Parent Advocacy is The Most IMPORTANT Advocacy of All
For 853 and 4410 schools, the key question to ask legislators is, “If I pay the same taxes as every other New Yorker, why is my child’s school not funded in the same way?”
Brookville Center for Children’s Services (BCCS) is composed of Early Intervention services, 4410 special-education preschools, 853 state-approved school-age programs, and includes home services for preschool and school age, Children’s Residential Program as well as respite and recreation programs.
Federal Issues
Protect Special Education; Tell Congress to conduct Oversight Hearings.
Anticipated movement of special education programs out of the Department of Education will likely reduce access and opportunities for children with disabilities through the loss of agency oversight, accountability, and transparency. Urge Secretary plans to fulfill the Department’s full obligations under IDEA and other authorized disability laws.
Advance Federal Recognition of the DSP Role
The U.S. Senate passed the “Recognizing the Role of Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) Act” (S.3211, H.R. 6137), which requires the Office of Management and Budget to consider updating the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) and recognizing the DSP role as a distinct profession. This leads to data collection and, ideally, more robust funding. The bill now goes to the House of Representatives.
Tell Congress: Restore the office of special education programs
Staff cuts at the U.S. Department of Education have significantly weakened the offices that protect the rights of students with disabilities. The Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) now has very few workers left, with only a small group in charge of the country’s special education and rehabilitation programs.
Protect Medicaid
The “One Big, Beautiful Bill” (OBBB) Act was signed into law—bringing with it significant cuts to federal Medicaid and SNAP funding. Medicaid funds 95% of OPWDD services, including Early Intervention Services; Speech, Occupational, and Physical Therapies; and assistive technology for children with disabilities and delays.
- Continue to share your support for Medicaid.
- If you or someone you know needs help finding meals, visit https://whyhunger.org/.
State issues
The passage of the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” is expected to prompt significant changes in the New York State Legislature, as leaders work to address the impact of cuts to Medicaid, SNAP, and other essential programs affecting children and adults with developmental disabilities and delays. Looking ahead to New York State’s FY27 budget, let’s advocate that legislators:
- Invest in Early Intervention (DOH)
- Prioritize NY 4410 Preschools and 853 School-Age Special Education Schools (SED)
- Advance a 2.7% Targeted Inflationary Increase (TII) to ensure funding accounts for the increased cost of living and providing services.
- And other pressing issues
Stay Connected
- Know your resources, know your rights. New York Department of State’s Office for New Americans has released “Know Your Resources, Know Your Rights.” This is a guide for all New Yorkers, including immigrants, to explain your basic rights regarding interactions with law enforcement, food and nutrition resources, health and wellness, and employment. Click here to visit the website.
- Set up a “lobby visit” with your representatives. Tips available here.
- Sign up for our Regional Advocacy Groups―to connect with fellow advocates and educate candidates on both sides of the aisle about disability rights.
- Share Brookville Center’s social media posts dedicated to advocacy on Facebook and Instagram.