NYS Office of the Chief Disability Officer - OCDO

02/07/2026

🌟 Celebrating Disability Pride Month 🌟

July marks Disability Pride Month, a time to honor the history, achievements, experiences, and resilience of the disability community. This month also marks the 36th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a landmark milestone in the fight for civil rights.

At the NYS Office of the Chief Disability Officer - OCDO, disability pride means recognizing that disability is a natural, beautiful part of human diversity. We celebrate the unique perspectives, talents, and advocacy of the over 4 million New Yorkers with disabilities who enrich our state every single day.

Disability pride is about visibility, community, and the right to be authentically ourselves in a world built for everyone.

26/06/2026

In light of last week's DOJ opinion attempting to narrow the 1999 Supreme Court Olmstead opinion, we, in the NYS Office of the Chief Disability Officer - OCDO, are proud to work for a Governor who firmly believes that people with disabilities should be integrated in our communities rather than locked away in institutions.

“Olmstead v L.C. is one of the most significant civil rights decisions for people with disabilities in our nation’s history. The promise of Olmstead is clear: people with disabilities deserve to live, work, and participate fully in their communities. In New York, we understand what is at stake and will continue to fiercely prioritize access to services that enable people to live with dignity and autonomy in the community."

~Governor Kathy Hochul, June 25, 2026

16/06/2026

It's not often that accessibility and inclusivity are a top priority in planning events that are not solely for the disability community, but over the course of the last several months, the NYS Office of the Chief Disability Officer - OCDO, the New York State Office for People With Developmental Disabilities, the New York State Office of Mental Health and the New York State Division of Homeland Security & Emergency Services had the absolute honor and pleasure of leading this work for the World Cup Viewing Party organized by the NYS Department of Economic Development and hosted at Stony Brook University on June 12th!

Led by the incredible Dan Gross and Stefan Grybauskas, who from the onset challenged all of us to make this viewing party as accessible and inclusive as possible, our team set forth to offer as many accommodations as we could, including a sensory tent (with blissful air conditioning), an adult changing station, an ADA information booth, plenty of American Sign Language interpreting, dozens of ADA volunteers, and multiple premier viewing areas for people with all different types of disabilities. Team OCDO is so proud to have been a part of this phenomenal event and we cannot wait for the next one at Kensico Dam on July 19th! Stay tuned to register for the free tickets for the World Cup final game viewing party!

14/06/2026

This week has been a busy one for the NYS Office of the Chief Disability Officer (OCDO), so bear with us for lots of posts! Today, Team OCDO divided and conquered five different state lands to celebrate the 2026 "Get Outdoors and Get Together Day", which was co hosted by the NYS Office of the Chief Disability Officer, the New York State Office for People With Developmental Disabilities, the New York State Office of Mental Health, New York State Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation, the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, the New York State Justice Center for the Protection of People with Special Needs and the New York State Department of Veterans' Services. What a truly beautiful day celebrating the accessibility and inclusivity of our state public lands in concert with Governor Hochul's "Get offline, Get outside" initiative.

11/06/2026

Tomorrow is Get Outdoors & Get Together Day!

This annual event encourages everyone to spend time outside, try new outdoor activities, and visit new places by offering free, guided outdoor recreation opportunities at locations across the state. Activities vary by location but can include fishing, birding, hiking, paddling, arts and crafts, or presentations on camping and outdoor safety. Accessible features and activities are offered at all locations.

Get Outdoors & Get Together Day is a partnership between the NYS Office of the Chief Disability Officer - OCDO, New York State Office for People With Developmental Disabilities, New York State Department of Veterans' Services, NYS Office of Mental Health, New York State Justice Center for the Protection of People with Special Needs, NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, and New York State Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation.

Check out the comments for a link to learn more and find an event near you.

10/06/2026

Thank you New York Association on Independent Living and Long Island Center for Independent Living for hosting the NYS Office of the Chief Disability Officer today where we are able to have a collaborative conversation about the priorities of New York’s disability community and goals for moving into 2027! Your partnership is critical to the work that we do!

09/06/2026

The NYS Office of the Chief Disability Officer (OCDO) is excited to announce that MaryBeth Schneider has been appointed as State Agency Liaison on the Employment First team, and will be leading Executive Order 31 State as a Model Employer (SAME) efforts. MaryBeth is not new to the CDO team and most recently led our Inclusive Internship program. Congratulations on your new role, MaryBeth! New York (and the OCDO) is lucky to have you supporting SAME implementation.

27/05/2026

Please Join Us at a Free, Accessible and Inclusive World Cup Event at Stony Brook on June 12th - with a Performance by Third Eye Blind!

New York State has been planning a World Cup Experience like no other and has gone to great lengths to make the World Cup experience accessible and inclusive so people of all abilities and from all walks of life can enjoy what Governor Hochul has aptly called a "once-in-a-generation opportunity for New Yorkers."

The NYS Office of the Chief Disability Officer (OCDO) is teaming up with the New York State Office for People With Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD), the NYS Office of Mental Health (OMH) and the NYS Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Services (DHSES) to ensure the accessibility, inclusivity and safety for all people with disabilities who participate in the exciting, family-friendly activities for match day on June 12th.

Starting at 1:00 PM, the OCDO will be staffing an ADA location inside of the Stony Brook stadium. Please come find us if you have any accessibility questions once you arrive, or just to say “Hello.” OPWDD will also be hosting a sensory tent and Special Olympics will be running soccer skills clinics on Stony Brook's beautiful field.

Additionally, there will be so much more for you to experience and enjoy at this rain or shine event. Join us and thousands of fellow New Yorkers as we watch live matches on giant outdoor screens, enjoy entertainment (including a 45 minute performance by Third Eye Blind!!!!), and celebrate the world’s game together! Please share this information far and wide with all of your stakeholders!

To obtain your free tickets, please visit: https://lnkd.in/eJZy3wAC

And make sure you check out the "Accessibility" tab!

We hope to see you there!

This link will take you to a page that’s not on LinkedIn

26/05/2026

On April 15, 2026, the NYS Deaf, DeafBlind and Hard of Hearing (DDBHH) Office, in partnership with the NYS Office of Language Access within the New York State Office of General Services, celebrated the National American Sign Language (ASL) Day. To honor this day, we produced a National ASL Day video message . Celebrating ASL recognizes the significance of this vital language within the DDBHH communities in New York State.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjxr9au1xOQ

And on April 15, 2026, the NYS Deaf, DeafBlind and Hard of Hearing (DDBHH) Office, in close partnership with the New York State Office of General Services and the NYS Office of Language Access hosted an American Sign Language (ASL) Roadshow at RIT National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID). The roadshow spotlighted Governor Kathy Hochul’s deep commitment to language access for DDBHH communities in New York. The event was well attended with questions asked and an active discourse about access to ASL for the larger DDBHH communities in New York State.

21/05/2026

🍎♿ What a day to celebrate Global Accessibility Awareness Day !

Proud to represent the NYS Office of the Chief Disability Officer at today's Global Accessibility Awareness Day Summit at Apple's NYC office. It was a powerful gathering of advocates, educators, and technologists committed to making the world more accessible for everyone. Dr. Mason Mason, Jeff Lane and Paul Vassak, thank you for your continued partnership and warm welcome today!

From learning how technology can better support all learners, to connecting with incredible leaders in the disability community, today reminded us why this work matters and why it never stops.

And last night? We dined at Gatsby's Landing on 44th St — and were pleased to see a sign right on the door announcing priority seating for patrons with disabilities. Thank you Molly Burke for the recommendation! That's the kind of thoughtful, proactive inclusion we love to see in our own backyard here in New York. More of this, please!

Accessibility isn't a feature — it's a right. Today we celebrate progress, and every day we keep pushing for more.