A young woman in a wheelchair looks at a tablet with a young man who is sitting on a park bench.

OPWDD Announces New Ombuds Program

Providing Resources for People with IDD

In 2023, Section § 33.28 of the New York State Mental Hygiene Law was enacted to establish the IDD Ombudsman to provide independent, conflict-free Ombudsman services to assist people with developmental disabilities.

OPWDD recently announced that the new program, Independent Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Ombuds (IDDO), headed by Community Service Society of New York, is now open and ready to accept the calls of people with developmental disabilities and their family members in need of assistance resolving concerns, navigating barriers to services, and making the right connections.

IDDO operates independently of OPWDD, and its mission is to act as a resource and advocate for individuals and families as they navigate OPWDD’s programs and services. IDDO provides individualized assistance to individuals, their caregivers, and providers navigating OPWDD supports and services.

Services provided by IDDO include:

  • Explaining the Front Door or the first step in getting OPWDD services
  • Helping individuals obtain necessary documents for the OPWDD eligibility and service authorization process
  • Educating individuals and families on Self-Direction
  • Understanding the role of Care Coordination Organizations, including the role of Care Managers in service authorization and coordination; facilitating communication with care managers
  • Informing individuals and their Circle of Support on the purpose of The Life Plan and advising them on how to address issues with their Life Plan
  • Providing resources and referrals for Housing
  • Understanding how to report Abuse/Neglect to the Justice Center
  • Counseling on complaints, grievances, and fair hearings

IDDO is not meant to replace the current mechanisms for accessing services. It is meant to provide an avenue for resolving issues and complaints when existing mechanisms have not produced a resolution. People with developmental disabilities and their families should continue to work with their Care Managers and their Care Coordination Organizations when it comes to service access and coordination.

To contact the new Ombuds program for assistance, call the free and confidential helpline: 1-800-762-9290 or email idd@cssny.org.

For more information about the program, visit https://www.cssny.org/programs/entry/iddo.