Advocates’ Voices Blog

Today marks the 20th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

You have the opportunity to help shape the direction of the US Department of Health and Human Services' Administration on Developmental Disabilities!  

Are you a parent or primary caregiver of a young person with disabilities between 12 and 22 years old?

New York City schools are moving toward inclusion of students with disabilities in more neighborhood schools and classrooms. With the goal of including all but students with the most severe disabilities in the city’s 1,500 neighborhood schools, the Department of Education is beginning its implementation of “special education reform” this school year with 260 “Phase 1” schools.

Last year, more than 440,000 Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) checks were reported lost or stolen and had to be reissued. If you receive federal benefit checks yourself or on behalf of someone else, the U.S. Department of the Treasury wants you to know that there are safer, more convenient alternatives: direct deposit or prepaid debit cards.

A major reorganization at the New York State Education Department (NYSED), announced last week, will merge Special Education with General Education from preschool through high school beginning July 1, 2010.  This is a very significant shift in policy and structure, one that will certainly have profound consequences for all students -- especially those with disabilities.

Does your child have a developmental disability (intellectual disability/mental retardation, autism, cerebral palsy, seizure disorder, or traumatic brain injury)?  Do you work with children and families dealing with these disabilities? RCSN can help you...

We need your help!  A critical program for children with autism spectrum disorders is in danger of losing its funding.Join RCSN and other providers for a rally and press conference with City Councilman Mark Weprin on the steps of City Hall in New York City, at 10:00 am on Tuesday, May 25th, 2010.

Mobility International USA (MIUSA) is offering a 16-day exchange program to Costa Rica this summer, with a focus on youth leadership and cultural perspectives on disability rights. Young adults with disabilities from New York City who are between 18-24 years old, from cultural minority and low-income backgrounds are encouraged to apply.  Sliding scale program fee, with scholarships availalble. Those accepted to the program must have a valid passport to travel by June 16, so apply as soon as possible.