Assault on the Needy
by Jennifer Watson
The so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” (OBBBA) is being sold as a bold step forward, but when you peel back the rhetoric, what you find is devastating, particularly for people with disabilities, low-income families, and rural communities. Far from being beautiful, this law threatens to dismantle the very systems people rely on to survive, while shielding the wealthiest Americans from consequence..
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Trump Administration Rolls Back Gains Achieved in 2024
In its relentless quest to preserve and restore unjust inequalities of a bygone age – or so we thought – the Trump Administration has undone gains the disability community has made on multiple fronts, including but not limited to:
Ending the Subminimum Wage..
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The Homeless Under Siege
In our last issue STIC excoriated Governor Kathy Hochul for her initiative to loosen the legal strictures of involuntary commitment in a misguided attempt to address “street crime.” We didn’t mention that we also sent a formal letter to the Executive of Broome County (where our central office is located) criticizing him for providing that misguidance..
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In Opposition to the Medical Aid in Dying (MAID) Bill
By Jennifer Watson
STIC strongly opposes the legislation A.136/S.138, which would legalize physician-assisted suicide in New York State, and we are deeply chagrined that the Assembly and Senate have both passed the bill by narrow margins. While intended to offer compassionate options to individuals facing terminal illness, this legislation presents substantial and well-documented risks for people with disabilities and other vulnerable populations and lacks sufficient safeguards to prevent misuse and harm..
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Fall 2024
Leadership in Health Care, Past & Present
By Jennifer Watson
The world lost a true champion of health care and social justice when Jim Tallon passed away on July 9, 2024. He was one of the most influential figures in shaping health care policy in New York State. Tallon served in the NYS Assembly from 1975 to 1994, representing the Binghamton area. His tenure was marked by a deep commitment to public service and a particular focus on health care reform and accessibility. He was a strong ally of STIC and independent living, especially in the early days of our organization during his time in the Assembly..
Winter 2024-25
Sounding the Alarm
By Jennifer Watson
As we come to the end of 2024 with no concrete plan, I must continue to voice my profound concerns about New York State’s planned transition to a statewide Fiscal Intermediary (FI) for Consumer Directed Personal Assistance (CDPA) Services. Slated for April 1, 2025, this transition threatens to upend the lives of hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers and the stability of a system that empowers people with disabilities to lead independent lives..
Spring 2025
New York State’s Reckless CDPA Transition Endangers Lives
By Jennifer Watson and John McNulty
New York State continues to play politics with the lives of people with disabilities, this time through an abrupt and arbitrary transition to a single fiscal intermediary (FI) for the Consumer Directed Personal Assistance (CDPA) program. This reckless move threatens to disrupt care for hundreds of thousands of individuals who rely on it..
