The Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) has announced the statewide schedule for its 2024 Strategic Planning in-person forums.

The forums will focus on providing people with a brief update on OPWDD’s work on the 2023 – 2027 OPWDD Strategic Plan and be an opportunity to give feedback. This year it has added a question-and-answer period where the OPWDD team will answer questions pre-submitted by participants and, as in past years, will end with a public comment period where people can share their thoughts with OPWDD leadership and staff.

To join a forum visit the website to register, submit questions, and sign up for public comment. OPWDD wants to hear from people with developmental disabilities, families, caregivers, providers, Direct Support Professionals, Care Coordination Organizations, and anyone else who interacts with the OPWDD service delivery system.

It’s necessary to pre-submit your question if you would like to have it answered at the forum. Although signing up for public comment in advance is not required, OPWDD will start each public comment forum with those who have signed up and only go to the audience if there is time.

If you’re not able to join in person, OPWDD will be hosting virtual forums later this summer, details to come.

Details of in-person forums:

• Long Island (Hauppauge) May 14, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
  OPWDD Regional Office
  415 Oser Ave., Hauppauge, N.Y., 11788
• Capital Region (Saratoga Springs) May 28, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
  AIM Services Inc.
  4227 Route 50 Saratoga Springs, N.Y., 12866
• North Country (Saranac Lake) May 30, 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
  North Country Community College
  23 Santanoni Ave. Saranac Lake, N.Y., 12983
• Western NY (Rochester) June 3, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
  Strong Center for Developmental Disabilities
  University of Rochester Medical Center
  Helen Wood Hall, 255 Crittenden Blvd. Rochester, N.Y., 14642
• Hudson Valley (Rockland) June 18, 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
  New City Library – High Tor Mtg. Room
  220 N Main St. New City, N.Y., 10956

• NYC (Bronx) July 9, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. 
  Lefrak Auditorium of the Price Center
  Albert Einstein College of Medicine
  1301 Morris Park Ave. Bronx, N.Y., 10461