Disability advocates from all over New York rallied at the state Capitol in mid-November, asking Governor Kathy Hochul to address their demands around providing better resources for direct support professionals in the upcoming state budget. Direct Support Professionals work closely with and care for people with developmental disabilities. Advocates say that as the population of people with developmental disabilities has risen in New York State, support systems put in place to aid those people have not caught up. Erik Geizer is the CEO of ARC NY, a nonprofit that advocates for the rights of people with developmental disabilities and the community surrounding them. WAMC's Sajina Shrestha sat down to talk with Geizer about the disability advocates' demands and hope for the 2026 state budget.
Disability advocates rally for better resources for Direct Support Professionals
Image courtesy of New York Disability Adovcates
