JULY 2007 EDITION WELCOME to the NYAIL newsletter. This monthly e-newsletter is for and about NYAIL and NYAIL members, so please send your comments, suggestions, and items for inclusion to info@ilny.org by July 16 for distribution in August. Please forward this newsletter to board members and staff and encourage them to sign up for their own copy by emailing info@ilny.org with their email address. Sign up now for the FREE webinar series! Upcoming topic: Fundraising-Soup to Nuts The next webinar session, Fundraising Opportunities: an Overview, is scheduled for July 11, 2007 at noon. Every nonprofit is different and every ILC has different needs. A fundraising strategy that works for one organization may not work for another. With limited resources, you simply can’t take advantage of every opportunity that comes along. In this overview of current fundraising trends and the many different ways to raise money, you’ll learn how to: Assess your current fundraising strengths and weaknesses Understand the advantages and disadvantages of different funding sources Decide if you need a development director, fundraising consultant or grant writer Click here for descriptions of and instructions for accessing the remaining webinar sessions! 2007 Legislative Session The 2007 NYS legislative session ended on June 22. We made progress on a number of important policy issues. One major accomplishment was both the Assembly and Senate’s passage of a bill that places Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act into state law. Click here for an overview of the outcome of the legislative priorities identified in NYAIL’s 2007 Disability Priority Agenda. NYS Department of Health Statewide Symposium on Long Term Care Held Planning Today for Tomorrow, the New York State Department of Health Statewide Symposium on Long Term Care, was held on June 21 in Albany. NYAIL Executive Director Melanie Shaw and Bruce Darling of the Center for Disability Rights and the Regional Center for Independent Living presented a workshop on the Independent Living philosophy and the work of ILCs. Susan Dooha of the Center for Independence of the Disabled, New York and Mel Tanzman of Westchester Disabled on the Move joined Bob Gumson of VESID and Nick Rose of the Developmental Disabilities Planning Council to present on the “State Nursing Home Transition Partnerships” project. This project, in which three other ILCs participated, was designed to address barriers to community inclusion. Please click here for a summary of this project. The first speaker of the day was Joe Baker, Assistant Deputy Secretary to Governor Spitzer for Health and Human Services. Mr. Baker stressed the need to address the lack of affordable and accessible housing as a key issue in long term care. Keynote speaker Thomas Nerney, Director and Co-Founder of the Center for Self-Determination, provided a rallying keynote presentation from a disability rights perspective. Mr. Nerney discussed the problems created by the “industrialization of caring.” He described a better long term care system as one that is focused on providing community-based services and enhanced self-determination. Joshua Weiner, Program Director for Aging, Disability and Long Term Care at RTI International, presented the second keynote, which focused on funding strategies to address the needs of people with disabilities. The symposium offered encouragement that New York State will foster the attitude presented through many of the presentations and ensure long term care options are community-based and promote individual choice. Upcoming Events IL NET Online Course: Smooth as SILC-an Introduction to Statewide Independent Living Councils July 23 - August 10, 2007 This online course orients members of SILCs to the laws and regulations that guide their daily activities. It applies the principles and philosophy of independent living to situations commonly encountered by statewide independent living councils. The deadline for registration is July 9, 2007. For additional information, please click here. Americans with Disabilities Act 2007 Disability Rights Panel and Celebration July 24, 2007 ARISE, Inc., with support from the Cornell University ILR School Northeast ADA Center, will facilitate an Americans with Disabilities Act Disability Rights Panel and Celebration on July 24th, 2007 at the Renaissance Hotel in Syracuse. The event will include a presentation on employment and disability rights, a panel discussion with four federal officials on recent federal initiatives related to people with disabilities, and a cake and punch celebration/networking opportunity. Click here to access the registration brochure. IL NET Online Course: Ethics and Values August 13 - 31, 2007 Through this online course presented by ILRU, participants take part in discussions led by the instructor about such topics as the culture and mission of an independent living organization, organization core values, ethical service provision, practical application of ethical codes and ethical demands on the board, executive, and service staff. The deadline for registration is July 30, 2007. For additional information, please click here. New York Association of Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services 25th Silver Anniversary Conference October 3 - 5, 2007 The New York Association of Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services (NYAPRS) will present its 25th Silver Anniversary Conference, 25 Years of Leading the Way to Recovery, Rehabilitation and Rights, at the Nevele Grande Hotel in Ellenville, NY, October 3-5, 2007. The conference will include over 80 workshops and plenary presentations, 16 interstate panels, an arts fair and multicultural exhibition, employment and cultural competence leadership summits, a 25-year NYAPRS retrospective and memorabilia show, and the first annual Criminal Justice Intensive. Please go to http://www.nyaprs.org/ to download the complete conference announcement and registration form.

NYAIL NOTES Updated NYAIL meeting schedule August 3, 2007 special board meeting CANCELLED September 27-28, 2007 Quarterly NYAIL board meeting November 29-30, 2007 Quarterly NYAIL board meeting NEWSFLASH NYS Division of Human Rights (DHR) Reaches Out to ILCs NYS DHR is working to enhance outreach efforts to ensure its representation of the full scope of human rights issues affecting New York’s citizens. As part of this effort, staff from DHR’s External Relations unit are very interested in participating in meetings, conferences or other events addressing disability issues and rights. This is an excellent opportunity for us to strengthen our partnership with a government agency dedicated to protecting the rights of New Yorkers who face discrimination. To invite DHR to attend an event that addresses an important disability rights issue, you may contact Christopher Tester of the New York State Division of Human Rights, at ctester@dhr.state.ny.us or (718) 741-8400. For more information about NYS DHR, please visit http://www.dhr.state.ny.us/. RICH TIPS Evaluating Existing Programs This week we will focus on evaluating your programs. Great care should be taken on designing and implementing your program evaluation because it is the one tool that can provide an accurate (and hopefully objective) look at the impact you are making in the community. The cost of evaluating your programs is a tiny fraction of the money your organization spends implementing these programs. Click here to look at some strategies and approaches that may assist you in the evaluation process. NEWSLETTER INFO Remember, every issue of NYAIL News is archived in the Members Only section of our website (http://www.ilny.org/)! Please contact us at info@ilny.org if have questions about accessing the Members Only section. Please pass this newsletter on to those that would benefit. Email info@ilny.org to subscribe. To unsubscribe from this newsletter, please click reply to this email and put ‘UNSUBSCRIBE’ in the subject line. CONTACT NYAIL One Commerce Plaza 99 Washington Ave Suite 806A Albany, NY 12210 (518) 465-4650 ph (518) 465-4625 fax info@ilny.org http://www.ilny.org/