Who We Are:
We are families, individuals with disabilities, brokers, support staff, care managers and advocates who rely on New York State’s Self-Direction program to live full, meaningful lives in the community.

What’s Happening:
The New York State Office for People With Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) recently released a Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) to address the rising costs of services and staffing. But here’s the problem: OPWDD did not increase the caps for essential budget categories like:

• OTPS (Other Than Personal Services)
• FRR (Family Reimbursed Respite)
• IDGS (Individual Directed Goods and Services)

These categories fund vital supports like camps, classes, therapy, transportation, assistive technology, and respite services for families. The cost of these services has gone up but the funding limits haven’t moved in years.

Why This Matters:

1.  Inflation has made everyday supports more expensive.
2.  COLA without cap increases means people still can’t afford what they need.
3. Families are being forced to go without services that help their loved ones thrive.
4. Self-Direction only works if all parts of the budget are supported.

We’re Asking OPWDD and New York State Leaders To:

• Raise the caps for OTPS, FRR, and IDGS immediately, in line with COLA and inflation.
• Create a process to review and update these caps regularly going forward.
• Ensure that Self-Direction remains a flexible and viable option for people with developmental disabilities and their families.

Sign this petition to tell OPWDD: COLA isn’t enough unless all categories of support are adjusted. People with disabilities deserve full access to the services and resources they need to thrive in their homes and communities.