Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara received The ARC’s National Catalyst Award for Public Policy Victory of the Year at their national convention in San Diego, California on Friday, November 3rd. The ARC is a national community-based organization committed to serving and supporting individuals with developmental disabilities and their families. The award recognized Santabarbara’s work in the New York State Assembly on behalf of people with developmental disabilities, and success in securing vital services and resources.

“My son, Michael, was diagnosed with autism when he was 3 years old. He’s 16 now, and over the years we have faced many challenges together,” Assemblyman Santabarbara said. “As a father, I know how important the direct care staff who work with him are to his success and well-being.” Santabarbara said. “This recognition is very personal for me – it’s about kids like my son Michael and the more than 130,000 New Yorker’s living with a developmental disabilities having a voice in our state legislature.”

Santabarbara has been a champion for people with developmental disabilities as chair of the state Assembly’s Subcommittee on Autism Spectrum Disorders. He also created the Autism Action NY initiative, a five-point plan to increase employment opportunities, expand independent housing options, increase access to technology, improve communication and create a centralized location for services. Santabarbara’s legislation successfully established New York’s first Autism Spectrum Disorder Advisory Board as part of the initiative, which met for the first time this year to begin work on a state-wide Autism Action Plan.

Further, Santabarbara is now leading the charge for better communication tools for those affected by autism. He authored legislation to develop autism training for police and first responders and a companion bill to create a uniform state-wide Autism ID card available to families and individuals as a communication tool to easily convey diagnosis and important information during an emergency.

The ARC praised Santabarbara’s work on the #BFair2DirectCare campaign during the 2017 state budget process that successfully secured critical funding to support New York’s direct care workers.

“I’m honored to accept the Catalyst Award tonight and to share it with the direct care workers in New York and across the country,” said Assemblyman Santabarbara “As a father, a representative, and as a proud New Yorker, I’ll keep fighting to make sure we build a world where all those living with developmental disabilities have the essential supports and services that make a difference in their lives.”