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Director of Olmstead Implementation for New York State

Summary

The Olmstead Director of New York State (NYS) will serve as the leader for the development, implementation, and revision of the state’s next Olmstead Plan (the Plan) to ensure individuals with disabilities have meaningful opportunities to live, learn, work, and enjoy life in the most integrated settings appropriate to their needs. The Director will work within the Office of the Chief Disability Officer (CDO) and collaborate with individuals with disabilities, caregivers, service providers, advocates, and state agencies to build a new and comprehensive Plan that cultivates a more accessible, inclusive, and equitable New York for everyone. The Director will be responsible for facilitating the state’s Olmstead work and assisting in the administration of the Most Integrated Setting Coordinating Council (MISCC) as directed by the Chief Disability Officer, who is also the Chair of the NYS Most Integrated Setting Coordinating Council.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Olmstead Director will report directly to the Chief Disability Officer, and may be responsible for supervising intern(s) as assigned. The Director will:

• Lead the development of New York State’s next full-fledged Olmstead Plan, which will be delivered to the public by December 2025.
  • The Director will utilize the “Harnessing Olmstead Progress for Everyone” (HOPE) Action Plan that will be released in December 2024 as a starting point for the comprehensive Plan.
  • To develop the Plan, the Director must work with relevant stakeholders, conduct in-depth policy research, craft goal recommendations, and gather input at regular intervals.
  • The Director must also oversee the ongoing work of the Plan, manage appropriate  fiscal components, work with consultants, actively update the Plan, track implementation metrics, and prepare for annual updates to the Plan that include assessments of NYS agency performance.

• Represent NYS as Olmstead Director to stakeholders, which will include state agencies, Executive Chamber staff, local governments, non-governmental and nonprofit organizations, advocacy groups, and the general public.
  • The Director will oversee the Olmstead Plan email box and calendar, create and update Olmstead Plan materials for the CDO’s website, receive and disseminate Plan information to relevant stakeholders on behalf of the CDO, and respond to inquiries and issues that arise internally and externally.
  • The Director must prepare briefing materials, MISCC meeting agendas, reports, data requests, and other materials to create and maintain the Plan in a manner consistent with internal needs and external sharing requirements.

• Collaborate with state government stakeholders to develop, implement, and revise the Plan.
  • The Director will foster relationships with relevant state agencies to effectively coordinate the retrieval of data, the development of goals and cross-agency initiatives, the implementation of objectives, assessment of agency progress, and continuous revision of goals connected to the Plan.
  • The Director will advise agency leadership and Executive Chamber staff on appropriate steps for the creation and maintenance of the Plan.
  • The Director will work closely with these internal stakeholders to seek input on current NYS initiatives, the Plan, and Olmstead goals.

• Collaborate with external stakeholders to develop, implement, and revise the Plan.
  • The Director must actively seek input on the development, implementation, and continuous revision of the Plan from a wide variety of external stakeholders, which can include local governments, non-governmental and nonprofit organizations, advocacy groups, and the general public.

• Advise and assist the CDO in running the MISCC.
  • The Director will collaborate with the CDO and other state agencies to ensure that NYS provides services to people with disabilities in the most integrated settings appropriate to their needs. These responsibilities entail the preparation of MISCC meeting agenda items, the creation of Plan updates for MISCC members, MISCC subcommittee management and MISCC meeting attendance.
  • The Director must assist MISCC subcommittees with priorities that include, but are not limited to:

■      providing assistance for individuals to transition out of segregated institutional settings into integrated community settings;

■      developing new assessment and outcome strategies that allow the state to examine which services lead to the most cost-efficient opportunities for people with disabilities to successfully integrate into the community; and

■      providing supportive mechanisms and enhancing ways that allow individuals with disabilities to smoothly integrate into the community.

• Perform other miscellaneous activities as requested by the Chief Disability Officer.
  • This may include assisting in the organization of activities/events sponsored by the CDO; representing and/or accompanying the CDO at meetings, conferences, and public events; attending meetings, site visits, seminars, conferences, and conventions located within New York State and occasionally other states.

Qualifications and Skills

A Bachelor’s degree is required. The preferred candidate should have at least four years of relevant work experience, demonstrated commitment to public service, broad experience in creating and executing strategic plans, and in-depth knowledge of Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound (SMART) goals as they relate to Olmstead Plan creation and implementation.

The ability to work on multiple projects within a team environment and independently is essential. We require proficiency with Microsoft 365 suite, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and SharePoint, and Google Workspace, including Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Calendar. Strong leadership, communication, writing, data research familiarity, and synthesis skills are necessary for success in this position.

The successful candidate will be a person with substantial insight into the issues people with disabilities face in community integration and services delivered by state agencies for people with disabilities. They will have extensive experience working with the disability community and be knowledgeable about stakeholders involved in New York State’s Olmstead Plan creation. People with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply.