NYAIL News 2024

Advocacy updates, webinar series, and Center spotlight

Thank you for taking the time to read the monthly newsletter from the New York Association on Independent Living (NYAIL). Do you have job postings, events, or suggestions to improve our newsletter? Send any information to NYAIL’s Communications Specialist Blaise Bryant.

Budget Advocacy Day

On Monday February 12, NYAIL and Consumer Directed Action of NY (CDANY) are holding our annual Budget Advocacy Day. This is the first of several opportunities to meet with your local legislators and advocate for disability rights. Governor Kathy Hochul released her proposed budget on January 16. Read our budget summary to learn more about our top priorities from now until the Governor and legislature agree on a budget. Register today if you plan to join us in Albany on February 12. What to expect:

• Check-in will be in the well of the Legislative Office Building located in the Empire State Plaza at 10:00 a.m.
• Opening program consisting of NYAIL’s Executive Director Lindsay Miller, CDANY Executive Director Bryan O’Malley, and legislative champions from 11-noon.
• Noon-1:00 p.m.: lunch (not provided). There are many food options at the Empire State Plaza.
• 1:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m.: meetings with legislators. You may leave once your meetings are finished. We recommend you schedule your meetings ahead of time.

*Accessible parking is available by request. All reservations need to be made no later than Friday, February 2. Spaces are limited. Complete this form to reserve your space today.

If you have questions about Budget Advocacy Day, please contact Blaise Bryant.

Webinar Series

On January 10 we kicked off our 2024 webinar series with a presentation from Elizabeth Cox and Deven Springer about accessing public benefits and supports within the community. Both Cox and Springer work for Southern Adirondack Independent Living (SAIL) helping people with disabilities live independently. Visit our Training and Education page to view the slides or watch the recording. There are two recordings: one generated from Zoom which does not have the ASL/CART and a YouTube video which is fully accessible.

Last month we told you there would be a webinar from the Office of New Americans on February 14. Unfortunately, the presenter needs to reschedule. We are working on a new webinar date and will let you know once this is finalized.

Center Spotlight

This month we feature some very creative work from Western NY Independent Living (WNYIL). In June 2023, WNYIL started a new transportation program for people in Nursing Homes who need to get places in order to access or obtain important documentation. The Open Doors staff were having trouble getting nursing homes to transport participants to Social Security, DMV, City Hall, etc. to get the documentation necessary for transitioning back to the community. Some examples of this documentation include Social Security award letters, ID, etc. The Open Doors supervisor proposed their staff could drive the accessible van to the nursing home and make stops at Social Security, DMV, and City Hall for several people. The staff driving has a CDL and was trained on driving the accessible van. They have now made several trips to different nursing homes and successfully gotten documents. The Open Doors supervisor was also trained to drive a van. This is a creative solution to the barrier of nursing home transportation for non-medical appointments.

If your ILC is doing something you’d like featured in our Center Spotlight section let Blaise Bryant know.

NYAIL Staffing Updates

At the end of last year Kaitlyn McInerney left her position as NYAIL’s Statewide Community Outreach Specialist. We wish her all the best in her new role. In Kaitlyn’s place is Maria Mucaria, who used to work for Access to Independence of Cortland County. We are thrilled to have Maria play a key role in launching our statewide marketing campaign!

We have also brought on Heidi Siegfried as a part-time Health Policy Associate to assist with our advocacy work. Heidi was previously the Health Policy Director at the Center for Independence of the Disabled NY (CIDNY) and served as NYAIL’s health committee chair. We are excited to have her expertise here at NYAIL!

Erick Selzo is the new Employment Project Coordinator to lead the new ACCES-VR grant, Sheltered Workshop to Competitive Integrated employment. Erick is a certified benefits counselor and has a great deal of employment experience working at Gateway Industries in Ulster County. He is going to be a great resource to the ILC subcontractors and project as a whole! Please join us in welcoming Erick, Heidi, and Maria!