Assemblyman David DiPietro (R,C,-Eat Aurora) stood with his colleagues in the Assembly Minority Conference today as they released the findings of their statewide Task Force on Protecting the Rights of People with Developmental Disabilities. The findings have led the conference to draft the Championing Aid, Rights, Equality and Services (C.A.R.E.S.) Plan.

“This Task Force was so very vital in getting a better understanding of the needs of the developmental disability community. From family to caretakers, and everyone in between, we heard testimony from everyone,” DiPietro said. “This package of legislation will do so much in improving the developmentally disabled community from the top-down.”

The C.A.R.E.S Plan includes a Bill of Rights for Individuals with Developmental Disabilities, a wage study for direct care workers, service learning/internship program at sheltered workshops, OPWDD support tools for families, tuition rates for special act schools, and a statewide transportation study.