# 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. It is part of the pro forma Department of Mental Hygiene along with the Office of Mental Health (OMH) and Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS).
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. |
| 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. |
| Courtney Burke | April 2011 – July 2013 | Andrew Cuomo | Resigned to become New York's new Deputy Secretary for Health. |
| Kerri E. Neifeld | November 2021 – June 2024 | Kathy Hochul | Became acting commissioner in November 2021 and was confirmed as permanent in March 2022. Resigned. |
| Willow Baer | July 2021 - Present | Kathy Hochul | Acting. |

## 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.

## Demographics

OPWDD serves approximately 130,000 New Yorkers with developmental disabilities. 65% of those served are male and 35% female. 59% of the population served are adults aged 21–64, 34% are children under the age of 21, and 7% are seniors aged 65 and over. 66.2% of the population served are white.
The primary two diagnoses of the population served are intellectual disabilities (53%) and autism (27%).

## 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. As of 2023, OPWDD's annual Medicaid expenditures amount to $9 billion with an average expenditure of $70K per person.
| 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

New York State OPWDD 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 OPWDD 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 | 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.