Dowling College
ASC 128

Presentation Write-Up

Developmentally disabled and mentally retarded people living in New York State

It is estimated that there are approximately 325,000 developmentally disabled and mentally retarded people living in New York State. Only since the late 1970’s has there been a movement away from placing the developmentally disabled and mentally retarded in large institutions. Due to public awareness and large efforts of the governmental agencies we have changed our thinking and actions toward the treatment of people with special needs. Over the years we have seen the service system not only grow but change dramatically. The services that are offered today specialize in treating people as individuals, and incorporating families and communities into their everyday lives.

Developmental disabilities are conditions that become apparent during childhood and cause mental or physical limitations. These conditions include, autism, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, mental retardation, and other neurological impairments. The causes vary greatly and can occur before, during or after birth. Some of the causes are found to be from genetic abnormalities, poor prenatal care (which seems to be found in low socio-economic conditions) exposure of the fetus to toxic elements such as drugs and or alcohol, possibly exposure of the fetus from the cutoff of oxygen due to delivery, and from accidents after birth that have caused brain trauma. Although the developmentally disabled face a more challenging future then many, a large percent can still enjoy a full and active life.

The first disability that I discussed was mental retardation. Mental retardation is classified on the following three criteria. The first is that the person has an I.Q. of less then 70-75. Secondly, the person has significant limitations in two or more of those skills that one needs for everyday life, work and play. Lastly it is present from childhood, which is considered under age eighteen. The second disability is cerebral palsy, which is a group of conditions that result in limited or abnormal functioning in the parts of the brain that control movement. They have difficulty with muscular coordination, and they often are unable to see, speak, hear or learn as others do. Epilepsy applies to nervous system disorders that result in abnormal electrical discharges of brain cells which produces seizures. Advances in medicine have made it possible to control many forms of epilepsy, and most people with the condition are able to lead normal lives. The next disorder is autism, which limits learning and slows intellectual development. They have a large difficulty relating and responding to people, events or objects. Neurological impairments are a group of disabilities including disorders of the brain and central nervous system that considerably limit a persons development, understanding, memory, attention span, fine muscle control, use of language, or ability to adjust to new situations. They experience a variety of learning difficulties as well as social behavior problems.

The next topic is the OMRDD-The New York State Office of Mental retardation and Developmental Disabilities. The office became an independent agency on April 1, 1978. Their mission is as follows: to develop a integrated system of services which primarily promotes independence, inclusion, individuality, and productivity for the developmentally disabled & mentally retarded. Also to serve a full range of their needs by expanding the number and types of community based services, and to develop new methods of service delivery. To have effectiveness and efficiency of the services offered may be improved, and to develop programs to further the prevention and early detection of mental retardation and developmental disabilities. They operate 13 Developmental Disabilities Service Offices (DDSO) that provide programs in one or more counties.

These offices provide specially designed person centered assistance to each individual, and seek to improve the quality of life for the individuals and their families. The OMRDD also conducts research at its institute for basic research located on Staten Island. There are 5 governing principals of the OMRDD and its offices. Theses are used to ensure that people with developmental disabilities receive supports and services to successfully live in their chosen environment. The First one states that a person with a developmental disability shall relate to his or her family, friends, and communities when and how he or she chooses. Next, they shall be as independent as possible and determine the direction of his or her life. They shall have the opportunity to make life choices that do not compromise health and safety, and such choices shall be respected and valued. It also states that they should have the opportunity to communicate his or her fears and have them addressed, and not to be subjected to fear or harm or reprisal in connection with the provision of supports and services. Lastly, they should receive supports and services which are effective and meet his or her needs.

[Chart omitted]

This chart shows the changing in the services offered and used by the mentally retarded and developmentally disabled. The red bar shows the amount of people living in developmental centers each year. As you can see form the graph, there has been a dramatic decrease from 18,000 in 1978 to just over 2,000 in 1998. The green bar shows the amount of people living in community residences over the past 30 years. There are currently over 32,000 persons living in community residences, which is five times as much from 1978. The blue bar shows the amount of people using day treatment services, which has grown almost three times as much, close to 60,000 persons. The yellow bar indicates the persons using the family support services provided by the OMRDD. There are currently around 25,000 families receiving theses services.

NYS CARES stands for New York State Creating Alternatives in Residential Environments and Services. This is a five year program for ongoing out-of-home residential development for people with mental retardation and developmental disabilities who live in communities throughout New York State. People who need and want these homes, who are eligible and are on a waiting list under this program will have the

following:

- Access to community based services consistent with their needs.

- They shall also play a role in developing the services through a one-on-one approach.

- They will be able to continue their relationships with family, friends, and others.

- They shall also have the opportunity for increased independence, individualization, and inclusion in their communities. This initiative will create movement within the system, increasing the availability of a greater variety of services. It will also increase customer satisfaction by enhancing the programs ability to match services to individual needs.

The next topic I discussed was the ADA, The Americans with Disabilities Act, which was signed into law in 1990. It is a civil rights legislation that extends to persons with disabilities the same protection against discrimination. It covers all aspects of participation in society. Under employment, it prohibits discrimination in recruitment, pre-employment screening, hiring and promotion practices as well as layoffs and terminations. The employers must also make any modifications necessary for the disabled. Under public services one cannot deny services to people with disabilities that areavailable to those without, and therefore public transportation systems must be accessible to individuals with disabilities.

Under the public accommodations, all new construction and any modifications must be accessible to people with disabilities. Under the telecommunications, these companies that provide service must also have a telephone relay service for people who use deaf devices or similar devices. The miscellaneous section is a provision prohibiting coercing, threatening or retaliating against the disabled of those aiding them.

Lastly, I spoke about Special Olympics New York. The concept started in the early 1960’s when a day camp for the mentally retarded showed that they were far more capable then experts had thought. In 1968, the first international special Olympics were held in Chicago, were 1,000 athletes from the US, Canada, and France competed. In 1969, Special Olympics NY was founded and held its first games in Rochester. Today SONY is the largest program of its kind in the U.S. It serves nearly 40,000 athletes with the support of more than 32,000 volunteers. The goal of SONY is to help persons with mental retardation participate as productive and respected members of society by offering them a fair opportunity to develop and demonstrate their skills and talents through sports training and competition. They also hope to increase the publics awareness of their capabilities and needs. SONY provides for children and adults year round education, sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic style sports. It gives them the ability to develop physical fitness, to demonstrate courage, to experience joy, and to participate in sharing gifts, skills, and friendships with families, athletes and their communities. SONY is run almost entirely by volunteers, who come from all walks of life to donate their time. Some donate a few hours twice a year and some a few hours a week, but it give the people power that is necessary to organize and conduct the programs in their comminutes.

The feedback I received from the class on my presentation was very positive. Each student expressed points to me that will help me perform better in the future. This is what we call constructive-criticism. I will now list some positive and negative comments on my oral presentation.