Family Support Services Conference Features Workshops on Autism, Innovative Programs

ALBANY, NY (09/17/2008)(readMedia)--

The New York State Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities (OMRDD) will host its Family Support Services (FSS) Statewide Conference on Thursday and Friday, September 18 and 19, 2008, at the Marriott Hotel, Wolf Road, Albany, which will feature informational workshops for families on autism, advocacy and innovative programming.

The statewide conference, held once every two years, offers families involved in the program an opportunity to discuss fiscal and policy issues and best practices that shape the local programming. This event allows family representatives from regional Developmental Disabilities Services Offices (DDSO) FSS councils to meet each other as well as with the Commissioner, her leadership team, and members of the state level FSS committee.

The conference begins at 10 a.m. on Thursday with a luncheon and welcome from OMRDD Commissioner Diana Jones Ritter. The day continues with workshops throughout the afternoon, and ends with dinner and Ritter delivering a keynote address where she will discuss top OMRDD initiatives. Potential Unlimited, a band comprised of people with developmental disabilities, will perform following dinner.

On Friday, the second day of the conference, a working breakfast will feature a discussion on how, in this time of fiscal crisis, OMRDD can increase the cost effectiveness of the FSS program. It will wrap up with a presentation by OMRDD Executive Deputy Commissioner Max Chmura.

“Engaging families is critically important to maintaining the balance of the service systems where families continue to be the mainstay of supports,” said Ritter. “That is why we have decided, that despite the tight fiscal times, we will go forward with a pared down version of this conference. Keeping families together helps people with developmental disabilities ‘live richer lives’ – the heart of OMRDD’s mission.”

Workshops featured on Thursday are:

A. Autism: Dr. Eric London from OMRDD’s research arm, the Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities (IBR), located in Staten Island, will discuss the most up-to-date conceptual information about the diagnosis of autism, population-based studies to review the prevalence and psychopharmacology and future directions for treatment.

B. Advocacy Skills: Ellen McHugh, Lead Coordinator of the New York City Office of Parent to Parent, and Tina Beauparlant, Program Assistant/Educational Specialist with Parent To Parent, will lead a discussion with parents of individuals with developmental disabilities on how to create plans which will allow their child or young adult to learn, grow and become a fully participating member of their communities. In this workshop, parents will become familiar with advocacy skills that will help them use and understand state regulations and the local implementation of these laws and regulations.

C. Self-Directed Care: OMRDD’s Doris Moore, Statewide Coordinator for Consolidated Services and Supports, will cover information on the agency’s self-directed option for developing individualized services and self-directed care. She will discuss what steps an individual and his or her family take to progress from having an idea for a life the person wants, to actually making it happen.

About the Family Support Services (FSS) program

Family Support Services provides a range of supports to families who care for their developmentally disabled relative including respite programs and reimbursement for certain goods and services. The program provides counseling and training to enhance family stability, transportation, special equipment or necessary home modifications. Family Support Services Coordinators are available at each of OMRDD’s regional Developmental Disabilities Services Offices (DDSOs) to help families arrange assistance. In addition, the DDSOs work with local community agencies to ensure other support services which may include: information and referral, recreation, camps, after-school programs, sibling services, service coordination and Parent To Parent networking.

There are currently 42,000 families served statewide in the New York State FSS program.

About OMRDD

The Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities (OMRDD) provides high-quality services, supports and advocacy to approximately 140,000 individuals with developmental disabilities and their families. OMRDD works with a network of nearly 800 not-for-profit providers to help people with developmental disabilities lead richer lives that include meaningful relationships, good health, personal growth and productivity and homes in their communities.

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