Priority 1.
Modernizing Medication Administration for People with IDD in New York
- Greater independence and quality of life for individuals and families.
- Individuals will be able to live in community settings of their choosing without being limited by outdated medication administration restrictions.
- Increased housing development and options for people with IDD.
- Providers will be able to expand residential options including innovative housing models.
- Reduced reliance on institutional placements.
- Families will no longer feel forced to choose between safety and independence, decreasing preventable moves to high‑cost, highly restrictive settings.
- Improved health outcomes and medication adherence.
- Timely, consistent medication support increases stability, reduces health complications, and strengthens overall well‑being.
- Fewer emergency visits and crisis interventions.
- Empowering trained staff to administer routine medications prevents issues from escalating into crises requiring hospitalization.
Supporting A7284 means modernizing outdated regulations and policies to empower people with IDD to live with dignity and independence and thrive in their communities without sacrificing health.
Your voice matters. Contact your legislators and urge them to support A7284. Together, we can build a future of independence and community living for people with IDD.
Outdated laws and regulations prevent New York’s service system from meeting the needs of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, particularly those who wish to live more independently.
- New York’s Nurse Practice Act restricts who can administer medication in non-certified settings.
- This prevents safe, common‑sense support in apartments, shared living, and other non‑institutional settings.
- Direct Support Professionals (DSPs), even when trained, are often prohibited from giving routine medications.
- Even when DSPs know the person best and provide daily support, they are blocked from assisting with standard medications.
- People living independently or in community-based housing face unnecessary barriers to safe medication support.
- Without nursing staff on‑site, individuals may be forced into more restrictive residences purely to access basic medication help.
- Families must choose between independence and medical safety, leading to: Crisis placements and unnecessary institutionalization
- This leads to preventable crises, caregiver burnout, and avoidable institutionalization.
- Outdated regulations limit housing innovation and person-centered care.
- The current system creates bottlenecks, increases costs, and reduces opportunities for people to thrive in community settings.
Our Proposal: Support Assembly Bill A7284 and Bill (name to be added)
Assembly Bill A7284:
- Modernizes medication administration policy by allowing trained DSPs to assist with routine medications in non-certified settings.
- This removes one of the biggest barriers to independent living.
- Provides nursing oversight without requiring on-site presence, using telehealth and consultation models.
- Clinical safety is preserved without imposing unnecessary staffing burdens.
Assembly Bill XYZ:
- Expands access to medication assistance for non-certified services, including self-direction.
- People directing their own services gain the flexibility they need to live independently.
- Removes barriers created by current law, which forces individuals into institutional care or unsafe workarounds.
- Families and providers will no longer need to rely on emergency services or restrictive placements to manage routine medications.
- Aligns New York policy with person-centered, community-based care models, giving people with IDD the freedom to live safely and independently.
- This supports the state’s long‑term vision of safe, flexible, individualized supports that honor people’s choices.
This proposal modernizes medication administration by creating a safe, supervised, and flexible model that supports independence while maintaining strong clinical safeguards.
Assembly Bill A7284:
- DSPs complete standardized medication administration training.
- Training ensures DSPs have the skills to safely assist with routine medications, aligning with national best practices.
- Nurses provide clinical oversight via consultation and telehealth.
- Remote oversight helps ensure safety while eliminating unnecessary, costly requirements for on‑site nursing.
- Clear protocols distinguish routine vs. complex medical needs.
- Technology ensures monitoring and accountability.
- Electronic documentation, alerts, and remote communication tools support accuracy and accountability.
Assembly Bill XYZ:
- DSPs may administer medications when trained directly by the individual or their chosen representative.
- This respects autonomy, aligns with self-direction principles, and mirrors consumer-directed models already used in other systems.
- Consistent with consumer-directed and person-centered practices.
- People gain more control over how their support is delivered and who delivers it.
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