About the Committee
The Statewide Family Support Services (FSS) Committee was established by sections 13.05 and 41.43 of the NYS Hygiene Law. The statewide committee has a representative from each of the local Family Support Services (FSS) Advisory Councils across the state. The local councils are made up of individuals with developmental disabilities and their family members. They plan, coordinate and monitor the delivery of Family Support Services across the state. The Family Support Services Program helps families who are caring at home for a relative with a developmental disability by providing aid to the caregiver, enhancing family stability and preserving family unity.
Meetings
Membership
The statewide committee is made up of one representative from each of the 17 local Family Support Services (FSS) Advisory Councils across the state.
| Member, County of Residence | Background | District |
|---|---|---|
| Karen Eichensehr, Steuben | Family Member | Region 1: Finger Lakes - South |
| Chris Palega, Monroe | Family Member | Region 1: Finger Lakes - Monroe |
| Ann Scherff, Genesee | Family Member | Region 1: Western - North |
| Crystal Vossler, Allegany | Family Member | Region 1: Western - South |
| Gayle Pado, Tioga (Co-chair) | Family Member; FSS DDAC representative | Region 2: Broome |
| Janice Fitzgerald, Franklin | Family Member | Region 2: Sunmount |
| Dawn O'Hara, Cayuga | Family Member | Region 2: Central |
| Scott Brady, Schenectady | Family Member | Region 3: Capital |
| Dan Maillet, Westchester | Family Member | Region 3: Hudson Valley - Westchester |
| Mayer Buchinger | Professional | Region 3: Hudson Valley - Orange, Sullivan & Rockland |
| Vacant | Family Member | Region 3: Taconic |
| Kathleen Nowak, Staten Island (Co-chair) | Family Member | Region 4: Staten Island |
| Debra Greif, Kings | Family Member | Region 4: Brooklyn |
| Aliya Hussein, Queens | Family Member | Region 4: Bernard Fineson - Queens |
| Mary McGuire-Weafer, New York | Family Member | Region 4: Metro - Manhattan |
| Tina Veale, Bronx | Family Member | Region 4: Metro - Bronx |
| Mary Fasano, Nassau | Family Member | Region 5: Long Island |
Local Advisory Councils
Nineteen local Family Support Services Advisory Councils made up of people with developmental disabilities and their family members help plan, coordinate and monitor the delivery of Family Support Services across the state.
The Statewide Family Support Services Committee is made up of one representative from each of the nineteen local Family Support Services Advisory Councils and advises OPWDD regarding families’ support needs and the design, implementation and monitoring of Family Support Services.
If you would like to learn more about the local Family Support Services Advisory Councils or the Statewide Family Support Services Committee, or if you would like to get involved, call 866-946-9733.
Travel Policy
Reimbursement Fund Guidelines
For use in their routine operations, each FSS Local Advisory Council (LAC) will have access to $3,000.00 annually (any remaining funds cannot be rolled over to subsequent years). The annual cycle for these funds will run January through December. These funds are intended to reimburse members in the performance of their duties for all reasonable expenses and operating costs incurred while participating in LAC business.
To ensure a consistent approach with spending practices for each LAC statewide, OPWDD Leadership has developed guidelines for expenditures of these funds.
Reimbursements:
Reimbursable items can include, but are not limited to:
- Rent or costs associated with securing meeting space
- *Care for a dependent family member, except where funding is available through OPWDD services
- *Travel/transportation related costs for meeting participation (mileage reimbursement, car/taxi fare, bus/train tickets) consistent with OPWDD’s travel policy
- Fees associated with establishing or maintaining virtual meeting forums or website maintenance (domain licenses, subscriptions, ZOOM licenses, etc.)
- Software for purposes of facilitating member participation, attending to the direct functions of the LAC
- Fees should be for one account per LAC
- Costs associated with electronic survey tools
- Office supplies (e.g., postage, writing implements)
- Items which facilitate meetings, inclusive of hospitality expenses (e.g., food and beverage, utensils)
- Food/beverage costs will be capped at $20 per person
- Expenses associated with advertising/outreach costs (e.g., printed materials, brochures, mailings, promotional merchandise, signage)
- Expenses associated with member participation in annual trainings, daylong conferences, etc. (e.g., conference and training fees)
*Extends to travel and childcare costs incurred for member in-person participation/attendance at annually scheduled provider site reviews. It is the expectation that Medicaid reimbursement is maximized where eligible.
Excluded items include, but are not limited to:
- Items which are not directly associated with LAC business or duties.
- Items/services which are intended for the personal, private use/benefit of the member or their family
- Excessive costs/expenses beyond what would typically be afforded for a good/service
- Luxury items
- Gifts and gratuities
OPWDD reserves the ability to deny reimbursement of an item/service should it not meet the criteria listed within this policy.
Accounting for expenses charged against the $3,000.00 annual allocation will remain a reimbursement-based, receipted method model. Receipts should clearly identify total amount, date of purchase, item/service purchased, and supplier/vendor. As available, original store/vendor receipts or invoices should be submitted.
All LAC reimbursements must be reviewed and approved by one designated LAC point person (e.g. the LAC treasurer) prior to submission to OPWDD. All requests for reimbursement to OPWDD must be submitted by the designated LAC point person.
Reimbursement documentation, to include receipts and completed Claim for Payment forms, should be submitted on a routine basis no less than once per calendar quarter and no more than once per month to their DDRFO FSS Coordinator for review and vetting. The DDRFO FSS Coordinator will submit the reimbursement documentation to Central Operations via [email protected] for review and timely processing. The FSS Coordinator will work with their local council rep to ensure the reimbursement request meets the intent of this policy.
Approved reimbursement(s) should be directed to one ‘point person’ designated by each LAC. Optionally, additional members of the LAC may have reimbursements directed to them. To be eligible to receive reimbursement, the designated LAC point person and any additional members must complete a form AC 32837-S Request for Taxpayer Identification Number & Certification and submit this form to OPWDD prior to any reimbursement request.
Once reimbursement is issued, the designated ‘point person’ should demonstrate that reimbursement has been appropriately dispersed through LAC’s own internal record keeping, fiscal tracking, and/or due diligence practices. Central Operations will be tracking these reimbursements on an ongoing basis. Where the reimbursement methodology is prohibitive due to financial hardships, such as for large printing orders, direct purchase by OPWDD may be permitted. This should be identified to the DDRFO FSS Coordinator. If the DDRFO FSS Coordinator approves, the request will be sent to the OPWDD Central Office SPS FSS team for final approval. In instances where direct purchase requests are approved OPWDD will make the direct purchases. Expenditures made directly by OPWDD will be charged against local Advisory Council funds.
DDRFO FSS Coordinator will facilitate any and all steps as needed throughout this reimbursement process.
As applicable to Statewide FSS Committee members only, travel expenses are addressed in the OPWDD Travel Policy for Committee Members currently in effect and are considered outside of this policy guidance.
Forms: