People with Developmental Disabilities, Office for

Agency Web Site: http://www.opwdd.ny.gov/

Mission

The mission of the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) is to help individuals with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities live fulfilling lives. OPWDD’s vision is to ensure that individuals enjoy meaningful relationships with family, friends, and others; experience personal health and growth; live in homes; and fully participate in the communities of their choice.

Budget Highlights

The FY 2017 Executive Budget recommends approximately $4.4 billion in All Funds appropriations, including $2.2 billion for Aid to Localities, $2.1 billion for State Operations and $28 million for Capital Projects. This funding level represents a $6 million increase from FY 2016.The new funding is attributable to a new $10 million capital investment for supportive housing units to ensure the availability of safe and accessible residential opportunities for individuals with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities, partially offset by a $4 million reduction for one-time contract payments from FY 2016.

In total, OPWDD will utilize this funding to support a comprehensive system of care that serves 130,000 New Yorkers and their families. These resources will continue to support OPWDD's person-centered model, which delivers services through a network of State-operated and NFP-operated settings.

The Executive Budget recommends a year-end workforce target of 18,382 full time equivalent employees (FTEs). As OPWDD transitions more individuals to community-integrated settings, OPWDD's staffing complement will be adjusted to reflect higher staffing levels in community-based service settings (e.g., group homes) and lower staffing at the State's institutions. The Budget assumes OPWDD's workforce will decrease by 255 FTEs through attrition as OPWDD continues to close State institutions --- consistent with Federal requirements --- and reinvest in comparable community-oriented services.

This budget continues the Governor's long-standing commitment to supporting individuals with developmental disabilities in the most appropriate community-based settings. Specifically, the budget includes:

• The continuation of improvements made to the quality and variety of services provided. Over the past 18 months, OPWDD has made significant progress in providing supports and services to people with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities through new resource investments and reallocation of existing resources to better meet individual needs. During this time, approximately 2,600 new people received certified community residential housing, including individuals transitioning from their homes, institutional facilities and school residential programs. At the same time, 3,800 individuals were new to employment supports; 2,300 people were provided the opportunity to self-direct their services; 5,500 new individuals received respite services; and 6,400 people were new to day service opportunities. In addition, approximately $65 million in Balancing Incentive Program (BIP) transformation grants were awarded to over 100 agency providers to develop systematic improvements to delivery systems, enhance community integration, and increase employment opportunities for individuals with developmental disabilities.
• Implementation of the recommendations of the Transformation Panel. In early 2015, a Transformation Panel was formed to share and discuss ideas to help shape the future of the OPWDD system. Members included individuals with developmental disabilities, parents, providers and advocates. During FY 2017, the recommendations will be released and OPWDD will work to implement strategies to help enhance service delivery and provide high quality community-integrated services.
• The investment of $120 million for OPWDD new service opportunities. This full annual investment will support new service opportunities for individuals currently living at home or in residential schools. Services will be based on OPWDD's person-centered processes, which include an individualized needs assessment. These new resources will support expanded services throughout OPWDD’s continuum of care, including certified and non-certified residential opportunities, day programs, employment, case management, and respite services for qualifying individuals. This level of funding could support up to 6,000 new or expanded opportunities for individuals with developmental disabilities to support the array of services necessary to meet their individual needs, including needs identified in OPWDD’s recent Residential Request List outreach. This funding is in addition to separate investments for the transition of individuals from institutional settings.
• An additional $10 million ($15 million total) in capital funding to support the development of affordable housing to ensure the availability of safe and accessible residential opportunities for individuals with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities.
• $24 million in funding to transition individuals to more appropriate community-based settings. Consistent with the Olmstead Cabinet report and the Federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) requirements, the Budget continues to transition individuals from developmental centers (52 individuals) and intermediate care facilities (100 individuals) to more integrated, community-based support systems. As part of this effort, OPWDD will utilize a combination of not-for-profit and State-operated services to deliver appropriate community-based services specific to individualized needs.
• Funding to support a 0.2 percent Cost of Living Adjustment and Medicaid trend to NFPs that provide services on behalf of the State. This is consistent with current statute.

For more information on this agency's budget recommendations located in the Executive Budget Briefing Book, click on the following link:

Briefing Book – Mental Hygiene (PDF)

Note: Most recent estimates as of 01/13/2016

Click for additional detailed appropriation tables