Developmental Disabilities co-chairs warn of housing and workforce gaps as OPWDD shifts toward self-direction and acuity-based rates

James Bomano, co-chair of the Tompkins County Developmental Disabilities subcommittee and assistant director of day services at Unity House, and co-chair Jeff Bowles of Finger Lakes Independent Center reported to the board that recent provider closures and workforce shortfalls are reducing local residential capacity and creating pressure on families.

Bomano said the subcommittee has organized four working groups focused on (1) transition planning for students aging out of school, (2) a provider fair to connect families with local services, (3) development of a family support network, and (4) youth services and camp inclusion. He said schools and BOCES partners are engaged and that the group plans a provider fair at Boynton Middle School to increase evening attendance and accessibility for families.

Provider closures and staffing: Bomano and Bowles described multiple recent closures of OPWDD-certified residences in Tompkins County. The presenters said one recent closure by a provider that served two houses translates to roughly 60 local residential beds no longer available; those residents who need OPWDD housing may be placed elsewhere in New York state if higher-priority placements are made. Bomano and Bowles said that many local providers pay about $16ad18 per hour to staff while the local living wage is about $24.82, and they argued the countyad27s upstate OPWDD reimbursement rates do not reflect local cost of living.

State funding changes and program shifts: The co-chairs said OPWDD announced a $385 million infusion for certified residential and day settings and a planned shift to an acuity-based rate-setting model that would pay higher rates for providers serving people with greater needs. Bomano described OPWDDad27s self-direction option, under which individuals receive budgets and hire staff or purchase supports directly; he said about 32,000 New Yorkers had self-direction budgets under OPWDD at the end of 2024, citing the state report.

Impacts on families and continuity of care: Bomano and Bowles warned that when local residential beds close, families who rely on area programs face the prospect of long waits, relocation out of the county and loss of community ties. They said many families want to keep relatives near home and that self-direction options may help some families hire private staff to remain in their homes when residential placements are not available.

Workforce and rate concerns: The presenters said the statead27s prior reimbursement methodology (consolidated fiscal reports-based) did not account for local acuity and that the new acuity-based approach may better align resources with need. They also said that during the pandemic and since, providers have struggled to raise pay and retain staff; Bomano told the board that advocacy in Albany resulted in the recent funding infusion but cautioned it will take time to translate into local staffing improvements.

Next steps: The subcommittee plans to finalize a local workforce survey and use it to document wage gaps and hiring challenges. Bomano said the provider fair, stronger BOCES partnerships and a family support network are immediate priorities.

Board members asked about the cause of recent closures; Bomano and Bowles attributed some closings to operational decisions by agencies that cited staff commute issues and the expense of maintaining residences. The co-chairs asked the board to continue outreach and to help publicize the provider fair and family-support efforts.