March 3, 2025

Packed House at Capitol Rally!

Last Tuesday, over 300 members of New York Disability Advocates coalition, including representatives from New York’s non-profit provider agencies, direct support professionals, family members, and people with disabilities, were joined by New York legislators at a rally in the War Room of the Capitol. Attendees advocated for a 7.8% targeted inflationary increase to support the full system of care for New Yorkers with disabilities, a Human Services Wage Commission to establish fair compensation standards for staff, and the return of rate-setting authority to the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD)

Senator Fahy, Assemblymember Santabarbara, and other speakers called for stronger investment and support in New Yorkers with disabilities. Together, they advocated for New York to address the decades-long underfunding that has placed significant pressure on non-profit providers, making it difficult for them to overcome the workforce crisis and deliver the high-quality care that people with disabilities deserve.

You can view coverage of the rally on CBS6 here, and a gallery of photos on our Facebook page.

Continue to Act!

Thank you to all our advocates who attended and demonstrated their dedication and passion for this cause. We continue to urge you to challenge your legislators to match the Governor's commitment, and include a 7.8% increase in their one-house budget proposals, which are currently being negotiated.

We have created an updated info sheet to support your legislative advocacy and our one-click campaign is one simple way for you to act and send a message directly to your legislator. Please feel free to edit as you wish, tell your story, and send as many times as you wish.

Tell your story! NYDA has created this simple webform to collect testimonials and stories from advocates across the state. Stories and experiences offer ways to give insight to legislators, use in social media campaigns, and build a real-life narrative. Share your story today!

Our full advocacy toolkit offers more extensive materials for you to review and send electronically to your legislators.

For more information on the Executive Budget, please refer to our January 27 update.

Rally With Us!

There are few upcoming in-person opportunities to support people with I/DD by participating in the rallies and lobby days below. We encourage you to attend at least one rally.

This Friday, March 7 will be a busy day for downstate and Long Island advocates as there are two rallies occurring on the same day. If you were unable to attend our Capitol rally, please consider one or all of the following:

March 7 @ 10 AM in Pomona (Rockland County) - Rally in the Valley

The Rally in the Valley is sponsored by The Arc New York, our Chapters and other advocacy partners. This promises to be HUGE event, so come be part of it!

We will cover state and federal policy advocacy with speakers and attendees from across the political spectrum. RSVP here. You do not want to miss it!

March 7 @ noon Rally on Long Island - Hauppauge

Very similar to our other in-person rallies, the Rally on Long Island is set for Friday, March 7 starting at noon. State legislators and other speakers will be there to share their perspectives on the importance of the full 7.8% Targeted Inflationary Increase in this years state budget. Just show up!



Where: NYS Office Building, 250 Veterans Memorial Highway Hauppauge, NY 11788

March 21 @ 10 AM in Syracuse - Rally With The Arc of Onondaga

If you're in Central New York, join The Arc of Onondaga and AccessCNY as they rally at the New York State Fairgrounds in Syracuse to tell legislators to #INVESTINUS because #WEMATTER!

Upcoming Virtual Forums

Let’s Talk About Advocacy in the I/DD Community!

Tonight, Monday March 3

Please join Living Resources CEO, Elizabeth Martin, along with New York Alliance Executive VP and COO, Michael Seereiter as they discuss:

• Current legislative priorities for the I/DD community.
• What we’re doing to get involved.
• How you can make an impact.

What: Advocacy in the I/DD Community Virtual Town Hall

When: TONIGHT from 6-7 PM

Where: Zoom. Register here.

NYC FAIR Town Hall: What’s In The State Budget? What’s Not?

Tuesday, March 4, 7-8:30 PM

With: Wini Schiff, Cris Marchionne, Kate Hoy, Veronica Crawford

Register now & submit your questions here.

NYC Five Borough Legislative Breakfast

Thursday March 6, 10 AM

All five of New York City's Borough Developmental Disabilities Councils have joined together to address the NYS Budget for 2025-2026. This is a fully virtual, free event. You can register here.

The Arc New York Sends Memo of Support for WOTC

As noted in our February 7 update, The Arc New York signed on to a letter with nearly 20 other organizations to support the Worker Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC), and has now circulated a Memo of Support to the legislature.

The WOTC (S2429/A4012) would invest $90 million dollars over three-years to increase participation in New York’s workforce by people who have faced barriers to employment in the past, including people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The WOTC would counter both the employment shortages affecting businesses and address poverty in some of New York’s most marginalized populations.

We look forward to continuing our advocacy work for this cause and working with its partners, the legislature and Governor Hochul to see it come to fruition.

The Arc New York Endorses "Right to Repair" Wheelchair Bill

The Consumer Wheelchair Repair Bill of Rights Act (S.4500), aims to address long repair wait times and limited consumer choice for powered wheelchair users. The bill would require manufacturers to provide independent repair providers and wheelchair owners with the necessary parts, tools, and documentation to conduct repairs, ensuring a more competitive and accessible repair market.

In a press release announcing the bill, The Arc New York CEO Erik Geizer stated:

“The Arc New York enthusiastically supports the bill sponsored by Senator Patricia Fahy, the Consumer Wheelchair Repair Bill of Rights Act, to support people who rely on powered wheelchair mobility in New York State.”

“High costs and long wait times for repairs of electric wheelchairs, which provide independence, access, and autonomy for thousands of New Yorkers, is unacceptable, and we must do better do to ensure that people of all abilities have the resources they need to live to their maximum potential…This legislation will ensure that people using powered wheelchairs are able to meet our mission. We appreciate Senator’s Fahy’s leadership in introducing this important legislation and we fully support its passage.”

You can read the full press release here.