New York State Office for People With Developmental Disabilities

The New York State Office for People With Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) is an executive agency in the state of New York, whose mission is to provide services and conduct research for those with intellectual disabilities and developmental disabilities (I/DD). It is one of New York State’s largest agencies, with a mandate to provide services and supports to more than 130,000 people with intellectual or developmental disabilities and leads a workforce of more than 22,000 direct support staff, clinicians, nurses, researchers and other professionals throughout the state. It operates 13 Developmental Disabilities Services Offices which operate group homes for the individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in its care. Prior to July 2010, the agency was named the Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities.

The agency is based in Albany, New York at 44 Holland Avenue.

History

The agency that would become the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities was created in 1978 as the Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities. The agency was established in response to the 1972 Willowbrook State School exposé, lawsuit, and subsequent Consent Decree of 1975.

List of commissioners

Name	Dates in Office	Governors Served	Comments
Thomas Coughlin III	1978 - 1980	Hugh Carey	First commissioner.
James E Introne	1980 – 1982	Hugh Carey
Zymond L. Slezak	1982 – 1983	Hugh Carey
Arthur Y. Webb	1983 – January 1990	Mario Cuomo	Resigned to become Director of New York State Division of Substance Abuse Services.
Elin M. Howe	February 1990 – September 1993	Mario Cuomo	Appointed as Commissioner of the former Department of Mental Retardation (now Department of Developmental Services) in Massachusetts.
Thomas A. Maul	September 1993 – 2006	Mario Cuomo, George Pataki, Eliot Spitzer
Diana Jones Ritter	March 2007 – July 2010	Eliot Spitzer, David Paterson	Resigned to become the Managing Director of the New York City Metropolitan Transit Authority.
Max Chmura	July 2010 – March 2011	David Paterson, Andrew Cuomo	Forced resignation.
Courtney Burke	April 2011 – July 2013	Andrew Cuomo	Resigned to become New York's new Deputy Secretary for Health.
Laurie A. Kelley	July 2013 – 2014	Andrew Cuomo	Acting. Resigned.
Kerry Delaney	2014 – 2019	Andrew Cuomo	Acting. Resigned.
Dr. Theodore Kastner	2019 – November 2021	Andrew Cuomo	Resigned.
Kerri E. Neifeld	November 2021 – June 2024	Kathy Hochul	Became acting commissioner in November 2021 and was confirmed as permanent in March 2022. Resigned.

Structure

OPWDD maintains five Developmental Disability Regional Offices that are responsible for coordinating and overseeing not-for-profit provider services, and managing the enrollment process.

Region	Area
1	Western New York & Finger Lakes
2	Central New York, Broome & Sunmount
3	Capital District, Taconic & Hudson Valley
4	Metro, Brooklyn, Staten Island & Queens
5	Long Island

Eligibility

Eligibility to receive OPWDD services is determined based on review of an application and other supporting information. Developmental disabilities that may qualify an individual for OPWDD include Intellectual Disability, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Cerebral Palsy, Epilepsy, Familial Dysautonomia, Prader-Willi Syndrome, and Neurological Impairments.

Services and funding

In additional to eligibility, individuals have to demonstrate a need for each service sought. Most OPWDD services are provided through New York State's Medicaid program, which is jointly funded by the federal and state governments. Individuals requiring supports and services beyond 100% NY State funded services must enroll in OPWDD’s HCBS 1915(c) Waiver program.

Service	Description	Funding source
Family Support Services (FSS)	To provide support for a family whose loved one with a developmental disability lives at home. May include can include social skills training, crisis support, behavioral support, and family reimbursement.	New York State
Housing Subsidy (formerly ISS)	Help to pay rent for an individual's own home or community-based housing that offers supports to gain independent living skills.	New York State
Community Habilitation and Day Habilitation	To teach an individual skills to live as independently as possible.	HCBS 1915(c) Waiver
Respite	Provides relief to caregivers who have loved ones living at home with them.	HCBS 1915(c) Waiver
Assistive Technology	Assistive devices or modifications to your home or vehicle to support individuals to live at home.	HCBS 1915(c) Waiver
Employment Services	Help individuals obtain the skills necessary to get and keep a job.	HCBS 1915(c) Waiver
Behavioral Supports	Teaching individuals skills to cope with challenging behaviors and emotions.	HCBS 1915(c) Waiver
Clinic Services	To provide some rehabilitative support such as physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech language pathology or diagnostic and evaluation services.	NY Medicaid State Plan (Non-Waiver) Services

Services may be provided directly by OPWDD or through not-for-profit service provider agencies.

Safety and security officers

Former patch

New York State OMRDD Safety and Security Officers maintain Peace Officer status which grants them limited authority under the Mental Hygiene Law (section 7.25), Public Health Law (section 455) and the Criminal Procedure Law (section 2.10–12). The New York State OMRDD is responsible for providing onsite security services at the 13 field offices located in New York State. They also transport people with Developmental Disabilities patients to and from court and other OPWDD facilities. The New York State Office for People With Developmental Disabilities ( Police ) are employed as Safety and Security Officers. They are prohibited by New York State Law and ( OPWDD ) policy to use or carry a firearm, but do carry a expandable baton, handcuffs, mace, bulletproof vests, flashlight, and a radio that is directly linked to other officers and the main office of the facility. The Civil Service title used by the New York State Department of Civil Service for OPWDD ( Police ) is "Safety and Security Officer". There are three titles (referred to as ranks) within the agency:

Title	Insignia	Uniform Shirt Color
Chief		Navy Blue or White (Depending on Facility)
Sergeant		Navy Blue
Safety/Security Officer		Navy Blue

Promotional exams are routinely given to obtain promotional opportunities. New Safety and Security officer must complete the "Peace Officer Basic Course" which includes training in:

• Penal law, criminal procedure law
• Fire, building and life safety code enforcement
• Lawful use of force, defensive tactics, physical training
• Crowd and riot control
• Arrest techniques and processing
• Report writing
• Patrol techniques
• Investigative techniques
• Emergency vehicle operation
• Critical incident management
• Weapons of mass destruction
• Computer operations
• Fire science, safety and investigations training

After training each new safety and security officer completes a minimum six week on-the-job field training supervised by a senior officer from their respective facility.

Some of the duties performed by these officers include, but are not limited to, enforcing state and local laws, protecting persons and property, prevent and detect crime, search for and eliminate contraband, performing escorts of patients to off-site facilities, apprehending absconded patients and executing Mental Hygiene warrants.

Safety and security officers are also responsible for conducting fire service procedures which include conducting fire drills, fire safety classes, fire extinguisher inspections and building inspections. Furthermore they maintain peace, safety and security in their assigned facilities.

External links

• Official OPWDD site
• Department of Mental Hygiene in the New York Codes, Rules and Regulations
• Office for People With Developmental Disabilities on data.ny.gov