Brooklyn Center for Independence of the Disabled

10/12/2026

Stronger Together: Advancing Inclusive Emergency Management Across New York State

Date and Time: Tuesday, October 27, 2026, 10 - 11:30 a.m.

NYAIL, and the New York State Independent Living Council (NYSILC) are excited to bring you this joint webinar on emergency preparedness for people with disabilities.

In 2025, the New York State Office of Emergency Management (OEM) launched the Inclusive Emergency Management and Outreach (IEMO) Program to strengthen the integration of disability, access, and functional needs considerations across emergency management. Join OEM staff to learn about the new program, the role of Regional Offices, inclusive planning, and opportunities for Independent Living Centers to partner with emergency managers to build more inclusive and resilient communities.

Key Takeaways:
Learn about the new IEMO Program and its priorities
Understand the role of OEM Regional Offices
Identify opportunities for ILC engagement in local emergency management planning, training, and response
The role of ILCs as service force multipliers

Presenter:
David Whalen, Special Assistant, Inclusive Emergency Management and Outreach - Office of Emergency Management, NYS Division of Homeland Security & Emergency Services
Lisa Burkovich, NYS DHSES OEM Region 5 Regional Director

American Sign Language and human captioning will be provided.

10/10/2026

We’re excited to be joining the 2026 Disability Pride NYC Parade: Together We Build on Sunday, October 18, 2026, in New York City!

This year’s Parade is especially meaningful as we commemorate the 50th anniversary of the 1977 Section 504 Sit-in, a landmark moment in disability rights history. The 26-day sit-in helped pave the way for the implementation of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, one of the most important civil rights protections for disabled people in the United States.

We’ll be joining disability organizations, advocates, artists, community members, and allies from across the city to honor this history, celebrate the disability community, and continue building a more accessible and equitable future.

Come join us, celebrate with us, and stop by BCID's table to say hello!

📅 Sunday, October 18, 2026
📍 New York City
🔗 https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfii_mwUaSJ017Ef8wsTub5JtE5lYOCi-xm2QGbdATZfexPEA/viewform

10/09/2026

BCID, other disability groups and individuals reached a settlement recently in a lawsuit against the MTA, intended to lead to better information about elevator outages, improved training, and more data about how elevators are maintained.

https://tinyurl.com/9f63v446

10/09/2026

BCID's looking for a new staff member! Join us as an Independent Living Specialist in our Peer Services Program.
In your required cover letter, make sure to describe how your experience as a disabled person will help you as a peer to ACCES-VR participants and students.

Equilibrium Solutions LLC Equilibrium Solutions, LLC’s client, Brooklyn Center for Independence of the Disabled (BCID), is looking for an Independent

10/09/2026

The Issue: Vital Medical Equipment Access is Under Threat!

For thousands of New Yorkers with intellectual and developmental disabilities, daily independence relies on basic, essential items—custom wheelchairs, hospital beds, mobility lifts, orthotics, and vital daily care supplies.

© CP State. All Rights Reserved. This website is maintained by the Communications Office staff of CP State. It is the goal of CP State that this website is compliant with WCAG and ADA standards and accessible to all users. View our accessibility statement. CP State is not responsible for facts or o...

10/01/2026

"Access-a-Ride user, Elizabeth Valdez, who is also the systems advocate at BCID, testified that the reservation window should be widened because “life does not stop at 5 p.m.” for people with disabilities."

https://www.amny.com/nyc-transit/disability-advocates-mta-access-a-ride-reservations/

09/30/2026

NCIL Action Alert!
Take Action to Support the Bipartisan House Resolution Reaffirming the Right of Disabled People to Live in Their Communities!

HomeAbout NCIL’s AdvocacyLegislative AgendaResolutionsPosition StatementsIssuesFund Centers for Independent LivingTransportationDisability & DisasterHousingHealthcareVotingEnd Subminimum WageADA / Civil RightsInternationalAction Alerts

09/30/2026

NCIL Statement on Texas v. Kennedy Order Rescinding Community Integration Provisions of Section 504 Regulations

Dear Independent Living Community,
Yesterday afternoon, the federal judge in the ongoing case of Texas v. Kennedy issued a ruling.

For more information on this case, see DREDF’s explainer: dredf.org/protect-504.

The order approved by the judge was filed as counsel by the Department of Justice (DOJ) on behalf of the Department of Health and Human Services and the states of Texas, Florida, Alaska, Louisiana, and Montana. It affects only certain parts of the 2024 rule. The case is now closed.

This order rescinds the regulations that enforce the community integration provisions of Section 504. This applies to all states, not just the states that sued. States may now choose not to enforce community integration.

However, Section 504, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Supreme Court’s Olmstead v. L.C. decision remain in place. We continue to have the legal right to community integration and to receive services in the least restrictive setting of our choice.

We need to make sure our elected officials, including Governors and Attorneys General, commit to enforcing disability rights law on community integration. Rescinding the regulations means that states will not have clear direction on community integration. The order also means that the federal government will not enforce the requirement for people with disabilities to receive services in the least restrictive setting of their choice.

As a national disability-led membership organization, NCIL condemns the federal government’s action resulting in this order, and urges renewed advocacy to protect our right to community integration.

A Core Service of the Independent Living Program is to help people stay in the community and support people living in nursing homes to make the transition to a less restrictive environment. Losing these regulations is a serious setback to our work.

We are clear. Disabled lives are in crisis. Although some states have shown commitment to ensuring that people with disabilities can live in the community, many states have not. Every state would benefit from significant investment in access to home and community-based services. We can’t afford to lose any momentum. We have to keep advocating, both in the states and at the national level.

NCIL and several partner organizations have formed the Defend Community Integration Coalition and will be providing additional opportunities to act in the coming days and weeks.

09/30/2026

NYAIL Action Alert - Speak Out for the Latonya Reeves Freedom Act!

NYAIL strengthens local independent living centers, serves as the foundation for a strong statewide network, and is a leader in the civil rights movement for al

09/30/2026

Do you know about BCID's warmline? We're here to listen and help you.

Alt text - Informational graphic for the BCID Disability Warmline. Shows a phone with the number 929-548-0818 and the BCID logo. Peer support every Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.