The A.R.I.S.E Committee has been demanding for years that the Developmental Disabilities Regional Office(DDRO), which is located in West Seneca be closed and that it be completely relocated to an area that is fully accessible to the people that it serves. The buildings are inaccessible for the people who need it most, are asbestos-ridden and pose other hazards to those who work and use services there. On top of this, it is a former institution that holds traumatic memories for many people with disabilities.
After years of organizing, in 2019, the State Office for People With Developmental Disabilities(OPWDD), opened a DDRO annex in Buffalo located at 1021 Broadway. A collaboration of 8 human service agencies have offices in the building at 1021 Broadway, including Algonquin Sports For Kids, Buffalo Urban League, Center for Self-Advocacy, Every Person Influences Children, Jericho Road Community Health Center, Learning Disabilities Association of WNY, Mental Health Advocates of WNY, Office for People With Developmental Disabilities Regional Satellite Office, Parent Network of WNY, Self-Advocacy Association of New York State, and Spectrum Health and Human Services.
While this is a step in the right direction and the Broadway location provides some core services, the West Seneca campus still serves as Western New York’s Central Developmental Disabilities Services Office and is being used for administrative purposes and to provide services for people with disabilities. West Seneca is still a remote, time-consuming destination for someone with a disability who uses public transportation. The A.R.I.S.E. Committee is continuing to organize for a complete relocation of OPWDD to a more accessible location.
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