New York Ranks 4th in States with Best Disability Services

New York State ranks fourth in the nation for states that have the best services for individuals with special needs and their families.

 

United Cerebral Palsy has released its 2015 report, The Case for Inclusion, which ranks the 50 U.S. states and District of Columbia based on how well their state Medicaid programs serve residents with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. New York state ranks fourth on the list, behind Arizona, Maryland, and Missouri. The state was fifth in last year’s report. Connecticut ranks 17th, up from 22nd in 2014, while New Jersey ranks 28th, down from 15th.

Since 2006, the report’s rankings have revealed how state Medicaid programs measure up in areas including how many individuals are supported in the community, how many participate in competitive employment and family support services, and how states are helping those in need, including serving those languishing on waiting lists.

The report identifies five key aspects of an effective Medicaid program:

Promoting Independence: People with disabilities live in and participate in their communities.

Promoting Productivity: People with disabilities have satisfying lives and valued social roles.

Keeping Families Together: The state offers support services that provide assistance to families that are caring for children with disabilities at home, which helps keep families together, and people with disabilities living in a community setting.

Reaching Those in Need: People with disabilities have sufficient access to needed support, and control over that support so that the assistance they receive contributes to lifestyles they desire.

Tracking Health, Safety, and Quality of Life: People are safe and healthy in the environments in which they live.

Each state was given a ranking for the above five aspects, which was then averaged to find its overall ranking. New York State ranked first in the country for Reaching Those in Need, but 32nd for Promoting Independence. 

“It is both a duty and a necessity of a civil society such as ours to aid and empower these individuals, who are often the most vulnerable among us, to succeed. We are all stronger together,” the report states.

 

The Case for Inclusion 2015 Rankings

1. Arizona

2. Maryland

3. Missouri

4. New York

5. Hawaii

6. Colorado

7. Minnesota

8. District of Columbia

9. South Carolina

10. Ohio

11. Georgia

12. Maine

13. Alabama

14. Massachusetts

15. Utah

16. California

17. Connecticut

18. Oregon

19. Kentucky

20. Kansas

21. Vermont

22. Pennsylvania

23. Indiana

24. Louisiana

25. New Hampshire

26. Washington

27. Florida

28. New Jersey

29. Michigan

30. West Virginia

31. Nevada

32. Tennessee

33. Wisconsin

34. North Carolina

35. Delaware

36. New Mexico

37. Nebraska

38. South Dakota

39. Rhode Island

40. Alaska

41. Virginia

42. North Dakota

43. Oklahoma

44. Iowa

45. Wyoming

46. Idaho

47. Illinois

48. Montana

49. Arkansas

50. Texas

51. Mississippi

 

Read the full report here.