ANNUAL REPORT 2025
WELCOMETODRNY
Today we reflect on the significant work we have accomplished and the people whose lives have been impacted by our efforts. Each case we handle reinforces the importance of our mission and the responsibility entrusted to us by Congress.
The Protection & Advocacy System (P&A) and the Client Assistance Program (CAP) emerged from a pivotal moment in history when a single camera was secretly brought into Willowbrook State School. This event exposed the abuse and neglect suffered by thousands of individuals with disabilities, broadcasting these harsh realities into the homes of people across the nation.
In response, Congress held hearings and determined that states alone could not effectively monitor the systems meant to protect people with disabilities. In response, they established an independent oversight system.
In 1975, the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights (DD) Act led to the creation of the first P&A program. Congress designed the P&A System to investigate allegations of abuse and neglect, educate the public, and advocate for the civil and legal rights of individuals with disabilities. Their goal was to ensure that the horrific abuses witnessed at Willowbrook would never happen again.
Since becoming New York’s P&A and CAP for New York State, we have been actively addressing long-standing issues that affect the rights and safety of our community. We have achieved meaningful changes and will continue to work tirelessly to fulfill our Congressional mandate.
I invite you to explore our FY25 Annual Report to learn more about our work.
Please let us know which issues are important to you and how we can help.
Timothy A. Clune, Esq.
Executive Director
WHOWEARE
As the Protection&Advocacy (P&A) and ClientAssistanceProgram (CAP) for New York State, all DRNY work is conducted with recognition that the people we serve combat persistent societal stigmatization and can be members of traditionally underserved populations, including BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ communities. We develop systemic advocacy projects to address patterns of discrimination, including state and federal systemic litigation, monitoring and investigation, publishing reports and policymaker education.
BOARDOFDIRECTORS
TheBoard of Directors’ primary responsibility is thegovernanceofournonprofit organization. In collaboration with our advisory councils, they approve the priorities, policies and budget for DRNY. DRNY actively recruits and elects members who are, or have been, a person with a disability or family members of a person with a disability.
AntoinetteJarrettParker Director
AmyD’Amico,Esq. Secretary PAIMI Advisory Council Chairperson
ChristineKonsistorum,CPA President CathleenKenny,CPA Treasurer
AnnScherff Director
RobertTerry PADD Advisory Council Chairperson
EXECUTIVESTAFF
TimothyA.Clune,Esq. Executive Director
DanielleMyers,CPA Chief Financial Officer & Director of Operations
ElisabethTaylor Human Resources Director
JenniferJ.Monthie,Esq. Legal Director
KatrinHaldeman Director Marketing & Communications
PROGRAMDIRECTORS
ChristinaAsbee,Esq. Director PAAT, PAIR & PAVA Programs
JulieMichaelsKeegan,Esq. Director PADD Program
JosephClark,Esq. Director PARP Program
EricaM.Molina,Esq. Director CAP & PABSS Programs
MarcFliedner,Esq. Director PAIMI & PATBI Programs
DavidYoung,Esq. Director Intake
OURCLIENTS
ClientsbyAge
Over this 12 month period,DRNY averaged 230Service Requests per month from individuals throughout New York State. According to the most recent U.S. Census Bureau estimates, there are 2,652,359 individuals with disabilities living in New York State. DRNY handled 2,755Service Requests for 2,495 distinct individuals.
DRNY has assisted some of the most vulnerable individuals in New York State. 362 unique clients were residents of nursing homes, hospitals, correctional facilities, rehabilitation facilities, and youth-focused residential facilities. Of the residents living in the community, 335, or nearly 13.42% of DRNY’s unique clients were under 18. According to census data, individuals under 18 account for only 7.44% of civilian, non-institutionalized individuals with a disability.
ClientsfromUnder-RepresentedGroups
DRNY affirmatively seeks to provide services to historically under-represented groups. The following charts compare race and ethnicity demographics for the entire State of New York with that of DRNY’s clients.
RACE
HISPANICORLATINOORIGIN BYTYPE
2025HIGHLIGHT
InhumaneConditionsatMarcyCorrectionalRMHU
In August 2025, DRNY received complaints of significant human rights abuses and segregated confinement within the Marcy Correctional Facility’s Residential Mental Health Unit (RMHU).
After promptly investigating, DRNY discovered the reported abuse, including the elimination of all mental health and other programming, around-the-clock lock-up in small, overheated cells, and a complete lack of recreational activities or social interaction. Individuals were subjected to 24-hour confinement in small cells, often lacking proper airflow and cleanliness, and experiencing extreme temperatures.
DRNY and Prisoners’ Legal Services of New York (PLS) filed a federal class-action lawsuit against the state prison system and OMH. We sought and obtained immediate preliminary court intervention to mandate that the State rectify the life-threatening conditions and remedy the serious and irreparable harm.
“Theconditionsthatthesemenwere livinginwerehorrific,”saidTimothy Clune,Esq.,ExecutiveDirectorofDRNY.
“Afterdecadesofoperatingtheseunits, thedefendantsdecidedtoterminateall servicesforthesemen.Theywere confinedtotheircellsunderinhumane
DRNYPROGRAMS
PAAT
CAP
Client Assistance Program
PROTECTION&ADVOCACYFOR:
Assistive
Technology
PABSS
Beneficiaries of Social Security
PAIR
Individual Rights
PADD
Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
PAIMI
Individuals with Mental Illness
PARP
Beneficiaries of Social Security with Representative Payees
PATBI
Individuals with Traumatic Brain Injuries
PAVA
Voting Access
Our Intake Department is ourcenterof advocacy. They assess a high volume of clients for DRNY services daily and simultaneously close and resolve just as many service requests. There are a variety of ways that our intake specialists serve our clients in the community, and those clients are the measure of how meaningful our help can be.
In FY25, we responded to 2,755Service Requests. We provided full case services to 495 of those requests and provided Information and Referral (I&R) services to the remaining 2,260 requests. When we are contacted about issues that fall outside of our priorities or are unrelated to the person’s disability, we strive to provide appropriate referral sources. We educate people about their rights and available options. Our I&R services vary and are dependent on the needs of the person.
CAP
CAP is anadvocacyresourceforpeoplewithdisabilitieswhoareseeking,receiving,or havebeendeniedservicesfromstatevocationalrehabilitationagencies. In New York State, those agencies are the Commission for the Blind and ACCES-VR. We help people get the services they need in order to prepare for, obtain, and maintain employment.
AssistiveTechnologyReceived
Accessing vital resources and support services is crucial for individuals striving for independence and success in their careers.
After completing her bachelor's degree in criminal justice, a woman contacted Adult Career and Continuing Education Services-Vocational Rehabilitation (ACCES-VR) services for support. ACCES-VR denied her essential assistive technology (AT) she needed to seek employment. ACCES-VR argued that an employer should provide the AT. However, she was not yet employed and needed the AT to secure a job.
We promptly appealed this decision and successfully represented her during the Administrative Review. ACCES-VR ultimately agreed to provide the vital AT, valued at over $3,100, to support her in seeking employment.
PADD
Our PADD program providesbothsystemicand individualadvocacytopeoplewithID/DD. We investigate complaints of abuse, neglect, and rights violations. We monitor locations where people with disabilities receive services. We work to enforce and expand the rights of all people with ID/DD through lawsuits, public reports, education, outreach, and self-advocacy support.
InvestigationandMonitoring Exposes ShockingConditionsatNursingFacility
We rely on skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) to care for our family members, and it is unimaginable to learn that they are being neglected and subjected to poor living conditions. Unfortunately, DRNY discovered that approximately 250 residents at an SNF were in fact experiencing neglect, with many not even receiving basic care.
More than a dozen residents reported waiting excessively for bathroom assistance, leading to one individual suffering a fall that required medical attention. DRNY staff noted at least ten residents still in bed around 11:45 AM, waiting for help to dress for the day. One resident was observed naked, expressing discomfort and needing assistance. Several residents wandered the hallways seeking help, while others were seen hunched over in beds or wheelchairs, requesting assistance. One resident stated the facility was so understaffed that they sometimes aided the nurses directly.
The facility's physical condition also posed serious health risks. Small flying bugs were common, and one resident remarked, “It is just something we live with.” Large metal rodent bait stations were present throughout the facility, and pervasive odors of urine and feces filled many bedrooms and hallways. Wheelchairs used by residents appeared unhygienic, encrusted with what seemed to be food.
In response, DRNY issued a findings letter detailing violations of state law and notified the NY Department of Health (DOH). The facility has begun addressing these issues, and DRNY continues to monitor the DOH's response and investigate further.
residentsexperiencingneglect
PAIMI
Our PAIMI program providesbothsystemicandindividualadvocacytopeoplewitha mentalhealthdiagnosis. We advocate on behalf of individuals living in the community, as well as in congregate care settings, including psychiatric facilities, adult homes, jails, and prisons. We work to enforce and expand the rights of all people with mental illness through lawsuits, public reports, education, outreach, and self-advocacy support.
FederalClassActionLawsuitSettled EnsuringNewYork’s ChildrenGettheMentalHealthServicesTheyDeserve
In August of 2025, DRNY, along with Children’s Rights, The National Health Law Program (NHeLP) & Proskauer Rose LLP, reached a settlement with officials from the New York State Department of Health and the Office of Mental Health in the federal class action lawsuit C.K. v McDonald, filed in March 2022.
The lawsuit claimed that New York failed to provide Medicaid-eligible children and youth with timely access to essential mental and behavioral health services, despite federal requirements.
As of September 2024, over 2.5 million children under 18 were enrolled in Medicaid in New York. The need for mental health services has grown, exacerbated by factors like the Covid19 pandemic and social issues. Without adequate services, children's mental health deteriorated, leading families to rely on emergency rooms and resulting in unnecessary institutionalization.
C.W., a plaintiff in the case, faced significant challenges due to the lack of services and was placed in a residential treatment facility for three years. The settlement aims to prevent similar situations by requiring New York to develop key services statewide, including intensive care coordination and mobile crisis services, along with a plan to improve and strengthen mental health service delivery for children over the next 18 months.
“ThementalhealthneedsofchildreninNewYork StateareapriorityforDRNY.Accesstotheessential homeandcommunity-basedservicesnecessaryfor theirsafetyisnotupfordebate,”saidTimothyA. Clune,ExecutiveDirector,DisabilityRightsNewYork. InJanuaryof2026thedistrictcourtsignedthefinalorder.
PAIR
Our PAIR program servespeoplewithdisabilitieswhoarenoteligibleforassistancefrom ourotherprograms. We work to ensure that they are free from discrimination in housing, employment, education, and access to public accommodations, and that they are included in emergency preparedness initiatives.
TroyInaccessibleSidewalk&PedestrianPathways AgreementSigned
In June 2025, Disability Rights New York (DRNY) signed a settlement agreement with the City of Troy regarding a lawsuit filed in January 2019. The lawsuit was initiated on behalf of two residents who suffered injuries due to poorly maintained and inaccessible sidewalks.
As a result of this lawsuit, the City of Troy conducted a comprehensive survey of its pedestrian pathways in 2022. This survey led to the creation of a Final Transition Plan, which outlines the necessary steps to repair the broken sidewalk system that affected the plaintiffs. The plan includes a timeline and procedures for the repair efforts in Troy and can be found on the City’s ADA page.
Additionally, in July 2025, Troy issued a press release informing residents on how they can report any barriers they encounter along pedestrian pathways.
“AllresidentsintheCityofTroyneed tobeabletorelyonsafeand accessiblepathways.TheTransition Planthatisnowinplaceiscrucial forbothresidentsandvisitorswho navigatethecityusingwheelchairs orassistivedevices”,saidTimothy Clune,Esq.,ExecutiveDirectorDRNY. “Residentswillhaveaclearwayto reportissuestotheCity,whichcan andmusttakeactionupon receivingthosereports.”
PARP
Our PARP program protectsSocialSecuritybeneficiarieswhorequiretheassistanceofa representativepayeefromfinancialexploitation,abuse,andneglect. A representative payee is a person or an organization who assists someone who cannot manage or direct the management of their benefits.
We review the performance of representative payees through beneficiary and payee interviews, onsite inspections, and a detailed review of financial and other documentation. These reviews ensure the well-being of beneficiaries while educating payees on how to better serve them.
PARPinAction
172RepresentativePayeeReviewswerecompletedinGY2025
54RepresentativePayeeReviewCorrectiveActionPlanswere pendingattheendofGY2025
SocialSecuritybeneficiariesrequestedresponseson: Howtochangerepresentationpayees Howtobecometheirownpayee,or Howtonominatetheirrepresentativepayeefora representativepayeereview
The information obtained during reviews was used to make appropriate referrals to other DRNY programs and community resources.
ThisdocumentisfundedthroughaSocialSecuritygrantagreement. AlthoughSocialSecurityreviewedthisdocumentforaccuracy,itdoesnot constituteanofficialSocialSecuritycommunication.
PATBI
Our PATBI program helpspeoplewithTBInavigatelegalissuesthatmayaffectallaspects oftheirlives,includingaccesstomedicalcare,housingaccommodations,workplace accommodations,andaccommodationsinschool. We ensure that people with TBI and their families have access to information, referrals and advice, individual and family advocacy, legal representation, and specific assistance in self-advocacy.
DisabilityBenefitsFinallySecured
After a successful career, a woman's life took an unexpected turn when a traumatic brain injury (TBI) led her to spend a significant time in a nursing facility in New York.
For the past several years, DRNY has worked with her to secure disability benefits. We advocated for the nursing facility to assist with discharge planning when she was ready for discharge back into the community. She needed assistance with the application for Social Security disability benefits, which would provide resources for independent living. However, she had limited help from facility staff, and when she submitted her application, it was denied.
Upon review, we determined that the application had failed to accurately capture the extent of her limitations due to the TBI. We submitted a request for reconsideration to the SSA. We included substantial additional documentation outlining her condition. After reviewing our advocacy materials, the SSA granted her original application for SSDI benefits.
Within a month of this decision, she secured a safe and accessible apartment. She recently moved into her new home and is adjusting well with the appropriate supports in place.
PAVA
Our PAVA program helpsensurethatpeoplewithdisabilitiesareincludedintheelection process. Civic engagement and inclusion of all people, including people with disabilities, is paramount to our democracy. We ensure that every qualified person with a disability has access to vote on Election Day.
SurveySenttoEverySchoolDistrictinNYS
AboutRegisteringHighSchoolStudentstoVote
New York State Election Law mandates that school districts actively organize and prioritize the pre-registration of students who are 16 and 17 years old and who will be eligible to vote on their 18th birthday. Furthermore, schools are required to incorporate voter registration and education activities into the curriculum for all students aged 16 and older.
Concerned that school districts may not be providing this programming to students in more restrictive educational environments, like those placed out of district, or students receiving home instruction, we organized a pilot survey and shared it with a select group of school districts that represent a diverse range of demographics across New York State.
The survey inquired about the districts' efforts to incorporate pre-registration educational opportunities and activities, focusing on their engagement strategies for students with disabilities.
Our preliminary findings indicate that school districts require support and guidance to comply with their legal obligations for pre-registering students. They need specific tools and benchmarks to effectively engage students in voter registration initiatives and to comprehend the significance of this process fully.
NewYorkStateElectionLaw mandatesthatschooldistricts activelyorganizeandprioritize thepre-registrationofstudents whoare16and17yearsold.
FEDERALGRANTS
DRNYreceivesfederalgrantfundingfortheProtection&AdvocacySystem andClientAssistanceProgramfromtheHealthandHumanServices Administration,theU.S.DepartmentofEducation,andtheSocialSecurity Administrationtoprotectthelegalandhumanrightsofindividualswith disabilities.DRNYalsoreceivesgrantsfromNewYorkStateandprivate foundationsfortargetedprojectsorinitiatives.
