Empower People with Disabilities

 Tom Abinanti is a leading statewide spokesman for people with special needs.

As father of a young man with autism, former legislator and attorney who represents people with disabilities, Tom Abinanti understands the role government must play to help people who can’t always help themselves. He knows people with different abilities are an under-appreciated resource – given a chance, they can help better our community. He also sees the numerous ways New York State is failing people with disabilities – and how to fix it.

 

MAKING PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES A PRIORITY

As Assemblymember, Tom Abinanti fought for and was the first Chair of a new Assembly Committee on People with Disabilities. He provided the leadership necessary to focus the Legislature on meeting the needs of those with disabilities. Since he left the Assembly, the legislature has passed no significant legislation to better the lives of those with disabilities.

 

IT’S NOT JUST MONEY – IT’S POLICY. 

 

NYS Constitutional Amendment 

Assemblymember Abinanti sponsored a  NYS Constitution Amendment to prohibit discrimination based on disability. It is included in a proposition on the  November 2024 Ballot.

 

Workforce 

Abinanti led the successful effort for the first OPWDD budget increase in 10 years.

 

Housing 

The State has stopped funding needed additional housing despite a long-waiting list of people with disabilities. Assemblymember Abinanti challenged OPWDD to work with families and fund more housing. He passed legislation in the Assembly to facilitate innovative non-certified housing and thwart OPWDD’s attempts to block family-supported housing in the community. The legislation has stalled since he left the Assembly. 

 

Employment  

Assemblymember Abinanti conducted a public hearing to explore barriers to employment and has been working to implement strategies to increase employment and alternative day programs for people with disabilities.

 

Crisis Response

Abinanti has been advocating for a statewide response system, more state money for crisis teams, first-responder training and de-escalation resources.

 

Compensatory Education Services

Assemblymember Abinanti passed a law suspending New York’s age21 age out law so school districts can provide compensatory services for IEP-required services.

 

Early intervention

The State is destroying its previously excellent early intervention program. 

The State has taken over and mismanaged the administration of the program — with therapists fleeing and babies waiting for services. The State has failed to require health insurers to cover usual and routine treatments for people with special needs. 

The cost of deferring solutions is tremendous – not just in wasted lives of people with disabilities but in the additional tax dollars that will eventually be needed to deal with the results of the neglect.

State government must recognize that people with special needs are part of our community and start responding to their needs.

 

AGENDA

Tom Abinanti will insure that the State reaffirms its commitment to people with special needs:

  • Education (sufficient state funding for special education); 
  • Health Care (restore early intervention, require broader insurance company reimbursements); 
  • Housing and daily living assistance (increased number of and adequate funding for facilities, better staff training);
  •  Jobs (job training, incentives for hiring technical assistance for employers); 
  •  Fair and dignified treatment (appropriate first responder training).

 

A HISTORY OF CONCERN

 Assemblyman Abinanti’s advocacy for people with disabilities is not a new concern – it long-predates his election to the Assembly — even predates his son’s autism diagnosis.

When he was a County Legislator, Abinanti developed a special grant program through which Westchester County annually provided assistance to Music Therapy Programs in Westchester. The grants were designed to provide music therapy for children with disabilities in schools throughout Westchester that have a concentration of students who could not otherwise afford these programs.

County Legislator Abinanti served on the Committee on Children with Special Needs of the New York State Association of Counties. 

He has consistently fought against the efforts by various state and county leaders to shift the cost of Early Intervention programs to the real property tax base of school districts. He has worked successfully with a statewide network of parents of children with autism to change New York State laws to help people with autism obtain medical insurance coverage.