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Strengthening New York’s I/DD System Through Collaboration, Innovation, and Alignment
At a moment when New York's intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) system faces significant challenges, one network chose not to wait for change but to lead it. On March 31, 2026, the New York Integrated Network (NYIN) convened its 13 provider agencies, advocacy partners, and...
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My Autistic Brother Nearly Died Waiting. Now They Want to Cut What Saved Him.
He stood over me and his companion Steve on the steps leading into the Senate building and prayed, "God, give me the words today." It was March 24, 2026, and my 30-year-old autistic brother Stephen was invited to Capitol Hill to meet with Congressional staffers and share his experience living with...
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From Advocacy to Systems Transformation: Dr. Isaac Mawuko Adusu’s Contributions to Disability Policy Reform and the Advancement of Equitable Services
Advocacy in disability and behavioral health services often begins with a simple goal: improving quality of life for individuals and families. Yet meaningful and lasting policy change rarely emerges from isolated efforts. Systems transformation requires strategic leadership, coalition alignment,...
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Lessons Learned from Senior Executives of Human Service Agencies Over the Past 20 Months
* Italicized quotes from members of NYIN are included, with a contributor listing provided at the end of this article. Who is in charge? Over the last 20 months, chief executives of human service agencies were faced with unprecedented crisis. The twin epidemics of the tragic consequences of...
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Aging with I/DD as a Paradigm for the Aging Population at Large
Americans are getting older—by 2030 one in five will be 65 or older according to the U.S. Census Bureau. These demographics are driven by young adults having fewer children and baby boomers living longer. Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) are also living longer,...
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Drug and Alcohol Prevention Education for Specialized Populations
Evidence based practice curricula for drug and alcohol prevention education in the United States are designed for high-school and college age individuals. However, it is the philosophy of our program that prevention can be provided, and have an impact, throughout the life span of an individual. It...
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Supporting Vulnerable Populations: A Model That Can Make a Difference
In an increasingly complex and competitive healthcare environment, ensuring access to integrated care for our most vulnerable populations is becoming evermore challenging. Metro Community Health Centers (MCHC) has embraced this challenge and is providing patient-centered services designed...
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Collaboration for People with MI/IDD: System Failures and Promising Practices
Individuals who have both mental illness (MI) and intellectual/developmental disabilities (IDD) present unique challenges to both mental health and developmental disability service structures. The group comprises a complex population whose needs are often poorly identified and who are often...
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WellLife Network – A New Name and Strategy Reflects New Priorities and Directions for Leading Health & Human Services Agency
It’s a time of change, challenge and an opportunity for accomplishment. For individuals and families coping with a wide range of mental health, intellectual disabilities and drug addiction issues, human service agencies continue to seek viable solutions while facing new scrutiny from government...
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Addressing Workforce Challenges in Serving Individuals with Co-Occurring MI/IDD
Individuals with mental illness (MI) co-occurring with intellectual/developmental disability (IDD) have complex needs and present clinical challenges to the professionals, programs, and systems. These individuals are among the most challenging, expensive, and intractable to work with. Although the...
