Establish Regional Disability Clinics To Increase Access to Primary and Specialty Care

Modernize Research in Developmental Disabilities and Honoring the Significance of Willowbrook

Support Businesses Hiring New Yorkers With Disabilities Through Expanded State Tax Credit

Improve Availability of Medicaid Services for Wheelchair Users

Create an American Sign Language Interpreter Fellowship Pilot

Facilitate Innovative Therapies for Spinal Cord Injuries

Governor Kathy Hochul announced today new initiatives focused on enhancing support for New Yorkers with disabilities as part of her 2025 State of the State. The Governor’s proposals will increase support for New Yorkers with disabilities in the health care system, in the workplace and through expanded advanced research opportunities.

“Every New Yorker deserves the chance to live with dignity, independence, and opportunity,” Governor Hochul said. “Together we will break down barriers — whether it’s through better healthcare, more job opportunities or improved mobility. These steps are about giving people with disabilities the support they need to thrive, because when we lift up everyone, we make New York stronger for all.”

Create Regional Disability Clinics

People with disabilities have the same basic healthcare needs as people without disabilities, but often experience lower rates of preventative screening and higher rates of disease. To reduce barriers to health care, Governor Hochul will designate and provide funding for regional disability clinics that will specialize in providing primary and specialty care to people with developmental disabilities.

Modernize Research for Disabilities and Create a Center for Learning at the Former Willowbrook State School

Governor Hochul has announced a $75 million investment to modernize the Institute for Basic Research (IBR) in Staten Island, part of New York State’s Office for People With Developmental Disabilities. The funding will establish a Genomics Core Facility to identify genetic causes of developmental disabilities, enhancing diagnosis, treatment, and understanding of related health issues. In addition, the IBR renovation will include the transformation of former Willowbrook State School property into a Center for Learning to recognize the historical significance that the former residents of Willowbrook and their family advocates had in sparking New York State’s disability rights movement and on influencing the developmental disabilities delivery system nationwide.

Expand the NYS Tax Credit for Businesses that Hire People with Disabilities

The Workers with Disabilities Employment Tax Credit supports businesses in employing people with disabilities and making reasonable accommodations for workers with disabilities. Governor Hochul announced plans to increase the maximum tax credit from $2,100 to $5,000 and simplify the application process to increase the number of businesses successfully welcoming employees with disabilities.

Support Mobility for People with Physical Disabilities

Wheelchairs are foundational to disabled individuals’ civil rights, autonomy, dignity, and independence, allowing individuals with disabilities to participate in necessary activities and daily life. As critical as wheelchairs are, many Medicaid enrollees face unnecessary and avoidable barriers to having and maintaining functioning wheelchairs. To address these challenges and help fulfill the State’s ongoing commitment to people with physical disabilities, Governor Hochul will increase wheelchair access for Medicaid members by increasing rates for clinical specialty evaluation for new wheelchairs. This will expand coverage for repairs of previously owned power chairs, in addition to expanding coverage of routine and preventative maintenance for wheelchairs. This will help prevent costly breakdowns, minimize downtime for users, and extend the lifespan of the equipment. These changes will support the mobility, health, and independence of people with physical disabilities, remove avoidable barriers to necessary medical equipment, and solidify Governor Hochul's commitment to creating a more inclusive environment for all New Yorkers.

Create an ASL Interpreter Fellowship Pilot

Governor Hochul knows the strength and value of New York’s communities of Deaf, DeafBlind, and Hard of Hearing. She recognizes the statewide difficulties of finding enough American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters to address the communication needs of those who require ASL interpreters. New York, as a whole, struggles with a severe shortage of ASL interpreters amid a nationwide shortage that has been ongoing for decades. With the guidance of the New York State Deaf, DeafBlind, Hard of Hearing (DDBHH) Office launched in early 2024, Governor Hochul will build a localized ASL interpreter fellowship pilot program to increase the number of successful and skilled New York ASL interpreters. This pilot program will partner experienced ASL interpreter mentors with new ASL interpreter fellows to successfully guide the new ASL interpreters through developing professional skills, establishing roots in New York communities, and sustaining the community integration of Deaf, DeafBlind, and Hard of Hearing New Yorkers who rely on ASL interpreters.

Facilitate Innovative Therapies for Spinal Cord Injuries

Each year, close to 1,300 New Yorkers suffer traumatic spinal cord injuries. Governor Hochul will introduce legislation to expand the scope of the Spinal Cord Injury Research Board. This change will add quality of life issues to the Board’s scope, thus allowing the Board to fund additional research to improve the physical, mental, and social wellbeing of thousands of New Yorkers with spinal cord injuries.

Office for People With Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) Acting Commissioner Willow Baer said, “For another year, Governor Hochul’s State of the State announcement includes investments that will support people with developmental disabilities across the state. The expansion of OPWDD’s Institute for Basic Research will establish a Genomics Core Facility to allow for customized identification of genetic conditions underlying people’s disabilities and allow for modernization of the facility.In addition, the former Willowbrook State School property will be rehabbed and transformed into a Center for Learning to recognize the historical significance that the former residents of Willowbrook and their family advocates had in sparking New York State’s disability rights movement and on influencing the developmental disabilities delivery system nationwide.The proposed expansion of employment tax credits for businesses that hire people with disabilities aligns with all the state has already undertaken to make NY an Employment First State and improved access to dental care and the creation of regional health clinics for people with developmental disabilities will help close the health equity gap for this population. I applaud Governor Hochul for these investments and for making issues important to New Yorkers with disabilities a priority.”

Chief Disability Officer Kimberly Hill Ridley said, “Through these many initiatives aimed at improving several aspects of life for New Yorkers with disabilities, Governor Hochul has yet again demonstrated her commitment to prioritizing the needs that people with disabilities face every single day. I am honored to be able to help pursue these initiatives and look forward to working throughout 2025 to bring these approaches to life. I strongly believe that prioritizing, among other things, employment, health equity, the very-marginalized Deaf, DeafBlind and Hard of Hearing community, and a variety of research projects regarding disabilities that this year will be exceptionally productive for New York’s disability community.”