OPWDD applauds Governor Hochul’s proposals outlined in New York’s 2024 State of the State which will positively impact people with developmental disabilities.

There are several initiatives in the State of the State which will benefit adults and children with developmental disabilities by improving community integration, employment and healthcare, including:

• Creation of an Olmstead Plan
  New York’s Most Integrated Setting Coordinating Council (MISCC) will issue a new Olmstead Plan for all people with disabilities to make sure they receive the right supports in the most integrated setting based on their needs.

• Access to Employment
  Governor Hochul will issue an Executive Order committing New York to being an Employment First State for people with disabilities. This new Executive Order builds on the Governor’s 2023 Executive Order 31 that committed to making New York State a model employer for people with disabilities. 

• Independent Living (Delegated Nursing Tasks)
  Governor Hochul will seek to expand the tasks direct support professionals can perform, so that more people with developmental disabilities can stay in or move to more independent housing. This will help more people be active in their communities. 

• Healthcare Workforce
  The Center for Healthcare Workforce Innovation is funding Article 28 facilities (hospitals, nursing homes, diagnostic treatment centers and midwifery birth centers) to train high-quality healthcare professionals.
  The Nurses Across New York program will continue forgiving student loans of workers in medically underserved areas for at least three years and will expand to nurses working with people with developmental disabilities in 2024.he Department of Health will launch a grant program to fund services like transportation or childcare for students training in the healthcare field.

•  Access to Healthcare
  New York will take several steps to further advance access to healthcare, including:
  
  - Increase support for Department of Health-licensed facilities and private practices treating mental health conditions.
  
  - Expand coverage for Adverse Childhood Experiences Screening to all adults enrolled in Medicaid.
  
  - Increase support for healthcare providers serving people with developmental disabilities.

• Early Intervention
  To ensure children have access to specialized services, New York will provide additional support for providers participating in the State’s Early Intervention program for children and toddlers with disabilities, and Department of Health-licensed providers and private practitioners treating children’s mental health needs.

Governor Hochul’s support for people with disabilities has been evident in many of her actions since becoming Governor, including the appointment of a Chief Disability Officer, back-to-back COLA increases for our service system, implementation of the healthcare worker bonuses and the creation the annual DREAM Symposium to advance employment for people with disabilities.

The Constitution of New York State requires the Governor to deliver an annual message to the Legislature regarding the state of the state.  The State of the State proposals are the first step in defining the Governor’s agenda in 2024.  Additional policies and funding details will be included in the upcoming Governor’s Executive Budget.

2024 State of the State "Our New York, Our Future" Available Here