An Inspiring Story Growing up, LIFEPlan member Megan Minnick and her sister Kate cherished their sibling relationship. The two spent a lot of time together doing the things sisters do. When they grew up, Kate married and established a home…
Continue ReadingChoosing Success | Choosing Self Direction Mike is a LIFEPlan member from Hamilton, NY who has Self Direction services that give him access to many different aspects of life that he might otherwise not have. What is Self Direction? Self…
Continue ReadingMembers Go the Extra Mile to Advocate for their Services LIFEPlan members depend on Care Management Services funded through OPWDD. Now, OPWDD is planning to cut another 23% from the CCOs’ budget after a 16% cut in late 2020. In just…
Continue ReadingLIFEPlan Member has a Passion for Videography LIFEPlan member Brandy Parker resides in Sydney, NY, has dealt with the impacts of COVID-19 through her passion for videography. “COVID has changed my life both physically and emotionally. I haven’t been able…
Continue ReadingDetails and Essentials “It’s all in the details!” The term “essential worker” has become familiar to all of us since COVID-19 took hold of the world. It is often used to refer to doctors, nurses, first responders, and direct support professionals as these roles are visible to the public. As we have learned though, there…
Continue ReadingDevelopmental Milestones: The Silver Lining Developmental milestones are the silver lining in our lives. They are something that we have never taken for granted having two sons with autism. But we never give up. They are 22 and 20 now,…
Continue ReadingLIFEPlan member and self-advocate on the Member & Family Advisory Council, Brendan Klein, 25, has turned his love for film-making and social media into opportunities for hundreds of other young adults with disabilities to make friends, share their experiences and…
Continue ReadingI’m sure this is a pretty universal experience when living with a disability. You enter a room and most of the eyes in the room focus on you. Maybe it’s just a glance. But hey, is that person staring at…
Continue ReadingFor LIFEPlan member Spencer Blevins, challenges are part of everyday life. Spenser is a young man on the Autism Spectrum but that has not stopped him from doing what he loves. Spencer was struggling in school. Like many who have autism, he needed support learning how to respond to different social situations. In a homeschool…
Continue ReadingLIFEPlan Member and Hudson Valley Regional Liaison Stacy Mason shares the story of her family journey with a seizure disorder. In my 16 years working as a Social Worker and Parent Trainer with special needs families, I had worked with many families whose…
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