What is accessible content? How do you create content for ensuring everyone can interact with it? What are some best practices for inclusive event planning? Does accessible content and events help my brand both physically and online? Join us for this exciting and interactive webinar on how to create inclusive spaces in both the digital and physical world.

Presenters:

  • Alex Thomson, Director of Advocacy: NY Association on Independent Living.
  • Blaise Bryant, Communications Specialist: NY Association on Independent Living.
  • Lisa Barone, Vice President of Brand: Overit Media

Date and time: Tuesday, May 30

1:00-2:30 p.m.

ASL and CART will be provided

Click here to register!


The Mid-Hudson Interpreter Service (MHIS), a program of Taconic Resources for Independence, Inc. (TRI), located in Poughkeepsie, New York, has been providing ASL, English interpreting and translating services throughout the mid-Hudson Valley since 1989. In this webinar you will learn:

  • How ASL interpreting and translating services ensure access to effective communication.
  • The science behind specific ASL Interpreters with practical experience working in a variety of settings based on the appointment.
  • Assistance in complying with Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act: ensuring effective communication is being provided for all involved parties, both Hearing and Deaf.

Date: 3/19/2023

Presenters:

  • Jeanine Byrnes  
  • Dana Steele
  • Rebecca McLauglin  

Presentation Recording:  Click here to view the recording

 


Presentation Description: 

Navigating personal and professional stressors can be both mentally and physically exhausting. Laurie Carter, NYAIL’s Social Work Coordinator for the Open Doors Money Follows the Person Project will share tips on how to manage your mental health while preventing burnout.

Date: 3/22/2023

Presenters:

  • Laurie Carter, Social Work Coordinator - Open Doors

Presentation Recording:  Click here to view the recording

Additional Materials: Not yet available


Presentation Description: 

Hear about significant changes to the NY ABLE Program. The NY Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Program is a tax-advantaged savings program for individuals with disabilities and their families. The program allows them to save for their current or long term needs while maintaining the ability to benefit from federal benefits programs such as SSI, SSDI and Medicaid. Our program offers multiple investment options including a checking account and debit card option, allowing individuals with disabilities to maintain their independence and have quick and easy access to their own money. In 2022 NY ABLE implemented significant changes which significantly increase the number of people who can open a NY ABLE account. These include the residency requirement going away AND the expanded hierarchy for authorized individuals.

Date: 2/22/2023

Presenters:

  • Jenna McClosky, Outreach Coordinator and Administrative Analyst, NY ABLE Savings Program

Presentation Recording: Click here to view the recording.


Presentation Description: 

Learn effective communication strategies in advocacy. As we start a new legislative session, this webinar will review communication essentials for advocates: How do you get an elected official to listen and support your position? What does it take to cut through the noise and make your “ask” stand out? Why is it so important to be strategic on and off social media? Effectively communicating your message makes all the difference. This webinar will also help advocates understand lobbying rules for not-for-profits.

Date: 1/19/2023

Presenters:

  • Josh Poupore, Senior Vice President, Corning Place Communications

  • David Previte, Principal, Hinman Straub

Presentation Recording:  Click here to view the webinar recording


Presentation Description: 

Supported Decision Making (SDM) is now a well-recognized practice by which people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) can make their own decisions with the support of trusted persons in their lives. SDM has been recognized by courts, and now by statute, as a “less restrictive alternative” to guardianship. Recently enacted Supported Decision-Making Agreement (SDMA) legislation will grant recognition to decisions made by persons with SDMAs that have been made through a recognized process of facilitation, preventing third parties from discriminating against them–or insisting that a guardian be appointed– because of their disability.


Supported Decision-Making New York (SDMNY) has spent the past 6 years developing SDM facilitation under grants from NYS Developmental Disabilities Planning Council (DDPC), the Ford Foundation and others, and is now the recipient of a $4 million grant from the NYS Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) to design and pilot a facilitation service delivery model that could be expanded to provide SDM facilitation statewide.

The presentation includes the SDMNY facilitation model, the new legislation, the pilot project, and how ILCs might be involved.

Date: 12/15/2022

Presenters:

  • Kristin Booth Glen, Director of SDMNY
  • Joan Cornachio, Associate Director of SDMNY

Presentation Recording:  Click here to view the webinar recording

Additional Materials: 


Presentation Description: The Managed Long-Term Care Data Transparency Project makes public important data showing how New York State's Medicaid Managed Long-Term Care plans spend billions of Medicaid dollars to provide long-term care services that enable New Yorkers with disabilities of all ages to live safely in the community.

Nearly 300,000 New Yorkers depend on Medicaid home care services from Medicaid Managed Long-Term Care (MLTC) plans. While New York State makes some MLTC data public, there is a huge gap that this project aims to fill by posting selected data from Managed Medicaid Cost and Operating Reports (MMCOR) Reports, obtained from 2017 and 2018 reports. The Managed Long-Term Care Data Transparency Project presents selected MMCOR data in four interactive, downloadable visualizations, with a fifth visualization showing changes over time in enrollment in each MLTC plan.

Date: 11/9/2022

Presenter:

Presentation Recording: Click here to view the webinar recording


Presentation Description: Disability Rights New York (DRNY) is New York State’s Protection and Advocacy System and Client Assistance Program (P&A/CAP). DRNY is federally funded to provide free legal representation directly to people with disabilities and to monitor and investigate allegations of abuse and neglect. Jennifer Monthie, Legal Director, shares information about the P&A/CAP system, DRNY’s current priorities and services and, answer questions.

Date: 9/28/2022

Presenter:

  • Jennifer Monthie, Legal Director, Disability Rights New York

Presentation Recording: Click here to view the webinar recording

Additional Materials: Click here to access the presentation slides


Presentation Description: We're very pleased to welcome presenters Maureen Strainge and Madison Near from New York State's Commission for the Blind. A special introduction will be given by Maria Dibble, Executive Director of the Southern Tier Independence Center (STIC) and Julie Hovey, Associate Commissioner of the New York State Commission for the Blind.

This webinar cover the following topics:

• To share knowledge with you (and dispel misinformation):
• The history of braille
• What braille is and what it isn’t
• Common terminology and introduction to braille letters
• Who teaches braille and who are the students
• Everyday uses for braille
• To encourage you to share information about braille and making the decisions about pursuing braille instruction
• Share ways to “plant seeds” with potential learners

Date: 8/31/2022 

Presenters: 

  • Maureen Strainge, Instructor for the Blind, New York State Commission for the Blind.

  • Madison Near, Senior Vision Rehabilitation Instructor, New York State Commission for the Blind.

Presentation Recording: 

Click here to view the webinar recording.


Presentation Description: 

An overview of New York State Human Rights Law and filing complaints related to public accommodation (disability access). 

If you experienced discrimination as a customer or client of any establishment offering goods or services to the public (for example: stores, theatres, restaurants, transportation services, public buildings, salons, medical offices, day care services, parks, fitness and recreation facilities, etc., including any such facilities owned or operated by a governmental entity) you are covered by NYS Human Rights Law. 
 

Date: 5/25/2022 

Presenter: 

  •  John Herrion, Director of Disability Rights, New York State Division of Human Rights.

Presentation Recording: 

Click here to view the webinar recording

Presentation Slides: