibility and ADA access. Read more about the class action lawsuit against the State University of New York at Purchase College, located in Westchester County, alleging that it violates […]

  The US Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) today released the ONC Guide to Getting and Using your Health Records, https://www.healthit.gov/how-to-get-your-health-record/check-it/,  a new online resource for individuals, patients, and caregivers.   This new resource supports both the 21st Century Cures Act goal of empowering patients […]

The Housing Resource guide for People with Autism Spectrum Disorder and other Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities in Westchester County NY, was written to assist people with ASD-I/DD, their families and the people who provide support including professionals, providers, and oversight agencies. Westchester Institute for Human Development Click here for the Housing Resource Guide for People […]

April 2018 – The US Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) today released the ONC Guide to Getting and Using your Health Records,  a new online resource for individuals, patients, and caregivers. This new resource supports both the 21st Century Cures Act goal of empowering patients […]

Public Comment open for draft NYS Transition Plan to better integrate services based on person-centered planning for people with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities. Individuals with Intellectual and/or Developmental Disabilities (I/DD) 1115 Waiver Transition Plan The New York State Department of Health (DOH), in collaboration with the New York State Office for People With Developmental Disabilities […]

Port Chester train station elevator now open The Journal News 12.1.2017 – After more than a year-and-a-half of pedestrian and traffic confusion downtown, construction on a new elevator and ramp that will make the Metro-North station permanently handicapped-accessible is nearing completion. Attention riders: a new elevator and handicap accessible ramp at the Port Chester Metro-North station […]

Enroll by December 15th for coverage starting January 1, 2018…

The NY ABLE Program allows New York State residents with disabilities to save money…

The Westchester Independent Living Center (WILC) has been awarded a Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation 2013 Quality of Life grant in the amount of $6,000 in the Adaptive Sports category to support the New York Rollin’ KNICKS Basketball Team. The Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation Quality of Life grants program was conceived by the late […]

October 22, 2016 Amelia Brown Luke Skau Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo Ava Fiacco Governor of New York State NYS State Capitol Building Albany, NY 12224 RE: S.7873-B / A.9835-B; NYS Medical Indemnity Fund Dear Governor Cuomo, As an organization that advocates for persons with disabilities and families of neurologically injured children who are enrolled in […]

SUPPORT S.5535/A.7598 Dear Senator Flanagan: I am writing to request that you support Assembly Bill 7598/Senate Bill 5535. This bill addresses the transition of the Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and Nursing Home Transition and Diversion (NHTD) waiver populations into managed care. The TBI and NHTD populations are relatively small (TBI contains about 2,800 persons; NHTD […]

Journal News Submission November 8, 2015 Are you looking for accessible housing in Westchester and Putnam Counties? Good luck. Fortunately, pending bills in the New York State Senate and Assembly may provide options to address this systemic problem. Senate bill S.4597 sponsored by Senator Krueger, and Assembly bill A.6402 sponsored by Assembly member Simon would […]

Mr. Philip Zegarelli Village Manager Village of Briarcliff Manor 1111 Pleasantville Road Briarcliff Manor, NY 10510 April 26, 2014 Re: New Voting Machines Dear Mr. Zegarelli: As an advocate for persons with disabilities and as a voter with a disability, I am deeply troubled by your aggressive opposition to the recent implementation of the HAVA […]

Re: “Woman born with dwarfism teaches life lesson in acceptance,” May 22, 2012 article: Unfortunately, Ms. Ramaswamy’s story did little to enlighten Journal News readers about the importance of embracing diversity when it comes to per sons with disabilities. It actually promoted the opposite view, reinforcing att itudinal discrimination, with an overemphasis on Geri Mariano’ […]

By Lisa Tarricone (Original Publication the Journal News: February 4, 2006) Last November, the state Board of Elections approved prelim inary regulations for the purchase of new voting machines in order to comply with the federal He lp America Vote Act. The draft New Voting Machine Regulations, according to the state, “will ensure meaningful access […]

By LISA TARRICONE (Original Publication: Journal News June 12, 2005) We have a propensity to create feel-good acts of justice when things go wrong. In order to appease public unease during times of random violence, laws spring up to pay homage to certain victims while professing to better serve the public. Kendra’s Law is one […]