NY lawmaker: 12,000 disabled waiting for care

ALBANY — New York lawmakers have passed legislation intended to clear what one lawmaker calls a waiting list of 12,000 disabled individuals who need services or housing.

The bill directs the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities to clarify and implement new guidelines by April 1 identifying services needed for families to keep a disabled relative at home and indicating when residential placements are appropriate.

Assemblyman Harvey Weisenberg says many of the 12,000 are “aging out" of programs when they turn 21 or have aging parents who need more help to keep them at home or can't do it anymore.

OPWDD says most individuals on the list already get some services and that measures will be rolled out in coming weeks to improve response times, streamline access and better manage residential capacity.