Res 0627-2026

Res. No. 627 ..Title Resolution calling on the New York State Legislature to pass, and the Governor to sign, S.4868 and a companion bill in the Assembly, which would require the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) to develop and maintain a community residence opportunities waitlist, and further calling for increased OPWDD funding to expand residential capacity with priority for individuals with severe and profound developmental disabilities ..Body By Council Member Morano Whereas, Nearly one in six New York City (NYC) residents have a physical or mental health condition that substantially impairs their cognition, movement, vision, hearing, ability to live independently, or ability to care for their personal needs; and Whereas, The New York State (“NYS” or “State”) Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) is responsible for coordinating Medicaid-funded services for New Yorkers with developmental disabilities, including intellectual disabilities, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, autism spectrum disorder, and other neurological impairments, serving about 135,000 people in partnership with over 400 non-profit providers across the State; and Whereas, Certified residential services, including group homes and Family Care homes, accounted for approximately $5.96 billion, or about 60%, of OPWDD’s total fee-for-service spending in 2024, and were received by about 35,000 people, of whom over 80% lived in supervised group homes with 24/7 staffing; and Whereas, Among those receiving OPWDD Medicaid services with an identified primary diagnosis, 4,425, or 3.3%, have a primary diagnosis of “Intellectual Disability – Profound,” and 5,356 people, or 4%, have a primary diagnosis of “Intellectual Disability – Severe,” populations that often require the most intensive residential supports; and Whereas, The number of people receiving OPWDD services has increased by approximately 15,000 since 2019, with children under 21 representing the fastest-growing age group within the OPWDD service system, underscoring the need for long-term capacity planning as this population ages into adulthood and requires residential supports; and Whereas, S.4868, sponsored by NYS Senator Patricia Fahy, would require OPWDD to develop and maintain a statutorily authorized Community Residence Opportunities Waitlist; and Whereas, The sponsor of this resolution has heard directly from constituents, including Staten Island resident Bobbie Keylin, who shared her concerns about the absence of a clear path to long-term residential care for her adult son, who has profound autism; and Whereas, Keylin’s experience reflects the concerns of countless families across NYC who worry that the system will not be there for their loved ones when they need it; and Whereas, Increased funding for residential capacity, clear prioritization of individuals with the most severe and profound needs, and improved public transparency regarding waitlists and projected demand would help ensure that the State’s developmental disability service system can meet the needs of its residents now and in the future; now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls on the New York State Legislature to pass, and the Governor to sign, S.4868 and a companion bill in the Assembly, which would require the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) to develop and maintain a community residence opportunities waitlist, and further calls for increased OPWDD funding to expand residential capacity with priority for individuals with severe and profound developmental disabilities. CGR LS #23502 08/06/2026 11:45 AM