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Movements, leaders, victories and the continuing fight for equality.
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Katherine Johnson’s mathematical calculations helped guide some of America’s most important early space missions while she confronted the racial and gender barriers faced by Black women in twentieth-century America.
MORE →Reflects the personal views, recollections, and perspective of the author, Mike Davis.
This is a personal recollection on the Move fire on May 13, 1985
| State agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Jurisdiction | New York State government |
| Headquarters |
|
State agency executive | |
Parent department | New York State Department of Mental Hygiene |
| Website | opwdd |
The New York State Office for People With Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) is an executive agency in the state of New York, whose mission is to provide services and conduct research for those with intellectual disabilities and developmental disabilities (I/DD). It is one of New York State's largest agencies, with a mandate to provide services and supports to more than 130,000 people[4] with intellectual or developmental disabilities and leads a workforce of more than 22,000 direct support staff, clinicians, nurses, researchers and other professionals throughout the state. It operates 13 Developmental Disabilities Services Offices which operate group homes for the individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in its care. It is part of the pro forma Department of Mental Hygiene along with the Office of Mental Health (OMH) and Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS).
The agency is based in Albany, New York at 44 Holland Avenue.[5]
The agency was established in response to the 1972 Willowbrook State School exposé, lawsuit, and subsequent Consent Decree of 1975.[6][7]
The Department of Mental Hygiene was established in 1926–1927 as part of a restructuring of the state government, and was given responsibility for people diagnosed with intellectual disability, mental illness or epilepsy.[8][9][7] In 1966–1967, the Community Hostel Facilities Act authorized the creation of community residential facilities or group homes.[10][11][12] In 1977–1978, the Department of Mental Hygiene was reorganized into the autonomous Office of Mental Health, Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse, and the Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities (OMRDD).[13][7] In July 2010, the agency was renamed from the OMRDD to its current name.[14][15][16] The Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities was established in 1958 for basic and clinical research into the causes and treatment of intellectual disabilities.[17][11]
OPWDD maintains five Developmental Disability Regional Offices that are responsible for coordinating and overseeing not-for-profit provider services, and managing the enrollment process.[15]
| Region | Area |
|---|---|
| 1 | Western New York & Finger Lakes |
| 2 | Central New York, Broome & Sunmount |
| 3 | Capital District, Taconic & Hudson Valley |
| 4 | Metro, Brooklyn, Staten Island & Queens |
| 5 | Long Island |
Eligibility to receive OPWDD services is determined based on review of an application and other supporting information.[18] Developmental disabilities that may qualify an individual for OPWDD include intellectual disability, autism spectrum disorder, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, familial dysautonomia, Prader–Willi syndrome, and neurological impairments.
OPWDD serves approximately 130,000 New Yorkers with developmental disabilities. 65% of those served are male and 35% female. 59% of the population served are adults aged 21–64, 34% are children under the age of 21, and 7% are seniors aged 65 and over. 66.2% of the population served are white.[19]
The primary two diagnoses of the population served are intellectual disabilities (53%) and autism (27%).[19]
In additional to eligibility, individuals have to demonstrate a need for each service sought. Most OPWDD services are provided through New York State's Medicaid program, which is jointly funded by the federal and state governments.[20] Individuals requiring supports and services beyond 100% NY State funded services must enroll in OPWDD's HCBS 1915(c) Waiver program.[21] As of 2023, OPWDD's annual Medicaid expenditures amount to $9 billion with an average expenditure of $70K per person.[19]
| Service | Description | Funding source |
|---|---|---|
| Family Support Services (FSS)[22] | To provide support for a family whose loved one with a developmental disability lives at home. May include can include social skills training, crisis support, behavioral support, and family reimbursement. | New York State |
| Housing Subsidy (formerly ISS)[23] | Help to pay rent for an individual's own home or community-based housing that offers supports to gain independent living skills. | New York State |
| Community Habilitation[24] and Day Habilitation[25] | To teach an individual skills to live as independently as possible. | HCBS 1915(c) Waiver |
| Respite[26] | Provides relief to caregivers who have loved ones living at home with them. | HCBS 1915(c) Waiver |
| Assistive Technology[27] | Assistive devices or modifications to your home or vehicle to support individuals to live at home. | HCBS 1915(c) Waiver |
| Employment Services[28] | Help individuals obtain the skills necessary to get and keep a job. | HCBS 1915(c) Waiver |
| Behavioral Supports[29] | Teaching individuals skills to cope with challenging behaviors and emotions. | HCBS 1915(c) Waiver |
| Clinic Services[30] | To provide some rehabilitative support such as physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech language pathology or diagnostic and evaluation services. | NY Medicaid State Plan (Non-Waiver) Services[31] |
Services may be provided directly by OPWDD or through not-for-profit service provider agencies.
This agency employs security officers to maintain order and protect patients, grounds, and building [32], which grants them very limited peace officer authority when on duty pursuant to New York State Criminal Procedure Law § 2.10(52)[33][34], including the Mental Hygiene Law (section 7.25), Public Health Law (section 455) .OPWDD officers are prohibited by state law from carrying a firearm.
| Name | Dates in Office | Governors Served | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thomas Coughlin III | 1978 - 1980[35] | Hugh Carey | First commissioner. Appointed Commissioner of the Department of Corrections in 1980.[36] |
| James E Introne | 1980 – 1982 | ||
| Zymond L. Slezak | 1982 – 1983 | ||
| Arthur Y. Webb | 1983 – January 1990 | Mario Cuomo | Resigned to become Director of New York State Division of Substance Abuse Services. |
| Elin M. Howe | February 1990 – September 1993 | Appointed as Commissioner of the former Department of Mental Retardation (now Department of Developmental Services) in Massachusetts.[37] | |
| Thomas A. Maul | September 1993 – 2006 | Mario Cuomo, George Pataki, Eliot Spitzer |
|
| Diana Jones Ritter | March 2007 – July 2010 | Eliot Spitzer, David Paterson |
Resigned to become the Managing Director of the New York City Metropolitan Transit Authority.[38] |
| Max Chmura | July 2010 – March 2011 | David Paterson, Andrew Cuomo |
Forced resignation.[39] |
| Laurie A. Kelley | July 2013 – 2014 | Andrew Cuomo | Acting. Resigned.[40] |
| Kerry Delaney | 2014 – 2019 | Acting. Resigned.[40] | |
| Dr. Theodore Kastner | 2019 – November 2021 | Resigned.[41] | |
| Courtney Burke | April 2011 – July 2013 | Resigned to become New York's new Deputy Secretary for Health.[42] | |
| Kerri E. Neifeld | November 2021 – June 2024 | Kathy Hochul | Became acting commissioner in November 2021 and was confirmed as permanent in March 2022.[43] Resigned.[44] |
| Willow Baer | July 2021 – Present | Acting.[45] |
Source: Wikipedia. Article content is retrieved live through the MediaWiki API.
The New York State Office for People With Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) is an executive agency in the state of New York, whose mission is to provide services and conduct research for those with intellectual disabilities and developmental disabilities (I/DD). It is one of New York State's largest agencies, with a mandate to provide services and supports to more than 130,000 people with intellectual or developmental disabilities and leads a workforce of more than 22,000 direct support staff, clinicians, nurses, researchers and other professionals throughout the state. It operates 13 Developmental Disabilities Services Offices which operate group homes for the individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in its care. It is part of the pro forma Department of Mental Hygiene along with the Office of Mental Health (OMH) and Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS). The agency is based in Albany, New York at 44 Holland Avenue.
The Office of Mental Health (OMH) is an agency of the New York state government responsible for assuring the development of comprehensive plans, programs, and services in the areas of research, prevention, and care, treatment, rehabilitation, education, and training of the mentally ill. It is part of the pro forma Department of Mental Hygiene along with the Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS) and Office for People With Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD).
The New York State Department of Mental Hygiene is a pro forma department of the New York state government that comprises several autonomous agencies: the Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS) the Office of Mental Health (OMH) the Office for People With Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD)
Thomas Coughlin III (February 12, 1938 – August 23, 2001) was the first commissioner of the New York State Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities (now Office for People with Developmental Disabilities) and later served as the second longest commissioner of the New York State Department of Correctional Services. He was originally appointed by former Governor Hugh Carey as deputy commissioner for mental retardation in the New York State Department of Mental Hygiene in 1975.
Before the 1921 destruction of Tulsa’s Greenwood District, Black residents had created a remarkable center of business and community life. The district included stores, professional offices, entertainment venues and homes owned by Black citizens. Understanding Greenwood means learning what was built—not only what was burned.
MORE →The Greenwood District.
