It’s important for us to have a voice in Albany this year. Our annual Legislative & Advocacy Forum is designed to give not-for-profit agencies, parents and family members, self-advocates and direct support professionals access to information on legislation, the Executive Budget proposal and leadership in the Senate and Assembly without driving to the NYS Capitol.

While we’d rather gather together, we’ll meet using a virtual format and provide event attendees with opportunities to:

• Learn about the proposed 2021-22 Executive Budget Proposal for OPWDD
• Meet the Chairs of the Senate and Assembly Committees
• Gain insight into the I/DD sector’s legislative & budget priorities
• Understand how to communicate your message effectively

Presentations will be held on February 9th, 10th and 11th and the working agenda is included below.

Virtual Appointments with Assemblymembers and Senators:

We strongly encourage you to schedule virtual appointments with your members of the Assembly and Senate on February 11th and 12th, as legilsators will be in their own district offices at that time.

To identify your member(s) of the Assembly, go to Assembly Member Search | New York State Assembly

To identify your member of the Senate, go to: Registration | NY State Senate

There is no fee for attending the New York Alliance for Inclusion & Innovation and The Arc NY's Legislative & Advocacy Forum.

Schedule of Events

Tuesday, February 9^th
1:00 – 1:15PM         
OPENING REMARKS
Kirk Lewis, Executive Director, Schenectady ARC; First Vice Chair, NY Alliance; Chair, Executive Directors Association, The Arc NY

1:15 – 2:00PM         
OVERVIEW OF STATE 2021-22 STATE BUDGET AND LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES FOR I/DD SECTOR
Michael Seereiter, President & CEO, New York Alliance for Inclusion & Innovation
Erik Geizer, CEO, The Arc New York

PREP SESSION FOR VIRTUAL MEETINGS WITH STATE LEGISLATORS
Katie Mayo, Vice President, Government Relations, NY Alliance
Philip Aydinian, Director, Government Relations, The Arc NY

2:00 – 3:00PM
EFFECTIVE ADVOCACY - THE CORE ELEMENTS OF MESSAGING
Bob Bellafiore, Founder/President, Stanhope Communications
Steven Greenberg, Greenberg Public Relations

3:00 – 3:30PM
PEOPLE COME FIRST
B.J. Stasio, President, Self-Advocacy Association of New York State (SANYS)

Wednesday, February 10^th
12:00 – 1:00PM UPDATE FROM NEW YORK DISABILITY ADVOCATES (NYDA)
Evan Sullivan, Vice President, Ostroff Associates

1:30 – 2:00PM Honorable Aileen Gunther
Chair, NYS Assembly Mental Health & Developmental Disabilities Committee

2:00 – 2:30PM DIRECT SUPPORT PROFESSIONALS RISING TO THE CHALLENGE
Ronald Sheppard, Direct Support Professional, Heartshare
Adelle Rodriguez, Direct Support Professional, Heartshare
Edgardo Velez, Senior Program Coordinator, Heartshare

2:30 – 3:00PM Honorable Thomas Abinanti
Chair, NYS Assembly Committee on Disabilities

3:00 – 3:30PM 2021 PRIORITIES - SELF ADVOCACY ASSOCIATION OF NYS
Rob Bauns, Co-Vice President, SANYS
Michelle Rosenberger, Co-Vice President, SANYS
Matt Hofele, Secretary, SANYS
Bernarda Rivera, Treasurer, SANYS

3:30 – 4:00PM Honorable Angelo Santabarbara
Chair, NYS State Assembly Task Force on Autism Spectrum Disorders

Thursday, February 11^th
9:30 – 10:30AM        NYS OFFICE FOR PEOPLE WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES (OPWDD) 2021-22 EXECUTIVE BUDGET PROPOSAL
Kevin Valenchis, Deputy Commissioner, NYS Office for People With Developmental Disabilities

11:00AM – 12:30PM            EXPERT PANEL DISCUSSION ON NYS BUDGET
Facilitator: Al Kaplan, Senior Policy Advisor, AHRC NYC, Facilitator
Panelists: Bill Hammond, Senior Fellow for Health Policy, Empire Center
Andrea Smyth, Executive Director, NYS Coalition for Children’s Behavioral Health
Patrick Orecki, Research Associate, Citizen’s Budget Commission

12:30 – 1:00PM Honorable John Mannion
Chair, NYS Senate Disabilities Committee

1:15PM
Virtual Rally - Make Us a PRIORITY!
Join New York Disability Advocates as we urge State Legislators & the Governor to make people with disabilities a PRIORITY! The rally will be held via Zoom and livestreamed on the NY Alliance Facebook page here: facebook.com/NYAlliance
Prioritize People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities 
Raise Wages for Direct Support Professionals 
Immunize People with Disabilities and Staff 
Object to Rate Reductions for Providers 
Restore the COLA 
Implement a Moratorium on All Cuts to the I/DD Sector 
Target Investments in Workforce Development 
Yes to Saving Our Services