June 20, 2024
The NYS Council on Developmental Disabilities (CDD) and the NYS Office for New Americans (ONA) Celebrate Success of the ONA Ramirez June Initiative
In recognition of Immigrant Heritage Month, new video released highlighting new American stories navigating DD services
In recognition of Immigrant Heritage Month in June, the New York State Council on Developmental Disabilities (CDD) and the NYS Department of State’s Office for New Americans (ONA) are celebrating the success of a CDD-supported five-year pilot program to assist new Americans with developmental disabilities (DD) and their families to connect with vital resources, information, and services. The CDD and ONA have partnered to release a video and final report highlighting the successes of this initiative.
Over the last five years, the initiative has effectively connected with new Americans in many ways, including:
- Holding more than 115 outreach events across New York State.
- Engaging with more than 3,500 people at outreach events with 98.9% of participants providing positive feedback.
- Distributing nearly 4,200 free copies of Voyage, a multilingual illustrated resource book the initiative created on the early identification of disabilities.
- Circulating 4,500 copies of the CDC’s “Learn the Signs. Act Early” (LTSAE) campaign to new American families, community-based organizations, and pediatric practices.
Learn more about the success of this initiative by reading the comprehensive Final Report.
The CDD has created a video showcasing the work of the Ramirez June Initiative and its impact on new Americans with developmental disabilities, their families, and the systems that support these communities. The video discusses the purpose of the initiative, highlights the partnerships that made the project possible, and shares the stories of New American families trying to access DD services. The video also features the Ramírez family and the family of Siewling (June) Lum, after whom the program is named.
“The ONA Ramirez June Initiative provides an opportunity to for us to tap into the deep knowledge that exists in the Office for New Americans in order to start breaking down barriers to accessing services that exist in a very real way” said Kristin Proud, CDD Executive Director. “Individuals who come to this country with family members who have developmental disabilities may not know what services are out there and how to access them”.
“In New York, we fully understand the challenges many families when faced with complex barriers. Such hurdles as language and lack of information can push back their ability to get services for a loved one with developmental disabilities,” said Secretary of State Walter T. Mosley. “This video makes me incredibly proud of the work the Office for New Americans has done through the Ramirez June Initiative to connect immigrants with disabilities with services that make a difference in their lives by providing them with the necessary tools to thrive and contribute to our great state.”
“OPWDD’s partnership with the NYS Department of State’s Office of New Americans and the NYS Council on Developmental Disabilities has allowed us to better understand the intersecting needs of new Americans with disabilities,” said OPWDD Commissioner Kerri Neifeld. “Together, we are working to address the barriers that new Americans with developmental disabilities and their families experience when trying to access needed services.”
The mission of the CDD is to enhance the lives of New Yorkers with developmental disabilities and their families through programs that promote self-advocacy, participation, and inclusion in all facets of community life. The Council works under its core values recognizing disability as a natural part of the diverse human experience, seeking input from people representing diverse perspectives and experiences, ensuring people with DD and family members are agency decision makers, and promoting equity in access to services and resources.
The New York State Office for New Americans (ONA) is the nation’s first statutorily created immigrant services office. ONA has partners across the state that are hosted in community-based organizations that deliver a variety of services and support, to New York’s new American communities. These sites are the focal point for communities to embrace immigrants by providing them with the tools necessary to thrive and contribute to our state.
Any immigrant needing free legal assistance or immigration advice is urged to call the New Americans Hotline at 1-800-566-7636 9AM to 8PM (ET), Monday through Friday. All calls are confidential. Assistance is available in more than 200 languages.
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This program is supported by funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Community Living.