Friends and Colleagues,

As we approach 2024 and reflect on all we’ve experienced this year, I am struck by the fact that 2023 was a year marked by learning. Working together with all of you, we’ve dug deep into many parts of our service system to understand where we're at and how to get better – with initiatives to strengthen the direct support workforce, to educate employers about the benefits of diversifying their workforce by hiring people with developmental disabilities, and more. With your guidance, we embarked on comprehensive reviews of our Care Coordination program, our Self-Direction program, our Environmental Modifications service, and Managed Care. I hope you will take a moment to view our video titled "A Year of Learning"  and browse through the highlights below which recap some of our 2023 accomplishments. 

I am so proud of all that we've been able to learn and initiate together during 2023, and I look forward to using all that we are learning to further improve how we support people with developmental disabilities. My best wishes to you for the coming year.

Sincerely,

Kerri E. Neifeld,
Commissioner

In 2023, we honored our Strategic Plan commitment to work in partnership with you, our stakeholders, to move our system forward. We invited feedback and comments on several key initiatives, meeting with you in-person and through virtual forums and seeking your input on online surveys. Specifically, we shared updates on the progress we made toward reaching our 2023-2027 Strategic Plan goals and objectives and invited your comments and suggestions. Your feedback helped inform our 2023 Annual Report.

We held virtual community forums to inform a wide range of interested stakeholders about our 3-year project with Georgetown University’s National Center for Cultural Competence (NCCC). Through this project we continue to engage diverse stakeholders, community partners, providers and Care Coordination Organizations to help us better understand and meet the cultural and linguistic needs of people with developmental disabilities and their families. We are planning additional listening sessions and provider forums and will keep you updated on this project as it proceeds.  

Seeking pathways to improve how we support people, we dedicated funding from the American Rescue Plan Act to undertake extensive reviews on key aspects of our service system - our Care Coordination program, Self-Direction program and Environmental Modifications service.

We continued to study and explore the potential effectiveness of a Managed Care payment model for developmental disabilities services in New York State, working with Guidehouse, Inc. to solicit your input through a series of town-hall style discussions and an online survey. 

At the same time, we partnered with providers and NADSP on their E-Badge Academy training.  Nearly 900 DSPs from 35 participating provider agencies have chosen to invest their time in this transformative program, demonstrating a true dedication to excellence in the profession and continued growth. Service providers who have participated in this program have pointed to an increase in retention.   Read the full press release.

We partnered with the State University of New York and the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals (NADSP) on a training program that leads to national certification in the distinct skills and competencies required of today’s Direct Support Professionals. The new program is one of several ways we are responding to the DSP workforce challenges by promoting stability, quality and professionalism to improve retention. In 2023, we celebrated the launch of these educational opportunities at campuses across the state as the program grew to include 13 different colleges. The photo above was taken at SUNY Corning Community College - the first campus to receive accreditation and adopt the credentialing program. Read the full press release here.

We awarded grants to 17 non-profit service provider agencies to advance innovation in OPWDD's menu of housing services. The grants will help service providers address barriers that have often kept people from pursuing options that do not provide 24/7 staffing. The grants will enable service providers to develop innovative ways to provide the level of support needed for people to be successful with greater independence. As people with developmental disabilities choose less restrictive options, their existing opportunities will become available for others. See the full list of providers who received these grants here.

Additionally, last summer OPWDD awarded $13 million in grants to seven nonprofit service providers to fund career-specific, vocational training opportunities for people with developmental disabilities. The training programs that result will help people prepare to enter the workforce and enjoy employment success and fulfilling careers.
Read more about the vocational training grants and awardees here.

In September, we hosted several EmployAbility trainings for businesses who signed OPWDD's EmployAbilty Pledge in partnership with Adult Career & Continuing Education Services – Vocational Rehabilitation (ACCES-VR) and New York State Industries for the Disabled, Inc. (NYSID). In October, we expanded that training and offered it to all interested New York businesses who wanted to learn about the benefits of hiring people with disabilities and build an inclusive workforce. To date, more than 144 businesses have taken the training. Plans to offer more trainings are underway. Businesses who want information about hiring people with disabilities or future EmployAbility trainings can contact EmployAbility@opwdd.ny.gov

This past July, we launched a new Anti-Stigma campaign called “Look Beyond My Developmental Disability.” Created by a diverse group of people with and without disabilities, this campaign aims to combat discrimination, stigma and the stereotyping of people with developmental disabilities. The campaign has begun and will run through July of 2024 and includes social media and digital ads, as well as transportation and other out of home advertising throughout New York's communities. OPWDD is encouraging all our stakeholders to use our social media toolkit to help spread this important message. Visit opwdd.ny.gov/LookBeyond

We also marked the 33rd anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act by unveiling an updated Beyond Willowbrook exhibit that was available in the Concourse of the Empire State Plaza in Albany throughout the summer. The updated exhibit highlights the progress that has been made for people with disabilities and offers hope for continued advancements in rights and opportunities for people with developmental disabilities. Learn more about Willowbrook.

Thank you for learning with us in 2023. We look forward to continuing to learn with you in 2024 and beyond!

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