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Families, Systems, and Shared Solutions: Rebuilding Trust in Disability Services – Lessons from the OPWDD–Georgetown Partnership
I didn’t start as a systems guy. I started as a dad in denial, with no roadmap, no acronyms, and no patience for policy. Then our family hit rough water. Puberty flipped the table, literally. Supports vanished just when we needed them most. Person-centered practice became paper-centered...
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NY State Governor Hochul Announces $25 Million to Expand Access to Health Care for People With Developmental Disabilities
Grants Will Improve Access to and Quality of Physical Health Care Services in ‘Health Care Deserts’ Delivers on Governor Hochul’s State of the State Proposal to Create Regional Disability Health Clinics On Thursday, September 25th, 2025, Governor Kathy Hochul announced that $25 million...
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Martin’s Road Back: How Stability, Connection, and Community Made Recovery Possible
When Autism Spectrum News invited stories about supporting people with developmental disabilities through unique challenges, one name immediately came to mind: Martin R. This past weekend, Martin walked through the doors of his new home on City Island. For him, it wasn’t just a change of address,...
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Combating Stigma Through Community: AABR’s Program Without Walls Builds Inclusion and Purpose
At AABR, we envision a world where people of all abilities are beloved and respected — a world built not on separation but connection. Our Program Without Walls (PWW) is helping shape that world by placing adults with autism and developmental disabilities in real-life community settings where...
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Mindfulness and Meditation Practices for Stress Reduction
Founded in 1978, Services for the UnderServed (S:US) works with over 37,000 individuals and families throughout New York City to create pathways to rich and productive lives by offering housing, employment, skills-building, treatment, and recovery services.1 S:US provides support in the areas of...
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The Importance of Personalized Support and Care for Autistic Adults
People with autism have the potential for growth at every stage of life. When providing care for autistic adults, know that every moment and interaction can make a difference in their well-being and independence if you understand how they learn. Many of the people who receive support at The Summit...
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Embracing Neurodiversity: A Social Revolution of Autism and New Perspectives
Over the past 25 years, I have noticed a movement that has been gaining momentum, aiming to reshape societal views and acceptance of autism and the broader community of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). If I could name this movement, I would call it Embracing...
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Where Is the Reform Movement in the Field of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities in New York State?
All human services are facing twindemics of the Coronavirus and its economic consequences. The losses of staff and people in need of services are tragic. Here is the dilemma: Does even talking about reform in the field of intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) make sense in the face...
