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Westchester Arc Self-Advocate Speaks Out at Public Forum
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Pasquale Ginese, Westchester Arc Customer Service Council president, recently testified at a public forum sponsored by the New York State Senate Task Force on Government Efficiency. The hearing in New York City focused on spending at the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities. Below are his remarks.
“Good afternoon. My name is Pasquale Ginese and I am a self-advocate from Mt. Kisco, NY. I have received services from what is now called OPWDD and while no system is perfect, many good things have come from this system, especially my experience with community living.
I have seizure disorder and when I was a teenager, I moved into a group home that had 20 people living there. It was difficult because I didn’t get personal attention and I was just one of many people. The house was also removed from the local community and we seldom got to go into town. Thankfully, my agency was one of the first that tried to move people from group homes into apartments. I have been living there for 34 years. I have lived with three other men in two different apartments, became friends with them and still talk to some of them.
I have learned a lot from different staff how to clean my apartment, food shop and met many of my neighbors and talked with them and became friends with some of them. Where I live is my neighborhood. I feel I am part of my community.
I met a woman 34 years ago and we became friends and we married in our town a park. The community helped us with so many of the different things that it takes to have a wedding: from the bouquet to the wedding dress, they assisted us for that event. We moved into our own garden apartment together. Over the years we have had many staff work with us but we will always have our neighbors.
I buy items from the local stores- they are a vital part of my community life. I have gone to the local barbershop and my wife to the local salons. I have used the local pharmacy to the local pizzeria. It takes many staff to help us with our daily needs in the apartment system and I am grateful to all of them, even to the ones I disagree with. We need them and they need us.
Someone asked me once if I would ever consider moving back into a Group Home? After a brief second I replied- NO. This is my home I do not plan on moving back to a group home setting even if my wife or I should pass away. I cannot see me going back to a group home setting.
I think there are many people who are living in-group homes that would like to move into their own apartments if they were given the chance. The system and the supports I got gave me the chance to live in the community just like everyone else.”
Patsy Ginese
As President of Westchester Arc’s Customer Service Council, Patsy represents more than 1,600 consumers that receive services at Westchester Arc. He is also a valued member of the agency’s Marketing Department where he is responsible for a variety of projects that help educate the community about the opportunities available at Westchester Arc. Patsy designs, writes and edits the Consumer Times Newsletter. This quarterly publication is distributed to all the people Westchester Arc serves.
Working with SANYS, he makes presentations to educate the community about the challenges, barriers and opportunities that people with developmental disabilities experience. He serves as mentor to people who receive services at Westchester Arc and always advocates for the rights of people with developmental disabilities.