More Developmental Disability News for Week Ending Jan. 3, 2025

CDPAP company claims no collusion with New York State in contract win, Connecticut lawmakers prioritize special ed, adults with disabilities under duress, and more developmental disability news for week ending Jan. 2, 2024.

New York

N.Y. rejects claims that state colluded with CDPAP contract winner Plus, a top PPL executive also comes out fighting and says state did not steer the bidding process. (Times Union)

Disabilities Beat: New year, new changes to CDPAP has disabled activists worried WBFO speaks with activist Julie Farrar, who recently went viral for confronting Gov. Kathy Hochul in an Albany mall. (WBFO.org)

Op-Ed | Time to do right for New Yorkers with disabilities Assemblymember Rebecca Seawright, chair of the Assembly Committee on People with Disabilities, puts the focus on Direct Support Professionals. (Amny.com)

Feds approve tax to boost Medicaid reimbursement funds The new tax is expected to generate billions of dollars in additional Medicaid reimbursement funds, but things could change when President-elect Trump takes office. (nystateofpolitics.com)

Parents push for N.Y. to support care of medically fragile children The Complex Care Act, introduced in the last legislative session but not passed, would establish a program where family members would be paid and trained to care for their medically fragile children. (Timesunion.com)

Long Island Parents of neurodiverse children connect through Our Journey Facebook Group (Newsday.com)

Feds: Katz’s Deli agrees to make Manhattan deli ADA compliant Good news for pastrami lovers! (Newsday.com)

WSWHE BOCES adding three buildings in Wilton One space will be for special education, career and technical education. (Timesunion.com)

Outside of New York

Judge rejects 26 NJ towns’ attempt to stop affordable housing law from moving forward (Gothamist)

CT lawmakers to prioritize special education in 2025 session (CTmirror.org)

New Canaan woman inspired by her sister with Down syndrome to create Ridgefield’s Prospector Theater (Newstimes.com)

Colorado’s wildly popular black license plates are powering programs for people with disabilities Some of the money from the throwback license plates are helping fund a new state office created to help people with disabilities get jobs and live independently. (Coloradosun.com)

Rhode Island settles with U.S. DOJ over violating rights of kids with mental health needs The agency found that the Rhode Island Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF) had “warehoused” children. (Rhodeislandcurrent.com)

Ohio families seek to retain right to care for disabled children The Ohio Dept. of Developmental Disabilities will force parents to attempt to hire outside care workers for their children. (local12.com, first seen in Medical Motherhood newsletter)

Oklahoma reduces the waitlist for disability services from 13 years to two years This drastic change reportedly is thanks to the state lawmakers giving DHS the funding it needed. (News9.com)

Health

Many Adults with Disabilities Report Frequent Mental Distress: CDC Study (CDC.gov)

3 trends that worry disability advocates in 2025 Increasing use of AI, potential Medicaid cuts, and anti-mask attitudes. (Statnews.com)

Education

A 1975 law helped kids with disabilities access education. Schools now need more help The costs of special education have led to a crisis for many schools. NPR looks back at how we got here. (NPR)

Autism

Research Finds Vaccines Are Not Behind the Rise in Autism. So What Is? (New York Times)

Inclusivity

Autistic teen ‘let down’ by police, says sister This upsetting story out of Northern Ireland shows the importance of training police in how to communicate with people with complex needs. (BBC.com)