by Sandi Rosenbaum, Special Education / Special Needs Advocate New York’s Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) will release its long-overdue new Statewide Comprehensive 2023-2027 Strategic plan in November 2022, following feedback and discussion.  The draft Strategic Plan has been available since Spring 2022. A plain language version is also available.  While OPWDD’s in-person public forums have…

By Amy C. O’Hara, CELA The Special Needs Alliance commends the Senate Finance Committee for unanimously approving legislation that would give families greater flexibility in choosing the remainder beneficiary of trusts established for a loved one who has a disability or chronic illness. Partners Bernard A. Krooks, a past president of the Special Needs Alliance,…

By Sandi Rosenbaum According to new CDC data (https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2022/p0331-youth-mental-health-covid-19.html), in 2021, more than a third (37%) of high school students reported they experienced poor mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic, and 44% reported they persistently felt sad or hopeless during the past year. Undoubtedly, mental health needs for all increased in the past few years.…

By Arshi Pal, Esq. Now that summer has started, parents may have questions about the purpose of Extended School Year  (ESY) Services and whether your child is eligible.   ESY services are services and programming provided to students with disabilities during July and August for approximately six weeks. CSE Determines Eligibility for ESY Services The Committee…

By Brian L. Miller, Esq. Recently, there have been significant changes to the New York State Medicaid programs for New Yorkers who are age 65+, blind or disabled. As discussed in our prior blogs, New York passed a law in April 2020 to implement a 30-month (two and a half year) lookback period for all…

By Littman Krooks LLP This June, Governor Kathy Hochul signed a bill into law https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2021/S7866) that allows school districts to extend the eligibility of students with disabilities to receive special education services and programming past the current age of 21 in New York.  This law essentially mirrors the law the Governor signed in 2021 for…

By Joel Krooks, Esq. The unemployment rate as of May 2022 is at 3.6%, yet many Americans with disabilities are struggling to find jobs. Typically, in tight labor markets the unemployment rate for people with disabilities and without narrows. However, the gap is unfortunately expanding, and it is becoming more and more difficult for individuals…

By Arshi Pal, Esq. In late April 2022, the United States Supreme Court decided Cummings v. Premier Rehab Keller, P.L.L.C., [LINK: https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/21pdf/20-219_1b82.pdf ] which involved Jane Cummings, a deaf and legally blind individual who sought physical therapy services from Premier Rehab Keller, a physical therapy provider. Specifically, Jane requested Premier Rehab to provide an American…

By Littman Krooks LLP In the past few years, there has been a lot of confusion as to when students with disabilities age out of public education with their school district.  Students with disabilities have been among the hardest-hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, whether they have missed crucial opportunities to fulfill  academic or vocational requirements. …

By Littman Krooks LLP Littman Krooks LLP is proud to sponsor NAMIWalks Westchester. Team LK will walk with NAMIWalks Your Way on Saturday, May 14, 2022 at 8:30 a.m. I am honored to lead our walk team – Team LK: Lights in the Tunnel.  Our work at Littman Krooks is aligned to NAMI’s work in helping individuals…