NYSILC’s executive director, Brad Williams, has recently retired after 20+ years of service to the council. During his career, Brad directed an Independent Living Center (CIL) for almost ten years in the Southern Adirondacks and helped shape and direct the Statewide Systems Advocacy Network (SSAN) during its formative years. 

Brad has been recognized with several awards for his work, including the 2002 Ted Weiss Consumer Advocacy Award, 2003 and 2014 Regional Advocacy Award, 2004 National Thomas Paine Award, 2005 Dr. Henry Viscardi, Jr. Award, and the 2007 Justin Dart Award for Political Advocacy.

We are grateful for his many years of service and are happy to announce the appointment of Denise DiNoto as the next executive director of the New York State Independent Living Council. Ms. DiNoto previously served on the council for two terms from 2015-2021 and remains an active member of the development committee.

Denise is a person with a disability who uses Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Services to remain independent in the community, and she is also a disability advocate and leader.  She was previously employed as the communications and outreach specialist at Consumer Directed Choices; her lived experiences help her communicate the importance of community-based supports. She is a member of the board of directors of Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Association of NYS. 

When Denise is not at work, she is busy as a Rotarian and is past president of the Colonie-Guilderland Rotary Club. She is also the current president of the Stratton VA Toastmasters and the alumni representative on The College of Saint Rose Board of Trustees.  We are thrilled to congratulate her as the new executive director of NYSILC!

Thank you, Brad – and welcome, Denise!

New York’s State Plan partners announce the formulation and development of the next 3-year State Plan for Independent Living (SPIL). The initial public comment period will take place between July - August 2023.

NEW YORK STATE INDEPENDENT LIVING COUNCIL, INC. (NYSILC)
FORMULATION/DEVELOPMENT OF NEW YORK’S THREE-YEAR
STATE PLAN FOR INDEPENDENT LIVING (SPIL)
YEARS 2025, 2026, and 2027

PUBLIC NOTICE

Title VII of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, provides the authority for the Statewide Independent Living Council, Inc. (SILC) and the network of Federally-Funded Centers for Independent Living (CILs) to seek public input on priority needs related to disability issues to guide the development of the next three-year State Plan for Independent Living (SPIL) in New York. The State Plan is supported by the Designated State Entity (DSE) – the New York State Education Department/Office of Adult Career and Continuing Education Services - Vocational Rehabilitation (ACCES – VR).

The SPIL is a plan designed to improve Independent Living (IL) services for individuals with disabilities in New York State. The IL State Plan also helps to identify the needs and priorities of consumers, providers, and other stakeholders involved in the CIL network to highlight and identify common strategies. Ultimately, the State Plan is a tool that directs the use of Federal IL funding.

New York’s State Plan partners announce the formulation and development of the next 3-year State Plan for Independent Living (SPIL). Throughout the months of July and August, NYSILC will be holding both virtual and in-person forums to get feedback from members of the community. Additionally, we have a survey that can be taken for feedback and people can reach out to us via email to provide comments. There will be two in-person meetings, one in White Plains, and the other in Utica. Additionally, there will be three virtual meetings held on zoom in July and August.

The New York State Independent Living Council is committed to providing full access for people with disabilities. Public hearings are open to the entire community. All hearings will be held in locations accessible to people with disabilities. Materials will be provided in alternative formats. American Sign Language (ASL) interpreting, and Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART) and Assistive Listening Devices will be provided. Other accommodations will be available upon request.

The in-person public hearings will be scent-free events. To help make the hearings accessible to participants for whom chemicals or fragrances are an access barrier, we request that you come fragrance-free. Smoke can also be an access barrier. It is essential that we maintain a smoke-free environment. Please refrain from smoking near any doorways or paths of travel at our in-person hearings.

For more info on the in-person and virtual forums, visit our calendar here: https://nysilc.org/council/meetings-calendar

Public Hearings

Dates and Locations:

• Date: Thursday, July 13^th, 2023
  Time: 2:30 – 4:00 pm
  Location: Conference room located at 10 County Center Road, Suite 203, White Plains, NY.

• Date: Tuesday, July 18^th, 2023
  Time: 3:00 – 4:30 pm
  Location: LIFE at RCIL’s training room located at 131 Genesee Street, Utica, NY.

• Date: Friday, July 28^th, 2023
  Time: 11:00 am – 12:30 pm
  Location: Virtual Zoom Meeting with NYSILC. Visit our calendar to register for this meeting: https://nysilc.org/component/dpcalendar/event/71

• Date: Monday, August 7^th, 2023
  Time: 1:00 – 2:30 pm
  Location: Virtual Zoom Meeting with NYSILC. Visit our calendar to register for this meeting: https://nysilc.org/component/dpcalendar/event/72

• Date: Thursday, August 17^th, 2023
  Time: 4:00 – 5:30 pm
  Location: Virtual Zoom Meeting with NYSILC. Visit our calendar to register for this meeting: https://nysilc.org/component/dpcalendar/event/73

SurveyMonkey Feedback Surveys

Our feedback survey is open until 5:00 PM on Thursday, August 31^st, 2023.
The link to our survey, in English, can be found at our link here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/EnglishSPIL

Español (Spanish): https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SpanishSPIL

Русский (Russian): https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/RussianSPIL

中國人 (Chinese): https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ChineseSPIL

If you have difficulty navigating Survey Monkey or prefer a Word version of the survey, contact Amy Wink at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Be sure to identify what language you are requesting. Please let Amy know if you need the survey in a language besides the ones listed above. Surveys can be completed and emailed back to Amy, or they can be printed-out, completed, and mailed to NYSILC, 111 Washington Avenue, Suite 101, Albany, NY, 12210.

Written Comments

Written comments can be submitted to NYSILC before 5:00 PM on Thursday, August 31^st, 2023. Comments can be sent via mail to NYSILC, 111 Washington Avenue, Suite 101, Albany, NY 12210, or e-mailed to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Individuals may want to reference the SPIL Facilitation Outline and the current SPIL objectives.

For additional information, contact NYSILC at (518) 427-1060 (Voice & TTY), or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Do you want to review the current state plan? Click on the following link: State Plan

The New York State Independent Living Council, Inc. (NYSILC) is an independent, non-profit state council with the primary responsibility to jointly develop, monitor and evaluate the three-year Statewide Plan for Independent Living (SPIL) with the Federal network of Centers for Independent Living (CILs) and the New Yorkers with disabilities they serve. The council is authorized under Section 705 of the Federal Rehabilitation Act, as amended.

NYSILC is in the process of seeking seven candidates to serve as volunteer council members appointed by the NYS Regents for three-year terms, starting in January 2024. NYSILC seeks diverse membership, including individuals with various disabilities, race/ethnicities, ages, and gender identification, geographically located throughout the state.

Individuals should complete an online application form (https://nysilc.org/council/council-member-application) in its entirety. Candidates must respond by July 10, 2023. Refer to the NYSILC background and member expectations: https://nysilc.org/resources/key-documents/other/312-nysilc-background-and-council-member-expectations/file for more information.

If you have any questions about the application, process, or duties of council members, contact Brad Williams at the NYSILC office: (518) 427-1060 X104 (voice/TTY), or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Thank you for your interest in the council.

MEMORANDUM OF SUPPORT

Disability Inclusion in Public Bodies Meetings

The New York Association on Independent Living (NYAIL) is a statewide membership organization of Independent Living Centers (ILCs), nonprofit community-based providers of services, supports, and advocacy that are run by and for New Yorkers with disabilities of all ages. NYAIL is dedicated to removing barriers to the full community integration of all people with disabilities. NYAIL strongly supports the Executive budget proposal and Senate’s amending language to provide for virtual meeting flexibility under the Open Meetings Law (OML) to public bodies organized for disability matters, and for officials with disabilities to count in quorums for all public meetings if they are attending remotely.

As part of the Governor’s emergency declaration at the beginning of the pandemic, exemptions made to OML allowed public bodies meetings to be held via videoconferencing. This emergency action allowed everyone to participate remotely.

The declaration allowed people with disabilities to more fully participate because most physical barriers and other constraints were removed in these virtual spaces. It increased civic engagement by a population that has historically been excluded from government – an important advance for the civil rights of our community.

This policy of greater inclusion for people with disabilities must continue. While the current proposal largely impacts public bodies with a focus on disability, it serves as a starting point to make other significant changes that will increase civic engagement by people with disabilities and all New Yorkers. Ultimately, those changes should include making hybrid meetings the standard for all government bodies, along with increased use of American Sign Language and other accessibility accommodations at public meetings.

As an important first act, these straightforward changes should move forward as part of the 2023-2024 budget agreement to ensure the civil rights of people with disabilities, who still face major barriers to access. NYAIL urges adoption of the Senate’s OML budget proposal as included in Article VII (S.4008-B), Part X (see below).

Senate Article VII Proposals (S.4008-B): PART X -- The Senate modifies the Executive proposal to provide flexibility under the Open Meetings Law (OML) to public bodies organized for disability matters by advancing language to specify which public bodies would be able to host fully-virtual open meetings, link the term "individuals with disabilities" to the existing parameters set by Human Rights Law, and allow for individuals with disabilities to be counted toward a quorum under the existing hybrid OML system (S.1525--see https://legislation.nysenate.gov/pdf/bills/2023/S1525)

Amending Section 1. Subdivision 3 of section 103-a of the public officers law [OML], as added by section 2 of part WW of chapter 56 of the laws of 2022, is amended to read as follows:

3. The in person participation requirements of paragraph (c) of subdivision two of this section shall not apply to (a) public bodies organized for the express purpose of performing a governmental function related to issues specific to individuals with disabilities.