We would like to thank the Council’s Committee on Mental Health and Substance Use and the Committee on Disabilities for holding this oversight hearing on the City’s FY2027 Preliminary Budget. My name is Lori Podvesker, and I am the Director of Policy at INCLUDEnyc. For over 42 years, INCLUDEnyc (formerly known as Resources for Children with Special Needs) has helped hundreds of thousands of NYC families navigate the complex special education service and support systems.
Today, we testify to urge the Council to fully fund the Autism Awareness Initiative in FY2027. New York City families with young children on the autism spectrum living at home have always been forced to navigate a fragmented service system where medical, educational, and therapeutic supports do not coordinate. However, severe provider shortages and already enacted Medicaid cuts are causing longer waitlists and reduced service hours. These barriers, along with state and federal budget uncertainties, threaten to worsen disparities, especially for low-income families, in accessing Early Intervention.
This funding will ensure that community-based organizations like INCLUDEnyc can continue providing essential guidance and information to families navigating the complex world of special education, OPWDD services, mental health support, and recreational and social activities and groups. This support has never been more critical than now, as systemic hurdles become even more significant in the coming year—including program shortages and continued reduced civil rights enforcement—that threaten to further segregate young children with autism and widen the achievement and opportunity gaps with non-disabled children.
According to the most recent public data from New York City Public Schools (NYCPS) on students with disabilities, more than 33,000 children with autism ages 3-21 received special education services in 2024. According to the most recent Mayor’s Management Report, in the first four months of Fiscal 2026, 4,800 children received services from the Early Intervention Program, a 9% increase from the 4,400 served in the first four months of Fiscal Year 2025.
Our Help Line saw a 10% increase in demand last year and received nearly 1,500 of autism related calls from families and professionals. We also had a 21% increase in the number of attendees at our autism related workshops for children under 5. In June, we held our annual Outdoors for Autism, a sensory-friendly event for children on the autism spectrum and their families; nearly 600 people attended, with almost half under 18.
We urge the Council to restore funding to the Autism Awareness Initiative to the level it was funded at in FY 23 and apply a 3% increase to help providers address the rising costs of providing services for a total investment of $3,416,351 in FY27. These funds provide vital resources for programs that would otherwise have no other City support. Thank you for taking the time today to consider this important matter. We look forward to partnering with you to improve equity and access for all young people with disabilities in New York City.
Respectfully submitted,
Lori Podvesker
Director of Disability and Education Policy
INCLUDEnyc