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Special Education Advocacy
Article 17-A Guardianship of the Surrogate’s Court Procedure Act: Revisiting the Conundrum in the Courts
By Arshi Pal, Esq., Littman Krooks LLP New York State sets 18 as the age of majority and individuals who are 18 years of age or older are deemed to be legally competent to make their own personal, medical and financial decisions. This becomes problematic for individuals with developmental disabilities who are unable to make…
Individuals with Disabilities and Families Should Research Eligibility and Services before Moving to another State
By Sandi Rosenbaum, Educational Advocate, Littman Krooks LLP Relocation to another state is a complex prospect for individuals with disabilities and their families. Jason DaSilva’s NY Times Op-Doc of July 24, “How Healthcare Makes Disability a Trap,” illustrates an important aspect of life for people with disabilities. Mr. DaSilva, who has multiple sclerosis and relies…
New Law Requires Mental Health Education in All Grades in New York Schools
New York students returning to school this fall will find to a new health curriculum that places an increased emphasis on mental health issues. Heightened attention to students’ mental health is required by state education law changes, effective July 1, 2018, that require school officials to deliver instruction on mental health issues for students in…
Yonkers First Responders Disability Registry Aims to Provide Better Emergency Care for Residents with Special Needs
Emergency first responders often possess little more than the information contained in a 911 call and a street address. While this might suffice for most situations, when the emergency involves a resident with special needs, customary rescue operations can be traumatic for the resident and challenging for emergency personnel. To solve this problem, city officials…
May is Mental Health Awareness Month: Take Steps to Work for More Understanding to Save Lives
By Marion M. Walsh, Esq., Littman Krooks LLP Imagine you have an illness that is invisible. You look healthy and are functioning on the surface but are in pain all the time, both emotionally and physically. The illness saps all your strength. You cannot concentrate. Many days, you cannot get out of bed. You often…
Updates on OPWDD Autism Spectrum Disorders Advisory Board Upstate Forum
By Sandi Rosenbaum, Special Education Advocate, Littman Krooks LLP On February 13, 2018, the OPWDD Autism Spectrum Disorders Advisory Board (“the Board”) held an Upstate Forum, which included the Hudson Valley via video-conference. The Board held a second forum in Manhattan on February 22, which included Long Island and Queens via video-conference. In November of…
Updates to New IDEA Website
by Arshi Pal, Esq., Littman Krooks LLP Beginning April 30, 2018, the United States Department of Education has announced that the original “Building the Legacy: IDEA 2004“ website from 2004 will no longer be active. However, parents should not panic. Instead, any individual who visits the website will be redirected to the new Individuals with…
Building Resilience in Youth after Recent Storms and Other Adverse Events
By Marion M. Walsh, Esq., Littman Krooks LLP Many of us still lack power and heat after the storm and many schools are still not open. In addition, students and school staff are facing continued fear and anxiety after the Parkland, Florida shooting. For youth with disabilities, the changes in routines and the increased stress…
Update on Endrew F.
By Arshi Pal. Esq., Littman Krooks LLP Almost a year ago, in a seminal ruling, on March 22, 2017, the Supreme Court of the United States held that school districts must provide an education “reasonably calculated to enable a child to make progress appropriate in light of the child’s circumstances.” The Court was clear that…
New York State Commits $58.9 Million to Certified Housing Opportunities for Individuals with Developmental Disabilities
By Arshi Pal, Esq., and Sandi Rosenbaum, Special Education Advocate On December 18, 2017, New York State Governor, Andrew M. Cuomo announced that the State has awarded $58.9 million to 53 partner agencies, to create 83 certified residences for 459 individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, in the first phase of a multi-year initiative. New…
