This is an SOS message from a desperate parent and we need immediate help! Our special needs community is being neglected and our children are suffering. Someone needs to take notice NOW. Someone needs to get LOUD because our children are regressing from the loss of therapeutic services provided by this amazing therapeutic swim program, One on One Swim offered at the ONLY therapeutic pool located at The Elizabeth Connelly Center on Staten Island. We have been fighting for over a year to get this program open and they keep getting railroaded by OPWDD! We, on Staten Island alone, lost 2 children with ASD over this summer to drowning! Lets not make this the next epidemic.

They have all of the staffing, lifeguards included. Entire staff is vaccinated. The pool has been maintained, the water is ready to go into. Seems the problem to re-open is a staffing problem -OPWDD is short staffed and apparently doesn't have someone to oversee the activities of the facility - HOWEVER this staffing problem existed before the pandemic, and the program was able to stay open - Nick took care of everything on site - even bought and hung the shower curtains and shower heads in the locker rooms. They never had problem, the pool ran smooth. One on One swim still has a valid contract agreement with OPWDD until June 2022!

The pool is being maintained by someone since it is ready to go - it’s heated - it is maintained - so what is the issue? That is money being spent on maintenance for what purpose?

Open the pool and get these kids back in the water, and in the arms of the dedicated staff of One on One Swim, where they belong!