LIFSCC BOARD MEMBERS
COLLEEN KUNKEL Chair
KATHY CALLAHAN, Co-Chair
DAVID WEINGARTEN, Co-Chair
MARY FASANO, Corresponding Secretary
LINDA MANTON, Recording Secretary
BARBARA SQUILLACIOTI, Treasurer
CATHY AZIZ, Information Technology Officer
MICHAEL BUFFA
JUDY GREENBERG
ED HAND
ELISE KASAN
BOB POLICASTRO
KATHLEEN QUINN
ELIZABETH (Tootsie) RIPP
JOANN RIPP
Who are the members of the Consumer Councils?
The membership is open to any volunteers who have a family member
with a
developmental disability living full time in their family home. Family
Support
Council
members are parents and family members just like you. The
Family Support Services
Coordinator in your local area can give you
information on how you
may participate in
your local Family Support Consumer Council. It is
the goal
of the Consumer Council to
advocate on behalf of all families who have family members with a developmental
disability and to continually improve the quality
of
services for individuals and families
throughout New York State. Local
Councils welcome new members and strive for
representation of all
cultures, ages, levels of need and geographic distribution.
What is the role of the Consumer Council?
The Council's role is to provide a strong voice for individuals and families
on the local
level, working with and through the DDSO to plan, develop and
monitor Family Support
Services in that area.
What is the Consumer Council's goal?
It is the goal of the Consumer Council to evaluate current Family Support
Services
programs to determine whether they meet the needs of families and
individuals who are
receiving the services, and to provide direct input
regarding program viability, assessing
whether or not each one should be
renewed based on its merits and performance record.
To achieve this goal, the
Consumer Council members review Requests for Proposals
(RFPs) submitted by
agencies for new funding, as well as Requests for Renewals
Proposals (RFRPs)
submitted by agencies seeking to renew previously funded programs.
The
Community Council seeks to increase community outreach and to promote awareness
of Family Support Services programs in their local areas.
Services programs?
Evaluation and review is accomplished in many ways; however, it is common
practice for
Councils to send surveys to families and conduct site visits to
Family Support Services
funded programs. Whenever possible, The Council assists the DDSO in reviewing each
program
annually before renewal, and meets with agencies regarding program review as
appropriate.
What process is used to choose proposals that will be funded?
Councils recommend priorities for programs to DDSO directors. Priorities are
derived by
reviewing the Developmental Disabilities Profile 4 (DDP4) which is
OMRDD's needs
assessment form, and also gains input from family members,
individuals served, providers,
local government representatives, advocates and
other concerned individuals. The Councils
review all proposals submitted and
each one is rated according to local priorities.
OUR MISSION
The Long Island Family Support Consumer Council:
Provides the Long Island Developmental Disabilities Service
Office (LIDDSO) with a
consumer and family oriented vision of family support
services and family centered
feedback on services
Advises the LIDDSO on all family support policy matters as
they relate to needs,
resources, program design, and monitoring
Assists the LIDDSO in long term policy issues related to families
Provides a forum for the exchange of ideas and information
on exemplary and innovative
service delivery
The Long Island Family Support Consumer Council Believes:
Families are the greatest natural resource available to
individuals and are the major
providers of support, care, and training of
individuals living at home
Individuals with disabilities need enduring family relationships in a nurturing home
Each family is unique, can define its own needs, and must be
involved in the planning and
evaluation of family supports
Family support must address the total family, not just the individual with a disability
Family support must be easily accessible, culturally sensitive, flexible, and individualized
Family supports must be designed to promote independence and
the inclusion in natural
community settings of the individual with disabilities
A coordinated, statewide system of core services and choices
must be made available to all
families
Family Support Services may include:
Respite – Day, Evening, Weekend, Overnight in or out of the
family home
Information, Referral and Outreach
Family and Individual Counseling
Family Member Training
Recreation – Day, Evening, Summer/Day Camp
Transportation
Sibling Services
Service Coordination
Reimbursement for Purchase of Goods and Services
Crisis Intervention
Home Modification
Advocacy
Behavior Management
Financial and Life Planning Assistance