Falon & Michelle at Sirius/XM Studios in Rockefeller Center, NYC

Michelle King & Falon McBride represented Flame on “The Janette Show” on Sirius/XM Satellite Radio.  Flame, a rock band made up of people with developmental and physical disabilities, started in 2005 as a Lexington Center (the Fulton County Chapter of NYSARC, Inc.) recreation program and is now an innovative supported employment program.

“The Janette Show” episode aired the last week of November.  The show, hosted by comedienne, writer and TV producer Janette Barber, is recorded at the Sirius/XM studios at Rockefeller Center in Manhattan, NY.

Michelle and Falon enjoyed the star treatment they received at Sirius/XM, including signing the Wall of Fame in their lobby.  Janette talked to the band and Flame management about Lexington and Flame and ended the 10 minute interview with an acoustic performance by Michelle and Falon of Van Morrison’s “Brown Eyed Girl”.  “The Janette Show” is heard nationwide weekly on Sirius/XM station Starz 107.

The real beauty of the contract, other than the flags themselves, are the people who were in involved with the construction.  Herkimer Industries, Herkimer ARC’s work center, had people with developmental disabilities measuring and cutting all the wiring harnesses for the flags, as well as veterans who were hired to work on site at Fiberdyne and also be involved with the removal and installation of the new flags in Times Square.

This project was an innovative collaboration between an 8A business, the national AbilityOne program (NISH), commercial partner (Fiberdyne), and Herkimer Industries.  This is a great indication of the synergies possible between the for-profit sector and the not-for-profit community in creating job opportunities in support of economic recovery for all concerned.

Mark Yarwood speaks to new staff during orientation

Utica, NY – New employees of The Arc of Oneida-Lewis Chapter have the pleasure of hearing from the individuals they will be caring for as part of their new employee orientation sessions.

New staff listens to the personal histories of individuals with disabilities from a group of self-advocate speakers from The Arc who call themselves The Transformers. The name came about because they feel able to enact change. The face- to-face interaction places emphasis on how important dignity, and the need to be treated with respect, is to individuals with disabilities; how each individual is different in terms of what they want and need, and how they perceive and react to different situations.

The group began in September 2010 with individuals from Day Services, who have continued to work together with similar groups to hone their skills. Their first formal presentation was in February 2011 and they continue to present once-a-month. On October 13 and 14 the group spoke at the Direct Support Professionals  Conference, co-sponsored by the Herkimer Arc and Madison Cortland ARC held at The Arc Oneida-Lewis Training Center. Individuals express their expectations and concerns about interactions with new staff and open communication is encouraged during a question and answer period.

Roberta Youmans (right) stands with her son (left) after being named as a 2011 William B. Joslin Outstanding Performer at a reception recently held in her honor.

It has been a long road to success for Roberta Youmans.  She was placed in special education classes in third grade and still recalls the name calling, bullying, and labels she and her friends from the class endured. School was filled with frustration for Roberta as she faced monumental challenges with reading and writing skills. She remembers working on her studies as hard as she could, but learning never came easy. When Roberta received her General Education Diploma in 1979, she dreamed of a job to show all who doubted her that she could contribute in a workplace. But frustrated by her limitations, she was unsuccessful in securing employment.

Roberta married at age 25 and raised two sons, Donald and Edward. Her lack of vocational opportunities and her husband’s poor health forced her to rely on public assistance to support the family. Roberta said that becoming a parent increased her motivation to be a better role model for her boys. She once again sought employment, but had trouble filling out job applications and even reading the employment ads. It was a very frustrating time in her life. She felt trapped by the perceptions and stereotypes of her intellectual disabilities, yet her primary focus was parenting and trying to hold the family together.

In 2000, Roberta was referred to the Allegany NYSARC’s PWI vocational program by the local Department of Social Services job track program.  At the age of 41, after years of social isolation and unemployment, she finally began earning the paycheck she had dreamed of as a teenager. For the first time in her life, Roberta felt a sense of control over her life, gaining a significantly improved self-concept and positive social relationships with a wide circle of friends.

Chris Koehler, Allegany Arc‘s Senior Vice-President of Business and Marketing, noted, “Roberta started as an assembler on the DNA Data Bank Collection Kits, proving to be reliable and highly focused on quality. She also worked on assembling DNA Suspect Control Kits and TBTA boom gate covers. She is now involved with quality control on the kit contracts with the NYS Division of Criminal Justice, a critical PWI contract.”

Allegany Arc recently held a reception in honor of Roberta Youmans being named one of 2011’s William B. Joslin Outstanding Performers.  The William B. Joslin awards are handed out annually by the New York State Industries for the Disabled, Inc. (NYSID).  Chris Koehler noted, “2011 marks the eighth year of NYSID’s Joslin Awards Program.  Roberta Youmans exemplifies the objective of the William B. Joslin Award with her determination to make a better life for herself and her family.”

Roberta was humbled when told of her nomination for the Award.

Chris Koelher concluded, “Her struggle to overcome poverty, prejudice and limited access to the resources that most of us take for granted is compelling. The NYSID Preferred Source Program provides more than a paycheck; it offers dignity, increased self-confidence and the opportunity for Roberta and countless others to earn their own way.  Roberta Youmans personifies the exceptional vocational and personal success that the Joslin Award recognizes.”

I Make a Difference. I Am NYSARC.

With this issue of Our Voice Today, I thought it would be appropriate if I shared with you our 2011 award winners. That way, when you meet these remarkable individuals at our Convention, you’ll know exactly who they are and why they deserve such recognition.

Arthur J. Stilwell | 2011 Volunteer of the Year.
Mr. Stilwell is from our Steuben County Chapter and is being recognized for his exceptional dedication to service and advocacy on the behalf of people with developmental disabilties.

Becky Ellsworth | 2011 Self-Advocate of the Year
Ms. Ellsworth is from our Chemung County Chapter and has demonstrated leadership, personal growth, and has positively influenced the lives of others.

Randi Rosenstein, Esq. | 2011 Robert Hodgson/Augustus Jacobs Law Award
Ms. Rosenstein is the Director of Legal Services and an attorney with AHRC New York City. She is being recognized for her sincere interest in, and commitment to, the area of Disability Law.

2011 Thomas A. Maul Direct Support Professional Awards
Presented to direct support professionals who have demonstrated an exemplary level of performance over the course of their employment and who have consistently displayed a commitment to improving the quality of life for people who have intellectual and other developmental disabilities.

• Davida Moss | Chemung County Chapter | 12 Years of Caring Dedication
• Margaret Wisell | Essex County Chapter | 17 Years of Caring Dedication
• Keith Murphy | Ontario County Chapter | 20 Years of Caring Dedication
• Drew Eibach | Nassau County Chapter | 30 Years of Caring Dedication

2011 Employer of the Year Awards
Presented to New York State corporations or businesses that have shown incredible commitment and support in providing job opportunities for people who have intellectual and other developmental disabilities.

• Price Chopper | Northeast Region
• Ultrafab, Inc. | Western Region
• Sodexo | Central Region

Finally, we’ll be recognizing members of the media who have helped raise awareness through communication with our 2011 Media Awards and honoring NYSARC Chapters who have produced outstanding newsletters throughout the year with our 2011 Quill Awards. (View the complete list of Media and Quill Awards Winners)

Please, I encourage all of you to come to the Convention, meet these accomplished individuals, and share in the celebration of their success. If you haven’t registered, it’s not too late: Register now for the convention!

Marc Brandt
Executive Director, NYSARC, Inc.

However, for a person with a developmental disability, finding a rewarding career can be challenging. They may need to strengthen necessary skills, or there may be a communication barrier between the job-seeker and prospective employer.

Employers can receive state and federal tax credit incentives for hiring a person with a disability as well as on-site job coaching support for their employee. With proper assistance and guidance, people with developmental disabilities can find rewarding employment in the community and employers can be proud to have skilled, dependable staff.

Through the hard work of agencies such as Alternatives Vocational Services (AVS) at Madison Cortland ARC, businesses are tapping into the potential of a labor pool that was previously overlooked. With assistance from AVS, people have obtained jobs at local retail stores, restaurants, hotels and colleges.

To celebrate this achievement, AVS is proud to observe October as National Disability Employment Awareness Month by participating in Disability Mentoring Day activities. On Friday, October 21, Madison Cortland ARC and Madison-Oneida BOCES will jointly host a job fair for people with developmental disabilities. The fair will feature information on ACCES-VR services (formerly called VESID), money management tips for job seekers, mock interview activities, and more.

“Some of the many obstacles people with disabilities have when it comes to obtaining employment comes down to things such as transportation and the type of diploma they receive,” explains Renee MacDonald, Transitional Advocate at AVS, “We work with job –seekers to find ways they can maximize their potential through training and special events like Disability Mentoring Day.”

“This is just one more rung on the ladder to full inclusion in the community for people with developmental disabilities,” continues Renee, “One hundred percent of our focus is on preparing adults for the job market, and assisting high school students with putting together a solid plan for what they would like to accomplish after graduation. This event is the perfect opportunity to connect potential employees with enthusiastic employers.”

Some of the area businesses and agencies that will be on hand at the 5^th Annual Disability Mentoring Day include: Oneida Savings Bank, the Turning Stone Resort, Morrisville Auxiliary Corp., Manpower, Madison Cortland ARC and Oneida Healthcare.

“Just months after pushing the state to allow nonprofit agencies to take over contract work from state employees, agencies that provide services for people with developmental disabilities may be getting their wish — though not in quite the way they had planned.”

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“The leader of a state employee union facing thousands of layoffs pleaded for new contract negotiations with Gov. Cuomo Thursday.

Public Employee Federation President Ken Brynien, in a statement, said the union is ready to present “new ideas” that it believes would satisfy its members and the Cuomo administration.

“Although the governor has said he will not change the state’s proposal, we remain hopeful we can reach an agreement,” said Brynien, who did not elaborate on the new ideas.”

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“As layoff notices began reaching thousands of state workers Thursday, nonprofit agencies in the Buffalo area were already being asked to quickly pick up the caseloads of 600 developmentally disabled people now under the care of soon-to-be-laid-off public employees.

“It’s a lot of people at one time,” said Rhonda Frederick, chief operating officer of People Inc., a nonprofit human services agency notified Thursday by the state to get ready for the influx of Medicaid-funded cases.

State officials maintain the transfer can be done without hurting services to the disabled community.”

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“Andrew M. Cuomo sent layoff notices to the first of 3,496 employees he is vowing to let go, leaders of New York’s second-largest union of state workers said Wednesday that they did not intend to ask their members to reconsider the proposed contract they had rejected.

At a news conference at its headquarters here, the union, the Public Employees Federation, demanded that Mr. Cuomo suspend the layoffs and return to the bargaining table. The union represents 56,000 state workers.

Asked about taking another vote, as the governor urged on Tuesday, the federation’s secretary-treasurer, Arlea Igoe, said union leaders ‘haven’t ruled it out 100 percent.’ But, noting that 70 percent of union members had cast ballots in the election, she questioned how another vote could be expected to produce a different outcome.”

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Layoffs Agency By Agency

(Click fullscreen button below to enlarge)

Direct Link: Layoff Summary 3496

With the overall national unemployment rate holding relatively steady at just over 9 percent, itself a national crisis, disability unemployment data indicate a far worse problem for people with disabilities, particularly those with significant intellectual disabilities, to secure and retain jobs.  Less than one third of the 15 million working age adults with disabilities are employed.  Thus, two thirds of this population is umemployed, a staggering statistic.  Current data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics show an even bleaker picture, with over 600,000 workers with disabilities having lost their jobs in the past three years.  People with disabilities are losing jobs at ten times the rate of the general workforce.  Senator Harkin called this situation “unacceptable” and called for action to change this trend.

A panel of eight experts, including the parent of a son with significant and complex disabilities, provided advice on how employment of people with the most significant disabilities can be advanced through national public policy.  Much of the discussion centered around the need for community based long term supports from various federal programs in order for individuals with significant intellectual disabilities to get and keep jobs. Medicaid, which plays a huge role in every state in funding long term employment supports, is not under the jurisdiction of the HELP Committee.  No panelist concentrated on that program.   There was debate and disagreement among the panelists about the federal subminimum wage law and the utilization of segregated work environments.  One panelist, a former Director of the Rehabilitation Services Administration and a member of the National Federation of the Blind, called for the elimination of any subminimum wages while several other panelists supported the so-called Section 14 (c) statute.  The vast majority of the almost 450,000 workers who earn a subminimum have mental or intellectual disabilities.

The panelists often decried the inadequate federal funding for many federal programs that play a role in employment.  Key programs such as State Vocational Rehabilitation, Supported Employment, and Assistive Technology are woefully underfunded.  The laws that authorize these programs are also long overdue to be reauthorized.  Many panelists agreed that students who are exiting special education need to be much better prepared to enter the world of work prior to their leaving school.  This would require better transition programs in public schools and greater coordination between school systems, vocational rehabilitation agencies, provider organizations and employers.

Left unsaid at the roundtable were the looming cuts to Medicaid and disability employment programs as part of the deficit reduction initiatives now pending in the Congress.  The roundtable discussion cast a strong light on the disability unemployment crisis.  Serious efforts to solve this growing crisis by this Congress are not yet evident.

Paul Marchand
Governmental Affairs Consultant, NYSARC, Inc.

Paul Marchand, one of the foremost advocates in the nation working on behalf of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, joined NYSARC as a consultant in 2010. For 38 years, Paul was one of the most ardent and successful disability policy advocates working on behalf of The Arc and United Cerebral Palsy Organizations. He is a nationally recognized expert on public policy and disability, having been extensively involved in the passage of many vital federal laws, including the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act and its successor, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.

The state Office for People With Developmental Disabilities has been cracking down on abuse of people who are under its care, as evidenced by the recent, long-sought agreement to criminalize some forms of mistreatment.

But the agency is also looking at developing guidelines to discipline employees who are involved in abusing the disabled. Such incidents may be rare but there have been enough of them to warrant a lengthy NY Times investigation and now OPWDD Commissioner Courtney Burke is looking to develop disciplinary guidelines as evidenced in this memo:

OPWDD Memo

OPWDD, State Police set guidelines for abuse reports

The Cuomo administration has announced new guidelines establishing the sort of incident that the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities must report as a potential crime. In March, the New York Times published Capitol bureau chief Danny Hakim’s evisceration of the agency’s discipline and reporting processes — or lack thereof — as the opening salvo in its Abused and Used series.

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