The Community Choice Act Resolution Project

The Community Choice Act (CCA) Resolution Project is a project of the Center for Disability Rights (CDR) Advocacy Team. The aim of the Project is to get cities, towns, and villages in Monroe County to pass a resolution supporting the Community Choice Act.

The Community Choice Act (H.R. 1670 and S. 683) is a piece of legislation before the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate. It would give people with disabilities and seniors living in nursing facilities or other institutions, or at risk of institutional placement, the choice to live in their communities with the services and supports that they need to remain independent. CCA would address the institutional bias that mandates institutional care, while home and community-based care remain optional, by mandating home and community-based care as well.

Upon hearing that several cities around the country, including New York City, and Binghamton, New York had already passed resolutions in support of the Community Choice Act, the Center for Disability Rights launched the Community Choice Act Resolution Project at the end of 2008. Shortly after the inception of the project, the Village of Webster adopted the resolution.

The process for garnering support for the resolution is this: Staff and volunteers from CDR meet with town supervisors and councils, giving them information about the Community Choice Act and why it is important to people with disabilities. Information is also given about other cities, towns and villages in New York State, and Monroe County that have adopted the resolution.

Advocates then ask for permission to make a presentation before the full council, or other governmental body about the Community Choice Act, and the Project, itself. The council or governmental body later votes on whether or not to pass the resolution.

Each city, town, village or governmental entity that adopts the resolution then sends a copy of it to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the House Minority Leader, the Senate Majority Leader, the Senate Minority Leader, and to each member of the New York Congressional Delegation.

In December, 2009, CDR's Director of Advocacy made a presentation before the Monroe County Council of Governments. This body includes the Mayor of the City of Rochester, the Executive of Monroe County, and the Mayors and Supervisors of 29 towns and villages. After the presentation, County Executive Maggie Brooks commented that approaches like those included in CCA will save money.

Since that presentation, the Town of Gates, and the Villages of Honeoye Falls, Scottsville, and Spencerport, as well as the New York State Assembly has adopted the resolution.