Center For Independence Of The Disabled In New York Inc

Programs: Cidnys goal is to ensure full integration, independence, and equal opportunity for all people with disabilities by removing barriers to the social, economic, cultural, and civic life of the community. In 2017, we connected with 36,719 new yorkers with disabilities. We helped people find programs to make them more independent, stretch their income, and enable them to navigate the complex rules and solve problems in order to meet their health care, housing, transportation, education, and food needs. We taught young people about their rights and how to be ready for work or college after high school graduation. We advised people with disabilities about how moving into the workforce would affect their lives. We protected the rights of nearly 10,000 people living in nursing facilities, including helping people who want to transition back to their own homes. As a result of this work, taxpayers saved $14 million and people with disabilities came closer to living the lives they imagine for themselves. Our newest program, ny connects, helps people connect to long term services and supports. Our work has earned a 96% satisfaction rating from the people with disabilities who use the program. We educated the public about disability issues through working with reporters from television, radio, and newspapers. This year, we were in the new york times, reuters, the daily news, the new york post and appeared on nbc tv and wnyc. We built community online and through social media to support advocacy, with over a million views of our messages. This year we won legislation establishing the right to legal counsel in housing court for low-income tenants with disabilities. We successfully negotiated a settlement agreement with the new york city homeless shelter system that will stop civil rights violations experienced by people with disabilities. We worked to raise the income level qualifying people with disabilities for a rent subsidy program that lets them maintain an affordable rent and avoid homelessness. New yorks subway system is not accessible for people with disabilities, 27 years after passage of the americans with disabilities act (ada). As a result, we are a plaintiff in a lawsuit seeking to increase accessibility. An ada expert appointed by the court to comment on a plan to increase sidewalk access told the court that he agreed with our analysis of remedies required to make new york city compliant with civil rights law. Our advocacy to protect health care for people with disabilities helped to preserve eligibility for people with disabilities when cutbacks were proposed that would harm our community. We worked with lawmakers to craft financial incentives that would improve access to community-based care. We educate people about their rights, whether to modifications or accommodations under the fair housing act and access-a-ride (paratransit). We help people learn about how to handle their finances, eat a healthy diet, find an apartment, and deal with changes in health care. We will continue to fight for new yorkers with disabilities in the year ahead.