Sinergia's 2011 Summer Benefit

Beautiful setting, beautiful sounds, beautiful people! That's how we would describe our Summer Benefit on June 12th, where we had a chance to pause for a moment and take stock of our accomplishments. Everyone was looking their best and in a celebratory mood as the music of the Ray Santos Orchestra filled the space at the historical Museum of the City of New York.

The event gave us the opportunity to honor Dr. Pedro Noguera (above left), who is the Peter L. Agnew Professor of Education at New York University, for the work he does to champion children and promote student achievement. His immense scholarship and research on urban education prompted us to recognize him with the first ever Dr. Sally Romero Award for distinguished service to children, which was presented to him by Dr. Romero's daughter, Norma Romero-Mitchell.

We also honored New York State Assemblyman Robert J. Rodriguez (above right) with the Community Service Award for his tireless work in building the infrastructure that will ensure access to housing and business development, as well as cultural and social services in East Harlem. Yolanda Sanchez, an institution in the Latino community who has spent over thirty years in human services, presented him with the award. Both honorees also received a citation from the NY State Assembly.

The evening was dedicated to two of our very own heroines who are no longer with us. Dr. Sally Romero was President of Sinergia's Board of Directors until her untimely passing last summer. Christine Cuadra was a beautiful young woman who stood out in her vibrant red dress at our last gala in 2008. She too has passed on but we will never forget her dedication and hard work with the homeless families at Sinergia and her unwavering support to her mother, Executive Director Myrta Cuadra-Lash.

We were also thrilled to announce that June 12th was proclaimed Sinergia Day by the Council of the City of New York. The current President of Sinergia's Board of Directors, Dr. Len Torres (above), read the inscription, which says in part: "On behalf of all New Yorkers we commend Sinergia for its leadership, vision, faith in families and its abiding commitment to and advocacy for children and adults with disabilities." We want to thank the office of New York City Councilwoman Melissa Mark Viverito for arranging this proclamation. As we approach our 35th year, we will continue to build on our achievements.

The Ray Santos Orchestra (above) played a mix of Latin salsa and romantic boleros which had everyone congregating on the dance floor.

One of the items in the silent auction was a gorgeous oil painting (above) by artist Dianne Smith, former boardmember of Sinergia.

Dr. Gayle Haines (above left), who organized the silent auction, chats with Myrta Cuadra Lash and Beth Torres (above right).

 Zenaida Mendez of the Manhattan Neighborhood Network (far left) and Dr. Marta Moreno Vega of the Caribbean Cultural Center African Diaspora (3rd, l. to r.) pose with the honorees.

Essential Services Restored as NYC Budget Passes

The City Council passed New York City's budget for Fiscal Year 2012 (July 1, 2011 - June 30, 2012). Overall, this budget preserves essential services, preventing teacher layoffs, restoring fire companies, day care slots, and library services.  A few of the highlights are below, but please click here for more detailed information.

Restoring Essential Services

In his Executive Budget proposal in May, Mayor Bloomberg proposed a wide range of cuts that would have impacted essential services. The City Council  worked with the Bloomberg Administration to restore many essential services:

• No teacher layoffs, thanks to an agreement between the Council, the City, and the UFT.
• No fire company closures
• Substantial restorations to child care and thousands  of “Priority 5” after-school vouchers for families, albeit at a lower funding level
• Neighborhood public libraries will continue to offer 5-day-a-week service
• Restorations to the Parks Department will mean public pools are open all summer, and we’ll still have playground associate
• The Council also restored many smaller, but still important, programs – like those that help immigrants learn English, prevent homelessness, and offer legal and social services.

Also we are happy to report that the Council’s Autism Initiative was restored, which means Sinergia can continue its services to parents with children with autism. Sadly, even with these restorations, there will still be many painful cuts citywide, including the loss of over 2,500 teaching positions through attrition and the elimination of several thousand summer youth jobs, after-school program slots, small-dollar scholarships to CUNY students and day care slots for low-income working families.

OMIG Legislation Reform

As the economic downturn continues to make federal dollars to not-for-profit agencies serving people with disabilities more and more difficult to attain, federal offices are taking steps to reduce fraud and waste. The Office of the Medicaid Inspector General (OMIG) is the investigation and enforcement arm of Medicaid and is responsible for initiating audits and levying penalties when fraud is uncovered. However, many agencies, not for profit service providers and funding agencies like OPWDD consider OMIG audits to be excessively punitive and over-reaching in their zeal to recover or eliminate funds to said agencies. Advocates for reining in the OMIG have complained that agencies found to be guilty of even the minutest instances of mistaken billing have been too severely reprimanded through the imposing of heavy fines and penalties. While acts of blatant and purposeful fraud need to be uncovered and the guilty punished, the OMIG has been accused of being extremely heavy handed and punitive when meting out judgments for alleged mistakes in billing for reimbursements for delivered services. Additionally, allegations of abusive and dismissive treatment towards staff members, not allowing agencies to repair or correct minor and unintentional episodes of mistaken billing and incomplete explanations of alleged violations, have also been of grave concern to agencies under audit.


Legislation to provide due process protections for providers and recipients of Medicaid who come under the scrutiny of OMIG passed both houses of the Legislature in June. The long awaited measure, also known as OMIG reform, will provide for fair practices, procedures and standards for actions if signed by Governor Cuomo. We will be carefully monitoring this situation and will report any additional developments as they occur.
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Special Lunch for DayHab Volunteers

Of the many activities that the adults in our Day Habilitation Program partake in, volunteering is one of the ones they enjoy the most. On June 23rd, DayHab volunteers were honored at a luncheon in the Dr. Nivia Zavala Conference Center.  In appreciation for their assistance to such agencies as Meals On Wheels, each participant was presented with a framed certificate along with a gift certificate from Target. Also in attendance was Eve Cook, the Volunteer Coordinator for New York City Meals on Wheels, who stated during her speech that the volunteers from Sinergia were her most reliable and were known for showing up even during inclement weather. It means a great deal for these adults with disabilities to give back to the community through their delivery work for Meals on Wheels, and the horticultural assistance they give at the Rusk Institute and the Carver Gardens on 124th Street.

Sinergia's Family Care Providers Appreciation Luncheon

On July 22 Sinergia will host a Family Care Appreciation Luncheon, where we acknowledge the invaluable contributions of five dedicated Family Care providers. Our Family Care Program, which has been in operation for 20 years, consists of families living in the community who open their homes to people with developmental disabilities. Presently there are ten individuals living with families in the community. Some have lived in a family care home since infancy while others have lived with the same family for as long as twenty years. Two brothers who are now in their teens consider their family care provider their Mom since they joined the family when they were babies. The individuals with developmental disabilities living in family care homes become integral members of these families; they participate in all family activities and go on vacation with them. It also affords them the opportunity to partake in all aspects of community living. We salute the following Family Care Providers for their nurturance, love and dedicated care: Angela Baez, Guadalupe Guillen, Ana Guzman, Leydi Dominguez, Carmen Ulloa. Pictured above is last year's luncheon.

CPR and First Aid Training for Parents

Earlier this year one of the mothers in our Metropolitan Parent Center (MPC) underwent a very scary experience when her three year old daughter removed a barrette from her hair and placed it into her mouth. The little girl swallowed it and started to choke. Luckily, the mother was able to safely manage the situation and successfully remove the object. After going through such a scary ordeal she suggested that we offer a workshop on first aid techniques so that parents can learn what to do in case of an emergency.

The MPC collaborated with Sinergia’s nursing staff, who were able to recruit a representative from the American Red Cross to conduct a CPR training for parents. Those who attended received first aid information, and they were taught how to perform Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, or CPR, and help choking victims using the Heimlich maneuver. Mr. Antonio Chavez (above) from the Red Cross brought along a number life size dolls of children and adults that were used to practice CPR techniques. It was an intensive, interactive and exciting experience for the parents. They had to pass an on-site test in order to earn the CPR and First Aid certification, which is good for two years. Eighteen participants were able to obtain the certification, and these parents now possess skills that will help their loved ones in case of an emergency.

Would you know what to do if your child gets hurt or is in need of medical attention? Below are some ways that you can start getting prepared.

BASIC TIPS EVERYONE IN THE HOUSE SHOULD FOLLOW TO CREATE A SAFER HOME

1. DOES EVERYONE IN YOUR HOUSEHOLD INCLUDING YOUR HOME HELP AND CHILDREN KNOW YOUR ADDRESS AND NEAREST LANDMARK? Write your address and nearest landmark down on a wall both upstairs and downstairs in case you need to call for an ambulance. If you panic it’s easier to read off the paper.

2. DO YOU KEEP ALL YOUR FIRST AID ITEMS IN ONE LOCATION OR IN DIFFERENT DRAWERS THROUGHOUT THE HOUSE? If an accident happens its easier if  everything in one place.

3. DOES EVERYONE IN THE HOUSE KNOW WHERE THE FIRST AID KIT IS ? Ideally on a shelf out of reach or in a locked cupboard.

4. DO YOU HAVE A FIRST AID KIT IN THE CAR? Accidents can happen anywhere, at the beach, shopping mall etc. Make sure you have a back up first aid kit in the car.

5. DO YOU HAVE A LANDLINE IN ADDITION TO YOUR MOBILE? In an emergency you don’t want to be looking for your mobile only to find it’s out of battery or credit.

6. DO YOU AND YOUR HOME HELP KNOW WHERE THE NEAREST HOSPITAL IS FROM YOUR HOME AND THE QUICKEST ROUTE?

7. IF YOUR BABY OR CHILD CHOKES ON FOOD, FOR EXAMPLE A GRAPE, WOULD YOU KNOW HOW TO RESPOND?
Choking is every parent’s worst nightmare and so common amongst infants and young children. A first aid course will demonstrate the most effective way to remove an obstruction in the throat without causing further damage.

8. DOES EVERYONE IN THE HOUSE KNOW THE NUMBER TO CALL FOR AN AMBULANCE?
You would be surprised at the number of parents and home help that have never thought of it. Dial 999 for medical assistance.

9. DO YOU HAVE RULES IN THE HOUSE TO AVOID ACCIDENTS IN THE KITCHEN, BATHROOM etc.?
For example, pan handles should always be facing inwards on the stove, have a "no kids" zone in the kitchen while preparing food, remove knives and sharp utensils from kitchen surfaces immediately after use.

10. DO YOU KEEP YOUR MEDICAL DOCUMENTS IN A CENTRAL LOCATION THAT CAN BE EASILY REACHED SHOULD YOU HAVE TO GO QUICKLY TO THE HOSPITAL? Label a separate folder for everyone in the home and store all medical information in these files in one place so everyone knows where they are in case you have to take them quickly to the doctors or hospital.

WHEN TO GO FOR HELP
Your child needs to go to an emergency room if he or she has:

• An injury that causes the child to lose consciousness
• A deep laceration
• A possible broken bone
• A burn
• An animal bite
• Swallowed something toxic
• Extreme difficulty breathing (for instance, because of an asthma attack or choking.
• A convulsion
• Vomited blood
• Bleeding from the ear
• A fall followed by a severe headache, persistent vomiting, weakness, or an
• abrupt change in mental status (hallucinations, incoherence, irritability or
• extreme lethargy) within 24 hours
• A fall or head injury and the child is under 1
• A fever and the child is under two months old

Courtesy of the American Red Cross and the American Heart Association. 

Day Hab Visit to the Rusk Garden

After finding out about all the wonderful things going on at the Rusk Institute's Glass Garden (which we mentioned before in this post) the DayHab group went on a field trip and participate in their Prevocational Program. "We had a great time learning to plant windowboxes that will be kept in the perennial garden for patients and the public to enjoy," says Day Hab Specialist Erin McSorely. Looks like they had lots of fun "communing with nature," and even getting a little R & R (rest and relaxation)!

Vanessa, Michael, Maritza, Gisselle and Ivan

Mildred and Cindy

William