April 15, 2025
ALBANY, N.Y. – The Office for People With Developmental Disabilities has awarded eight not-for-profit service providers with the approval to deliver Home-Enabling Supports (HES) services to people with developmental disabilities who are living independently and are enrolled in the OPWDD Home and Community Based Services Medicaid Waiver. Services are expected to be available in early summer.
Home-Enabling Supports provides funding for devices and supports and services that empower a person to live safely and independently in their home with less reliance on paid staff for supervision and/or assistance.
New York State Office for People With Developmental Disabilities Acting Commissioner Willow Baer said, “Being able to live the life you want and control your own destiny is a cornerstone of OPWDD’s supports and services for more than 130,000 New Yorkers with developmental disabilities. From speech recognition software to a medication management device, today’s technology not only helps empower people to reach their goals while fostering independence and choice, but also encourages less reliance on physically present support staff. We are very excited for and grateful to our provider partners for helping us to begin to change the landscape for people who are able to live on their own with minimal assistance.”
New York State Chief Disability Officer Kim Hill Ridley said, "As someone with a physical disability, I know all too well how important home enabling supports can be. They can make a world of difference in being independent in one's own home. I am thrilled that OPWDD is placing a priority on home enabling supports and I look forward to how much this initiative is going to improve the independence of people with disabilities across the state."
The announcement of these awards is the first step in making Home Enabling Support services available. OPWDD will soon launch targeted trainings for staff and for people seeking the service, as well as a Community of Practice for providers of services. The Community of Practice will encourage collaboration and consistency of practice among providers of this service to help facilitate a successful program by early summer 2025. The providers were chosen through a competitive process. This award will enable them to purchase Home Enabling Support technology on a person’s behalf to increase, maintain, or improve the person’s safety, independence, health outcomes, and/or meaningful participation in the community, with less reliance on or the deferral of paid staff for supervision and/or assistance. The devices or supports acquired as part of the Home Enabling Support program may include, but are not limited to: Assistive Devices, Remote Support, and Health Assessment and Coordination Services.
The OPWDD Home Enabling Support awardees are:
Region 1 – ARC Chemung-Schuyler
Region 2 – Exceptional Family Resources
Region 3 – Human Care Services, Braverhood
Region 4 – ADAPT Community Network, Center for Family Support, Person Centered Care Services
Region 5 – AHRC Nassau, Center for Family Support
ADAPT Community Network CEO Linda Laul said, “ADAPT Community Network is honored to be selected by OPWDD as one of the new Home Enabling Supports (HES) providers in New York City. This new service presents an incredible opportunity to leverage technology to enhance peoples’ independence at home. Through this program, we will offer assistive devices, supports, and services to people living in non-certified settings, further empowering them to achieve their Life Plan goals and increasing their accessibility. With over 20 years being the Technology Resource Center for the metropolitan area and more than 35 years of experience in completing home modification services through our Doorways to Independence program, we bring a wealth of expertise in enhancing independence for the people we support. We appreciate OPWDD’s leadership in embracing technology and see this as the beginning of a bright future for people with I/DD.”
Alicia McGrath, Chief Executive Officer at The Center for Family Support said, "The Center for Family Support is proud to be a provider of Home Enabling Supports and a leader in innovative practices that empower individuals. Leveraging these technologies to deliver customized, person-centered support, we have witnessed their transformative impact—enhancing independence and safety for individuals while equipping staff with groundbreaking tools for support. We are eager to collaborate with individuals, their families, care managers, OPWDD, and other support providers to advance this initiative."
Salvatore Garozzo, Chief Executive Officer of The Arc Chemung-Schuyler said, “The Arc Chemung-Schuyler is thrilled to be a part of OPWDD's Home Enabling Supports Technology initiative. Throughout the country, enabling technology is used to support persons with disabilities’ desire for independence and self-determination. By using technology to allocate resources more appropriately, I believe this initiative will add to the ways OPWDD and provider agencies are seeking to serve more persons with disabilities who seek to live independently in non-certified settings.”
For more information about Home Enabling Supports, please see here.
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