Future Planning Forums
OPWDD WANTS TO HEAR FROM YOU!
We are excited to kickoff our 2026 OPWDD Future Planning Forums.
This summer, OPWDD will be holding forums across New York State to share updates about our work and hear from you. This year is especially exciting as it will officially kick off our work on our next five-year OPWDD Strategic Plan.
The following forums have been scheduled:
| Setting | Date | Time | Location & Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| In-Person | 06/09/26 | 1:00 - 3:00 PM | New York City OPWDD Regional Office, 5th Floor Conference Room 25 Beaver Street, New York, NY 10004 Please bring a state issued photo ID and sign-in at the security desk |
| In-Person | 06/22/26 | 5:00 - 7:00 PM | Westchester Westchester Institute for Human Development (WIHD) 20 Plaza West, Valhalla, NY 10595 |
| In-Person | 07/07/26 | 5:00 - 7:00 PM | Capital District Albany Public Library, Large Auditorium 161 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12210 |
| Virtual Evening | 07/09/26 | 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM | Online https://meetny-gov.webex.com/weblink/register/r610b8bee155e093c9d3052dd275eb07e |
| Virtual Daytime | 07/14/26 | 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM | Online Register Below. https://meetny-gov.webex.com/weblink/register/r79b3a59b2dbd2005ff9204adafff4fd5 |
| In-Person | 07/15/26 | 5:30 - 7:30 PM | Western New York Buffalo Central Library, Auditorium 1 Lafayette Square, Buffalo, NY 14203 Please use Clinton Street Entrance |
| In-Person | 07/16/26 | 11:00AM - 1:00PM | Southern Tier Southern Tier Independence Center 135 East Frederick Street Binghamton, NY 13904 |
ASL will be available at all forums. Interpretation in languages other than English is available upon request.
Improving Our System of Services
Section 5.07 of the NYS Mental Hygiene Law requires OPWDD to produce an annual report describing its 5-year Strategic Plan and provide the report to the Governor and legislature by November 1st of each year. In 2021, we launched a new strategic planning process. In May 2022, OPWDD issued a draft Strategic Plan, and in November 2022, we released the final 2023-2027 Strategic Plan. The final plan encompassed extensive public input gathered over 18 months of regional forums, public hearings and meetings with stakeholders across New York. The final Strategic Plan will guide OPWDD policy and planning efforts for the next several years, focusing the agency on achieving identified goals and objectives in continued partnership with people with developmental disabilities, their family members, and service providers. Each year since, OPWDD has issued an annual report to update stakeholders on the progress made in supporting the plan's goals. The Developmental Disabilities Advisory Council was established within the NYS Mental Hygiene Law and is tasked with providing recommendations on statewide priorities, planning and process evaluations. The DDAC is an important partner in OPWDD’s strategic planning process.
2025 Strategic Plan Annual Report
OPWDD has released the 2025 Strategic Plan Annual Report. This Report represents an important step toward the goals outlined in our 2023-2027 Strategic Plan and outlines how OPWDD is intentionally integrating them into our daily work.
Strategic Plan Goals
Goal 1: Strengthen Our Workforce, Technology, and Collaboration
Advance the service system’s infrastructure by investing in the workforce, updating data technology, and improving decision-making through collaboration.
Direct Support Workforce
Improve the recruitment, retention, and quality of the direct support workforce.
Data Access and Technology
Invest in technology that provides more timely information and increases the availability of data.
Stakeholder Engagement and Collaboration
Promote stakeholder engagement and collaboration to inform decision-making.
Goal 2: Transform Our System through Innovation and Change
Expand the system’s ability to empower people by strengthening supports, simplifying policies, and exploring new approaches to providing services.
Supports and Services
Strengthen the quality, effectiveness, and sustainability of supports and services.
Regulatory and Policy Changes
Change policies to create greater flexibility, increase opportunity for community integration, and incentivize improved personal outcomes.
Research and Innovation
Conduct research, evaluate programs, and test new methods for providing services.
Goal 3: Enhance Our Person-Centered Supports and Services
Children, Youth, and Young Adults
Ensure children, youth, and young adults receive appropriate and coordinated services.
Complex Needs
Expand supports for people with complex behavioral and medical needs.
Cultural and Ethnically Diverse Communities
Address gaps in services for underserved, culturally, and ethnically diverse communities.
American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA)
Federal Funding to Advance Home and Community Based Services