Annual Report for the Year Ending June 30, 2015: Our Grassroots

Gary Lind
Executive Director
Kathy Broderick
Associate Executive Director
Amy West
Chief Financial Officer
Michael Decker
Chief Operating Officer
Alden Kaplan
Senior Policy Advisor

Angelo Aponte

As we enter our 67th year, our organization and our field faces its greatest challenge since the crisis of the mid-1970’s that lead to the closing of the Willowbrook State School. Willowbrook was the great seminal event for the disabilities community: it took disabilities out of the shadows and into the bright light of public scrutiny and compassion.

Despite the disturbing reality of New York State’s current budget, we feel morally bound to forge ahead and do everything needed to sustain the quality of life the people we serve have attained. AHRC board, staff and members spent a good part of the year in extensive advocacy efforts. For the moment, we have convinced our elected officials that we cannot go back to the days when individuals with developmental disabilities could not get services! We must now convince our governor to do the same!

But in this Annual Report, we describe our achievements and shed light on the amazing services and programs we have developed to serve the people we are committed to support and their families!

Gary Lind

I am very proud to be a member of the AHRC New York City family. This Annual Report focuses on AHRC’s dedication to the mission and values embraced by the members of the AHRC community.

This, the 67th year of AHRC’s existence, takes its place among those of significant accomplishment. We have expanded our programming to support more people in living the lives they choose. We continue to improve the ways we incorporate personal outcome measures and other metrics of person centered excellence into our program planning and delivery. We have been there time and time again with that critical service or support to address a family’s need.

It is easy to fall into the trap of thinking that past success will guarantee our future. Sadly, that isn’t the case. There is a clear and existential threat to the partnership that has historically existed among people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, government, and non-profit providers like AHRC NYC. New York State’s budget stands as the foundational expression of its commitment to its most vulnerable citizens. This year’s budget once again has failed to adequately recognize the critical needs of families on waiting lists for services, to adequately recognize multiple years of inflationary cost increases, or to cover the costs of a multitude of unfunded government mandates.

We as an organization are committed to doing the hard work to assure a brighter tomorrow for New Yorkers with developmental disabilities and their families.

The organization that created the first school, workshops, day treatment programs and community residences continues to meet the needs of the individuals served in its programs. We offer individuals with intellectual and other developmental disabilities a menu of supports, programs, and services tailored to meet their specific wishes and needs.

For toddlers and children, AHRC New York City offers: preschools; services for children with autism (HOPE preschools, elementary and middle/high schools) utilizing Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA), TEAACH, as well as other methodologies; related services; psychological services; Head Start classes; inclusive programs; and educational advocacy to ensure that all school-age children with disabilities receive appropriate services.

For adults services include: opportunities with varying degrees of support where adults—from young adults to seniors—engage in activities that will enhance their skills of daily living, work for pay, volunteer in the community and engage in community exploration; supported employment in AHRC-run and competitive businesses; services for people with traumatic brain injuries; chemical dependency prevention/treatment; domestic violence prevention; residential opportunities in a variety of settings; and residential services for medically frail individuals.

For individuals of all ages, and their families, services include: day camp and sleep-away camp; recreation programs; clinical services such as speech, physical and occupational therapies; case management and service coordination; behavior management, counseling and mental health services; home care services; community habilitation; respite opportunities to give families a break from the job of caretaking; sibling services for typical children who have sisters and brothers with disabilities; guardianship and future care planning; family education; and information and referral services.

SIXTY-SEVEN YEARS OF FINDING ABILITY IN DISABILITY

AHRC New York City has always been about people with I/DD and their families—their needs and wants. In its early years, the organization was focused on creating services in the community at a time when there were few if any. In its middle years, the organization focused on expanding those services and helping people navigate the system that had been created. Today, the organization is focused on trailblazing changes in the field, preserving services that work (some that are now being cut), and retooling services to meet ever-changing needs and expectations.

Once again, services are becoming hard to obtain. And once again families are banding together to share information, concerns and fears. Families are supporting one another as only people in similar situations can do. They are trying to ensure that their family members with I/DD will be supported in the ways they need to be supported. We, the “AHRC family,” are returning to our grassroots.

SUPPORTED BY DEDICATED FAMILIES, STAFF AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS

In 2015, AHRC New York City continued to provide a wide array of services and supports to individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities, and their families. In addition, new services and supports were developed to meet emerging needs and existing programs were enhanced and expanded. Individualized planning and person centered values have been integrated into existing program design, allowing individuals to have a far greater say in what they do every day, and how they do it.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 2016

• AHRC New York City has continued: supporting 1,580 people in different Employment & Business Services programs; providing residential opportunities to 597 people, including 11 people in two new IRA’s on Vyse Avenue in the Bronx; delivering a wide array of clinical services, including MSC, to over 6,000 people; operating preschools, an Elementary and Middle High School for close to 1,000 school-age children, many on the autism spectrum; offering a variety of recreation and camping opportunities to 1,820 children, adolescents and adults; Supporting more than 800 people in a variety of in-home programs; and, serving 2,150 adults, including 350 that had previously participated in the now-closed FEGS programs, in a variety of pre-vocational, day habilitation and college services in the community.
• AHRC New York City received official accreditation from the Council on Quality and Leadership (CQL) in 2015 and recently underwent its eighteenth month review of our ongoing progress towards person centered excellence consistent with our accreditation status. This accreditation recognizes that AHRC NYC stands out in its commitment to quality and person centered excellence. The CQL staff was especially impressed with AHRC New York City’s movement in these efforts.
• AHRC New York City self-advocates have greatly increased their efforts in promoting an agenda to better meet their needs throughout the organization. They have worked with AHRC staff on articulating their opinions, needs and desires; they are serving on Committees of the AHRC Board; have created their own Regional Councils; and, are advocating on their own behalf with New York State Legislators to list a few initiatives.
• AHRC New York City, one of the five Metro-Arc partners of Partners Health Plan (PHP), the first managed-care company specializing in care for people with intellectual and other developmental disabilities, has continued working with PHP after the completion of the PHP Enhanced Care Coordination Pilot contracted by OPWDD. AHRC and the other Metro-Arcs are now embarking on launching the first Managed Long Term Care (MLTC) FIDA program for people dually eligible for Medicaid and Medicare. This is a “first” in the nation!
• In the area of technology, AHRC New York City has received two Balancing Incentive Program (BIP) awards. The first award funded the development of a toolkit to assess and assist people in using technology that enhances their lives. AHRC has assimilated this work into its day to day programs with people supported. The second BIP award, one of the largest in the state, was awarded to develop a Long Term Services and Supports (LTSS) Electronic Health Record (EHR), or combination of interoperable software products that together enable LTSS EHR functionality. Now called the Agency Information Platform, the AIP will be the core repository of all relevant information—demographics, contacts, health, behavior, safety, daily living, clinical, employment—for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) who are served by AHRC and other providers. AHRC has completed the assessment and selection phase of the project and is beginning design and implementation.
• AHRC New York City has launched a newly designed website! The photos used in this annual report are all featured on the new site. Please visit www.ahrcnyc.org and give us your feedback! And visit our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter and other social media!

In spite of the budgetary cuts and regulatory challenges, such as rate rationalization, that are being thrust upon our field, AHRC New York City looks forward to offering people with developmental and intellectual disabilities, and their families, greater opportunities to lead self-directed fulfilling and productive lives in the community in the years to come.

Program Services

The complete financial statements, including the related notes and auditor’s report, are available upon request.