12:30pm-1:15pm Event check in/Registration 

1:30pm-3:00pm Keynote Address: Leading with Cultural Humility
Danyetta Najoli, Principal Consultant & Cultural Humility Coach, Najoli Learning Group LLC | training 

3:15pm-4:15pm Four Breakout Sessions
1. Best Practices for the FI and the Review Process
Charissa Moll, Director of Customized Supports, Heritage Christian Services 
Shelby Knapp, Heritage Christian Services
Lynn Barnett, Happiness House
Andrea Stanley, Empowering People's Independence
Megan Storm, Starbridge, Inc.
Stephanie Clinton, Catholic Charities Family and Community Services

The Region One (Finger Lakes) FI COP RocFI would like to present our approach to supporting local FI agencies with navigating the complexities of Self-Direction including making OTPS and IDGS decisions. The RocFi group came together following one of the NY Alliance Conferences where we realized what a support we could e to one another. The RocFi COP meets monthly via zoom, with occasional in-person networking activities, to discuss Self-Direction, challenges the FIs are facing, ask questions and explore various topics related to our work. The group has formed a closeknit, authentic and collaborative space for FI leaders to learn and grow together and help ensure high quality services for participants. We would use the hour to share how our various agencies work to make SD decisions on classes and other requests and how we all work together as a group as well. 

3. The Match Game: Solving the DSP hiring crisis for families
Eric Sullivan, CEO at Soter, Inc 

Hiring a Direct Support Professional (DSP) is one of the biggest challenges families face when managing services for their loved ones with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Many families are left to navigate the hiring process alone – from recruiting and vetting to scheduling and retention - while relying on outdated systems and limited support. Soter is a technology platform designed to solve this exact problem. Built specifically for the IDD space, Soter empowers families to find and hire caregivers faster and with better results. Using a proprietary matching algorithm, the platform connects families with pre-screened DSP candidates based on compatibility, availability, and proximity. In this session, we'll share real-world data and insights from hundreds of DSP matches made through Soter across New York State. We'll show how self-directed families are reducing their time-to-hire by up to 60%, increasing retention rates, and getting more control over the hiring process. We'll also discuss how partnerships with Fiscal Intermediaries and Brokers are key to streamlining onboarding and expanding DSP options for families. Attendees will walk away with strategies for improving recruitment outcomes, insights on what candidates actually want, and a look at how data can transform the caregiver search process. This session is ideal for FIs, brokers, family advocates, and anyone supporting DSP recruitment in the self-direction model. 

4. Lifelong Value: Rethinking Budget Utilization Across the Lifespan in Self-Direction
David Wang, Product Manager, eVero
Kristin Kukula, Director of FI Services, Advocates Incorporated
Amy Dugliss, Executive Director, Advocates Incorporated

How do people's needs-and the ways they choose to use their budgets-shift over time in Self-Direction? In this collaborative session, eVero and Advocates, Inc will take a closer look at spending patterns across key life stages, from school age to older adulthood. By blending anecdotal insights with data trends, we'll explore how factors like natural supports, family priorities, and staffing challenges influence service utilization. Rather than offering a one-size-fits-all solution, we aim to spark dialogue and reflection. Together, we'll consider how budget planning conversations and internal processes can evolve to better support flexibility, sustainability, and person-centered outcomes across the lifespan.

4:30pm-5:30pm Four Breakout Sessions
1. Hiring, Training and Supporting Self Hired Staff
Greg Rosplock, Self Direction Manager, Empowering People's Independence (EPI)

Hiring a Direct Support Professional (DSP) is one of the biggest challenges families face when managing services for their loved ones with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Many families are left to navigate the hiring process alone – from recruiting and vetting to scheduling and retention - while relying on outdated systems and limited support. Soter is a technology platform designed to solve this exact problem. Built specifically for the IDD space, Soter empowers families to find and hire caregivers faster and with better results. Using a proprietary matching algorithm, the platform connects families with pre-screened DSP candidates based on compatibility, availability, and proximity. In this session, we'll share real-world data and insights from hundreds of DSP matches made through Soter across New York State. We'll show how self-directed families are reducing their time-to-hire by up to 60%, increasing retention rates, and getting more control over the hiring process. We'll also discuss how partnerships with Fiscal Intermediaries and Brokers are key to streamlining onboarding and expanding DSP options for families. Attendees will walk away with strategies for improving recruitment outcomes, insights on what candidates actually want, and a look at how data can transform the caregiver search process. This session is ideal for FIs, brokers, family advocates, and anyone supporting DSP recruitment in the self-direction mode.

3. My Independent Life: Supported Decision Making and Self Direction in Action
Oscar Segal, Self Advocate & Representatives from Oscar's Team
Dwight Joyner, Self Advocate & Representatives from Dwight's Team

In this inspiring session, hear from self advocates as they share their journey towards independences through SDM and SD. Hear how both SD and SDM help to support each of them in their own decisions, rather than making decisions for them.

4. The Beast they call SD: Finding compliance success with SD Services
Valerie Bragg, Director of Compliance, Advocacy and Resource Center, Chapter of the Arc NY 

This presentation will reflect our process in managing effective compliance in the OPWDD SDS environment including how we conduct the investigations and build relationships with all the stakeholders in this complex system. Our hope is that attendees will take away some best practice ideas to improve the SDS program within their agency while protecting Medicaid and State monies 

5:45pm-6:45pm Networking Reception
Sponsored by

Thursday, October 30, 2025 

7:30am-8:15am Event Check In/Registration 

8:30am-9:30am General Session
From Fundamentals to Compliance: Understanding Self-Direction and OMIG Audits
Roger Bearden, Senior Counsel, Bond, Schoeneck & King (BSK)
Bill Schwarz, Director of Public Affairs and Intergovernmental Relations with the Office of Medicaid Inspector General (OMIG)
Michael T. D’Allaird, Deputy Medicaid Inspector General for Audit with the Office of Medicaid Inspector General (OMIG) 

This session will discuss self direction and OMIG including clarifying the fundamentals of self direction in the context of service delivery. The session will review the basics of these services and how they are structured within current payment models. We will also include a discussion of audit readiness and outlining OMIGs audit process and protocol development and compliance.  

9:45am-10:45am Four Breakout Sessions
1. Building a team of supports that are built to Support
Stefanie Silvestri, VP, Community Services & Self Direction, Access: Supports for Living, Meaningful NY 

Each member of the circle of support plays a critical role in supporting the person at the center to have a rewarding and fulfilling experience utilizing their self direction budget towards gaining independence and enhancing their integration in the community. We hear regularly that families and individuals are burnt out and do not feel the necessary supports are in place to elicit a successful experience in SD. Families want deeper training, lavish communication, and support navigating the tribulations of getting classes and items approved. Launch meetings are long with many areas to cover and barely begin to scratch the surface to orient families, CM, brokers and other team members on what to expect from their FI. Through a standardized and thoughtful curriculum for families and team members and through collaborating with families and individuals as partners rather than opponents, we reach a place where true alliance is possible. We will discuss supports in the form of training, coaching, technology, language and equity, and ancillary support service

2. Long Island Fiscal Intermediary (LI-FI) Network-Building an FI Community of Practice
Diane Lagoumis, Sr. Director of Self Directed Services, EEDA/Founder and Co-Chairperson of the LI-FI Network 

This presentation will tell the store of the LI-FI network, how we started, how we faced challenges, how we created tools and resources that area readily used by providers across the state, creating work groups, working with care managers, and creating a strong self direction service on Long Island. The LI-FI leadership sub-committee includes strong, established FI providers, both big and small, who will share the journey of establishing this very active community of practice. As a panel presentation, LI-FI will provide suggestions for how and where to start, creating goals and objectives for the CoP structure, share networking opportunities (OPWDD/NY Alliance/IAC etc), lessons learned and most importantly to answer questions from other FI providers across the state who wish to gain more information and insight about Communities of Practice as FI providers.  

3. Best practices in implementing the housing ADM in SD
Josh Bielemeier, Housing Supports Coordinator, Heritage Christian Services 

Presentation will include strategies and best practices that have been developed in implementing the ADM and providing OPWDD housing subsidies to the people we support including: eligibility criteria, preliminary approval, final approval, calculating the subsidy, transition stipends and changes impacting the housing subsidy.

4. The many facets of Brokerage
Lori Catricola, Dr. Program Manager of Agency Brokerage, PCCS 

As an agency broker, Lori, Sr program managers, has grown her department to include a team of 6 brokers. Tarra Okraszewski stepped into the Program manager role. This year we have opened with taking over the assisting with the independent brokers. From onboarding them to working with our FI department. Offering mentoring support and broker office hours to support them in learning. Brokers work as a guide to individuals in the OPW world. We are offering to guide brokers to better assist individuals. We will share how our team works as enhanced brokers to support individuals. Offering to assist with staffing issues, reimbursements and more.

11:00am-12:00pm General Session
Employment First, Self-Direction, and Vocational Services to Increase Competitive Integrated Employment
Julia Kelly, Director, Employment & Meaningful Community Activities, NYS OPWDD
Ashley Jackson, Assistant Statewide Employment and Vocational Services Coordinator, NYS OPWDD

New York State joined the national Employment First movement in Executive Order 40, signed by Governor Hochul in 2024. The Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) is promoting Competitive Integrated Employment (CIE) as the preferred option for people with disabilities. This shift aligns with the principles of self-directed services, as employment empowers people to have greater control over their lives, career paths, and community engagement. OPWDD and NYS offer various employment and vocational resources to help people gain, retain and advance in employment.  Learn what is available, how to help people be successful in work, and updated policy requirements. 
 

12:15pm-1:15pm
LUNCH

1:30pm-2:30pm General Session
Self-Direction: Employment Law Challenges for Fiscal Intermediaries
Adam Pekor, Attorney with Sheppard Mullin

Fiscal Intermediaries (FIs) face a unique set of employment law challenges.  From classifying brokers and calculating overtime for self-hired staff to managing late timesheets and navigating the use of criminal history in hiring decisions, FIs must balance complex legal requirements with operational needs. These and other employment law issues carry significant legal and compliance risks if handled improperly. In this session, Adam Pekor, an associate with the law firm Sheppard Mullin and pro bono counsel to the NY Alliance, will discuss strategies for navigating some of the most difficult employment law challenges FIs face.

2:45pm-3:45pm General Session
OPWDD Panel 
Chad Colaruso, Statewide Self-Direction Implementation and Compliance Coordinator, NYS OPWDD
Angela Czerkas, Statewide Self-Direction Coordinator, NYS OPWDD
Alexis Harrington, Associate Commissioner – Program Implementation and Service Access, NYS OPWDD
Commission Willow Baer, NYS OPWDD