Shown above from left: Barry Clark, Patty McGuire, Charmin Patterson, Assemblymember Dana Levenberg and Tibi Guzman

We were honored to welcome NYS Assemblymember Dana Levenberg for a tour of our Ossining Day Services Site on September 9th. This visit marked her first time at one of our locations and offered a meaningful opportunity for her to meet many of the individuals who live and work in her district, while also learning about the vital services we provide to support people with developmental disabilities.

Assemblymember Levenberg met with staff members, engaging in thoughtful conversations about their roles, aspirations, and concerns, particularly regarding potential Medicaid budget cuts at the state level. Our team appreciated her insights and the open dialogue. She was genuinely impressed by the site and was especially proud to learn that Charmin Patterson, Program Coordinator at the Ossining site, will receive NYADSP’s 2025 Leadership Award. Assemblymember Levenberg expressed her congratulations and offered to take a photo with Charmin and the award.

CEO Tibi Guzmán discussed the devastating impact that proposed cuts to Medicaid and SNAP would have on the essential services we provide every day. If Congress adopts the President’s proposal, it will eliminate funding for key programs under the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act (DD Act), including programs that support access to inclusive education, employment, community living, and more.

The proposal also includes policies that would weaken the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) by combining multiple funding streams into a single “block grant.” This change could lead to:

• Cuts to preschool programs for young children with disabilities.
• Reduced federal support for special education teachers, counselors, therapists, and paraprofessionals.
• Fewer training opportunities for school staff to meet the needs of students with disabilities.

We ask you to participate in our ONE-CLICK campaign and urge Congress to fully fund IDEA and DD Act programs. Let’s make sure people with disabilities have the support they need to live full and productive lives.

“Disabled Americans Fear What Medicaid Cuts Could Do to Them” The New York Times
This article focuses specifically on Home and Community-Based Services and speaks to the downstream consequences of cuts to Medicaid. Read here >