The Medicaid Buy-in Program for Working People with Disabilities and Upcoming Changes
What is the Medicaid Buy-in Program for Working People with Disabilities (MBI-WPD)? How do people apply for the program? What are the requirements for folks to receive MBI-WPD? Join us on Wednesday, October 11, 2023 to learn more about MBI-WPD and how this resource helps people with disabilities to obtain and retain employment.
Presenters:
Greg Otten, Healthcare Advocate: Center for the Independence of the Disabled, New York (CIDNY)
Mariah Sepulveda, New York City Transition Specialist Liaison: NY Association on Independent Living (NYAIL).
Date and time: Wednesday, October 11, 1-2:30 p.m.
ASL and CART will be provided.
An Overview and Updates to Restraint and Seclusion Legislation
Join us on Thursday, August 10 to learn more about the issue of restraint and seclusion. During the 2023 legislative session the Keeping NY Students Safe Act was introduced limiting restraint and banning seclusion. The bill also mandates schools report incidents of restraint to the NYS Education Department. Laura Marks, Staff Attorney with Disability Rights NY will discuss the importance of this legislation and how advocates can support the bill.
Date and time: Thursday, August 10: 1:00-2:00 p.m.
ASL and CART will be provided.
An Overview and Updates to the 55 B/C Program
The Governor's Programs to Hire Individuals and Veterans with Disabilities consist of two specialized programs: the 55-b and the 55-c Program. These programs are coordinated efforts placing individuals with disabilities in entry-level state jobs. Section 55-b of the New York State Civil Service Law authorizes the New York State Civil Service Commission to designate up to 1,700 positions normally filled through competitive examination to be filled through the appointment of qualified persons with disabilities. Section 55-c authorizes the designation of up to 500 positions in the non-competitive class to be filled by qualified veterans with disabilities. In general, an entry-level position filled only through an open-competitive examination (one open to the public) may be used for a 55-b or 55-c appointment.
Nichole Harden, Diversity and Inclusion Specialist 2 with the NYS Department of Civil Service will present an overview of the 55 B/C Program, along with a recent expansion approved in this year’s state budget.
Date and time: Wednesday, July 12: 1:00-2:30 p.m.
ASL and CART will be provided.
Making Your Content and Events Accessible
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
American Sign Language: the Science of Scheduling the Right Interpreter for the Job
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
Managing Your Mental Health and Preventing Burn Out
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
Changes to the NY ABLE Savings Program
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:
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Jenna McClosky, Outreach Coordinator and Administrative Analyst, NY ABLE Savings Program
Presentation Recording: Click here to view the recording.
Effective Strategies while Advocating and Lobbying
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:
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Josh Poupore, Senior Vice President, Corning Place Communications
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David Previte, Principal, Hinman Straub
Presentation Recording: Click here to view the webinar recording
Supported Decision-Making in New York
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:
NYLAG's Managed Long-Term Care Data Transparency Project
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:
- Valerie Bogart, Director of NYLAG’s Evelyn Frank Legal Resources Program (EFLRP)
Presentation Recording: Click here to view the webinar recording