Dear Friends and Colleagues: Addressing health equity for people with developmental disabilities is a top priority for OPWDD and for me personally. A common theme that I hear from people is that they are being left behind when it comes to accessible …
Dear Colleagues and Friends, I am pleased to share that OPWDD recently convened its inaugural meeting of the Developmental Disabilities Taskforce on Aging—a collaborative initiative between my office and the Developmental Disabilities Advisory Council ( …
The National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals is hosting hundreds of DSPs from across the US to hear from developmental disabilities industry stakeholders and each other New York State is leading the nation in the National Alliance for Direct …
Dear Friends and Colleagues, On September 5th, Governor Kathy Hochul issued an Executive Order declaring a Statewide Disaster Emergency to protect access to COVID-19 vaccines in New York, following recent federal actions that have threatened vaccine access …
Dear Friends and Colleagues, This week - September 7-13, 2025 - we proudly celebrate National Direct Support Professional Recognition Week. It’s a meaningful time for all of us at the Office for People With Developmental Disabilities, our provider agencies …
Dear Friends and Colleagues, This Sunday, August 17, is National Nonprofit Day, a day when we recognize the incredible work that nonprofits do and the impact they have on our communities. The Office for People With Developmental Disabilities is so …
"We talk about the things that need to be changed and how it can be changed and how it can be made beneficial for the people that live in the city of Buffalo. We are working together to make city hall better, to make the city of Buffalo better." …
The next public meeting of the Developmental Disabilities Advisory Council (DDAC) will be held Tuesday, July 22 from 11 am until 2 pm. The meeting will be held in person in Albany at the Empire State Plaza, Meeting Room 7. You may also join at one of our …
Dear Friends and Colleagues, As I travel around the state, meeting with self-advocates, family members of people with disabilities, and our not-for-profit providers, I am overwhelmed by the fear and uncertainty you are experiencing about the federal cuts …
"I come to the system as a family member of someone with a developmental disability. We're making sure that self-advocates and family advocates are as involved as possible." - Willow Baer, OPWDD Commissioner In this episode Chester and BJ …
Willow Baer was officially confirmed as Commissioner of OPWDD after a full vote of the New York Senate on May 21 after being nominated for the position by Governor Kathy Hochul. If you missed the Commissioner's message after her confirmation, you can …
The next public meeting of the Statewide Family Support Services Committee will be held Wednesday, June 11, from 11 AM until 3 PM. You can join the meeting in person at the following locations: Albany: Empire State Plaza, Meeting Room 1 Buffalo: 1021 …
Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the availability of $45.9 million through the Empire State Supportive Housing Initiative, a program that funds supportive services to help stably house New Yorkers experiencing homelessness. As part of the FY26 Enacted …
Dear Friends and Colleagues, An integral part of providing services to people with developmental disabilities is ensuring that we are reaching all communities within the larger disability community. I am excited to announce that, as OPWDD continues …
Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the confirmation of three members of her cabinet. “New Yorkers deserve smart, experienced professionals at every level of government, and these leaders have distinguished themselves as public servants,” Governor Hochul …
"Talking about inclusion. In my mind, that embraces four principles: the first is simply being present, the second is participating, the third is belonging, the fourth is being valued." This episode of "Accessing Life" asks us to take …
Your Voice Matters to OPWDD! OPWDD is pleased to invite you to one of our 2025 Strategic Planning Forums. Focused on the 2023 – 2027 OPWDD Strategic Plan and the agency’s progress to date, these forums are an opportunity for you to learn more about the …
On May 9, Governor Hochul announced passage of the Fiscal Year 2026 State Budget. This final Enacted Budget represents agreement between the Governor and the two houses of the state Legislature, the Senate and the Assembly. Inflation Refund Middle-Class …
Dear Friends and Colleagues, I am incredibly honored and humbled to have been nominated by Governor Hochul, and confirmed earlier today by the New York State Senate, as the Commissioner of the Office for People With Developmental Disabilities. For the last …
Dear Friends and Colleagues, As a member of the disabilities’ community, you know what dark images the Willowbrook State School conjures in New York State, as well as the incredible progress we have made since its closure. On May 2, I was honored to join …
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