OMRDD honors two members at Long Island DDSO
ByDEBORAHA.MILES do.’Wefocusontheclient,withinthe about300childrenunderherwing,from
Somepeopleinvestapartofthemselves availableresources.EventhoughIwas theQueensbordertothetipofMontauk,
inwhatevertheydo. abletobaskinthisgloryforalittlewhile,I andhelpsthemtostaywiththeirfamilies
StephanieEarleandBhagawatiprasad couldnotforgetthefactitisbecauseofthe throughaprogramcalledCareAtHome.
Parmarare“investors”–workingwith teamwearesuccessful.” Earlecommunicateswiththeir
developmentallydisabledindividuals,and caseworkers,andseestoitthesespecial-
takingtheirjobstoanotherlevel. Challenges needschildrencanstayathomeby
ItistheextracarethatputEarleand Thesuccessliesinturningthelives arrangingfortheirhealthcareneeds.
Parmarontheradarscreenwhenthestate aroundofbehaviorallychallenged Shealsogoesbeyondwhatisexpected
OfficeofMentalRetardationand individuals.Mr.Boverseesabout40 ofher.
DevelopmentalDisabilities(OMRDD) peoplewholiveinintermediatecare Earletookoneofherclientstoa
selectedthemas2008employeesofthe facilitiesandsufferfromamyriadof wedding.Itwasnoordinaryevent.She
year. psychiatricdisabilitiesandsexualbehavior madesurethe35-year-oldwheelchair-
Theywereamong23individualswhom problems. boundmanwasproperlydeckedoutina
OMRDDCommissionerDianaJonesRitter “Theycomeherewithchronic tuxedo.Hewasunabletospeakbutwas
referredtoasthe“creamofthecrop”atan conditions,”Mr.Bsaid.“Ihaveonecase veryawareofhissurroundings.
awardsceremonyheldOctober27in thatisverychallenging.Theindividualis Earlbroughttheyoungmantohis
Albany. verybright,butisahandful.Sincethis mother’shome,aplacehehadnotseenfor
Parmar,alicensedmastersocialworker clientwasaboutsixyearsold,hehad 15years.Thereandathisbrother’s
atLongIsland sexualbehaviorproblems.Hismotherwas weddingreception,theyoungmanwas
DevelopmentalDisabilities adrugaddictandhelivedwithother greetedbymanyfamilymembersand
ServicesOffice(LIDDSO)is dysfunctionalfamilies.Thenhegot friends.
referredtoas“Mr.B.” involvedwithgangsandendedupina “Itwassotouching.Hegottoseeallhis
(Not to be confused with facilityrunbythestateOfficeofChildren relatives.Weweresogladhehadahappy
PEF Trustee Olubiyi andFamilyServices. timewithhisfamily,”Earlesaid.“Hedied
Sehindemi). “Wearetryingtoworkwithhimto shortlyaftertheevent.Itstillmakesme
HispeerssayMr.Bis
PARMAR
removehis choke-upjustthinkingaboutit.”
abletobringclarityand misconceptionsaboutlife Earlesaidthemostimportantthingis
simplicitytocomplex andmakeatransitionfor totreatthespecial-needspopulationwith
matters,disarmhostility, him.Wearehopefulhe respect,andtotakecareofthemasyou
andcounselindividualsandfamilieswith willcomearound.” wouldliketobecaredfor.
compassion,sensitivityandakeenwit. “Manycan’tvocalizewhattheywant.We
“Allwhoworkwithhimcan’tsay Going beyond areheretogivethemwhattheyneed,”
enoughabouthim,”saidPEFDivision209 Earle,acommunity Earlesaid.“Itisknowingwhatistheright
CouncilLeaderCarolFerrante.“Hegoes mentalhealthnurseat thingtodo.”
beyondhisrole.” LIDDSO,devoteshertime Earlefoundoutaboutherawardwhen
“Therecognitionreallygoestoallofmy toevaluatingand
team,”Mr.Bsaid.“Thepeopleintheunit assistingverymedically
whereIworkhavecreatedacultureof‘can frailchildren.Shehas
EARLE
herpeerstookhertolunch.
“Iwastakenaback,”shesaid.“Iwas
speechless,andI’mnotusuallythatway.”
Affordable housing, an ’09 priority
AtthePEF2008annualconvention,a opportunities,membersinNYCmaywant peoplefindaffordablehousing.They
resolutionwaspassedtohelpmembers toinvestigateanumberofresources. include:
findaffordablehousing,especiallyin MarthaNadellrecentlymadenews •NeighborsHelpingNeighborsin
downstateareas. whenshewonahousinglotteryjustby Brooklyn,(718)686-7946or
DelegateLuisAcostaofthestate beingnumber40inalistofafewhundred nhnhome.org.
DivisionofHousingandCommunity whoapplied.Thisassociateprofessorof •TheNeighborhoodHousingServicesof
Renewal(HCR)inNewYorkCitysaidhis EnglishatBrooklynCollegequalifiedinthe NYCat(212)519-2500andat
officeisinundatedwithrequestsforhelp FifthAvenueCommitteelotterywithan nhsnyc.org.
withhousingissues. incomecapof$96,000.Beforethey •TheNYCAffordableHousingresource
Attheconvention,AcostaproposedPEF handedherthekeystoabrownstone,the CenterandtheDepartmentofHousing
seeklegislationtoallowandprovide FifthAvenueCommitteemadesureshe PreservationandDevelopmentcan
membersinformationonstatefinanced couldaffordit. bothbereachedatnyc.govorby
housingdevelopmentswithaffordable Alongwithlotteryinformation,the calling311forhousinginformation.
rents,andstateprogramswhichcouldgive BrooklynCollegeLibraryoffersmany •Nyhomeisavailableat(212)-688-
stateemployeeslowcost/lowinterest resultsforaffordablehousing. 4000,andnyhomes.org.
homemortgagesinareaswherehousing Forexample,HCRoffersanonline Forthosewhowanttorent,try
costsareprohibitivelyhigh. affordablehousingdirectoryas theRentStabilizationAssociation
WhilePEFisworkingondeveloping wellasotherinformational atCUNY.Thecontactpersonis
legislationtoenablememberstoapplyfor resourcesatdhcr.state.ny.us. BurtSacksat
state-fundedandaffordablehousing Localorganizationsalsohelp burt.sacks@mail.cuny.edu.
Page16—TheCommunicatorFebruary2009 PEFInformationLine:1-800-553-2445
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