Our names are Christina Silva-Soto, MaryBeth Bergren, Jennifer Bolotin, Katherine Beltran, Lilly Tsang, Dina Strauss. Our children and loved ones have diagnoses ranging from Autism, ADHD, PANS, Chromosome Deletions, ID, and PDD-NOS. We have been under the OPWDD umbrella for over 20 years and the supports and services we have been receiving have been nothing short of life changing for us and our families.

Care Management is the glue that holds our circle of support together. Without Care Management we would not be able to access Home and Community Based Services. The services, advocacy and consistency of the Care Manager allow us and our children to experience growth, socialization, and integration within our communities.

But now the Care Management Program is at risk of being shut down. OPWDD has proposed devastating budget cuts to the system that put the services of us and our children, and the 110,000 others receiving services from Care Coordination Organizations (CCOs) in NYS at risk. What will the future be for our most vulnerable population? These cuts to Care Management system will not only affect Care Management, but all of the OPWDD Waiver Services. A 16.2% budget cut last year was hard to accept, but an additional 23% again this year will put the CCOs in a position where they can no longer plausibly continue to provide the services and supports that they this population needs and deserves.

What does the future look like for us, our children, and our loved ones with special needs? Who will support us and our children when we and our parents are not here? So, we stand before you today to please consider how these detrimental cuts will affect us, our children, and the 110,000 vulnerable IDD individuals and their families that are supported day in and day out by Care Management.

Please take a minute to sign the attached petition to the Governor’s office - and help save the services that we and our children and so many like us so desperately need.

THERE IS NO NEED TO DONATE MONEY!

Christina Silva-Soto, Family Member/Advocate

MaryBeth Bergren, Family Member/Advocate

Jennifer Bolotin, Family Member/Advocate

Katherine Beltran, Family Member/Advocate

Lilly Tsang, Family Member/Advocate