2022 Ombudsman Of The Year

The North Country Center for Independence is proud to say that the NCCI Ombudsman Program's own Barbara Thomas was honored earlier this week as a 2022 Ombudsman of the Year, at the New York State Office for Aging Older New Yorkers Day Virtual Event.

From the NYS Office for Aging award announcement:

"In her four short years with LTCOP, Thomas has investigated over 300 complaints, made 301 facility visits, comprising 480 hours of service."

The Long Term Care Ombudsman Program advocates for older persons and persons with disabilities living in nursing homes, assisted living, and adult homes. Residents in these facilities have the right to proper care, accommodations, and respect. They also have the right to leave a facility if they wish. Ombudsmen help residents and their families exercise their rights to quality care and quality of life. The program advocates for residents by:

• Hearing, investigating, and resolving complaints.

• Promoting the development of resident and family councils.

• Informing government agencies, providers, and the public about the needs and concerns of long-term care facility residents.

"We are so very proud of Barb and her accomplishments with this program," says Amy Gehrig, Ombudsman Coordinator at the North Country Center for Independence. "All our volunteers are amazing and dedicated to the well-being of our residents throughout the tri-county area. This program would not be successful without the dedication of our volunteer force. Congratulations Barb!"

“The ombudsman experience has been the perfect retirement volunteer gig for me,” Thomas says. “Being able to advocate for the rights of people who are basically forgot- ten by most of the population is so important. It gives me such a great feeling when I am able to make even the smallest improvement in their lives. The demands on the time of the volunteer ombudsman are very manageable and leave time for your own recreation/ social and or other volunteer activities.”

Well done Barbara -- we are so proud of you and thankful for your dedicated service!

Remembering Our Friend And Colleague, Chris Bacon

Earlier this month, we lost another friend and valued member of the NCCI team, Chris Bacon.

Chris graduated from Au Sable Valley High School and attended Clinton Community College. He worked a variety of jobs in the Plattsburgh area — most recently serving as Emergency Preparedness Coordinator here at the North Country Center for Independence. Chris just recently finished a brochure on emergency preparedness for people with disabilities. It is also available as a page on NCCI’s website here: www.ncci-online.com/emergency-preparedness.

For more details on Chris’s life and family, follow this link to a full remembrance, where you can also sign a guest book at get information on services for Chris: www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/name/christopher-bacon-obituary?id=35201366

NCCI Board member Tom Defayette says of Chris:

“Chris embodied the purpose of what we do and stand for at NCCI. He not only loved NCCI and its mission, he understood the power of independent living. He never saw himself as resilient and determined, but others saw him that way. He was so proud to tell everyone he was employed at NCCI and often mentioned how excited he was to return to the office and start working alongside others.”

And NCCI’s Executive Director, Robert Poulin adds:

“Chris was a hard worker and very dedicated to NCCI. I am proud to have known him, to have been able to work with him. His passing is a shock and very painful. I am comforted to know that Chris felt good about his achievements and that he was looking forward to the future. He will definitely be missed.”

Remembering Our Friend And Colleague, John Farley

John Farley, the North Country Center for Independence Accessibility Consultant, passed away peacefully in his sleep sometime during the night of April 20, 2022. He did not suffer and now joins his wife and daughter in the next life. Those of us left behind feel deep sorrow and pain because we will never again speak with or see John in our offices.

John provided accessibility services with NCCI since 2007. Most of his work involved helping people with disabilities and their families make their homes more physically accessible, with ramps, lifts, and other modifications, so they could continue living independently or return to home from hospitals and care facilities. He worked directly with disabled people and their loved ones, in collaboration with community partners such as hospitals, county Social Services and Offices for Aging, and other nonprofit agencies like Clinton County Rural Preservation, Friends of the North Country, the Advocacy and Resource Center, JCEO, and the Senior Citizen’s Council of Clinton County.

John was also a strong advocate for community accessibility. It was his complaint about physical barriers at the Champlain Centre Mall that led to a statwide Attorney General lawsuit, resulting in Pinnacle Group making needed accessibility changes across the state.

This was very much John’s third career, after decades of previous business and engineering work, both in the U.S. and abroad.

John was a powerful presence in our office. He was interested in each of us, and he cared deeply about the agency, our work, and the people we served. One of the last things he said to me last week was “Robert, this agency is important. Our work is important. It must survive no matter what.” I think John knew then that his time was approaching, and he wanted me, and all of us to know how important the work we do and agency itself were to him and the community. John was a strong family man, and we were part of his extended family — he chose that. Let us in our grief, honor John’s memory by recommitting ourselves to each other, and to the independence and wellbeing of people with disabilities in the North Country

You will be missed John and never forgotten. We were so very lucky to have you among us.

There is a full obituary for John by his family, at the Press-Republican.

Robert Poulin
Executive Director

North Country Association for Visually Impaired, Inc. is now an affiliate of NCCI

The North Country Association for the Visually Impaired, Inc. (NCAVI) is now an affiliate of the North Country Center for Independence (NCCI). NCAVI assists persons who are blind or visually impaired with attaining or maintaining independent lives in their homes and community.

The mission of NCCI is to provide advocacy and leadership toward a more accessible, integrated community, promoting health and autonomy for people with disabilities. “NCAVI was a natural fit based on our mission to help those with any level of disability to lead a more independent life. NCAVI’s services and supports will expand our reach and network, reduce costs, and allow more people access to needed services,” statedRobert Poulin, Chief Executive Officer of NCCI.

NCAVI’s team of professionals help individuals and their families learn the techniques they need to remain active and independent in their communities.  Services are provided by qualified personnel including Vision Rehabilitation Therapists and Orientation and Mobility Specialists.

Amy Kretser, former executive director of NCAVI is proud to have helped facilitate the move. Kretser said, “Non-profit agencies across the state and country work hard to fund their missions. We care about the people we serve and our primary focus is ensuring services are sustainable. Agencies that stand alone in terms of program and service provision are simply not as strong as those who have robust partnerships and a larger breadth of service.” Kretser explained that while services provided to people who are blind will not change, people will have the added benefit of the many additional services offered by NCCI. Kretser joins the NCCI team as the Chief Operating Officer

"The NCAVI Board is excited about this affiliation and eventual merger with NCCI,” said Alex Forster, NCAVI Board President. “This transition helps to ensure the continued provision of vital services to those served by NCAVI now and in the future, as well continuity of service with NCAVI’s program staff under NCCI’s umbrella.  We believe that combining these two agencies will provide more comprehensive services and supports for blind and visually impaired individuals throughout the North Country,” said Forster.

His sentiments were echoed by NCCI Board President Patti King who stated, “We are so proud of the work both of these agencies do to help people with disabilities. We look forward NCCI sharing the many successes we expect will continue with this new Vision Services program.” King added, “While the program has a new home at NCCI, these vision services are certainly not new to the region.” NCAVI has provided low vision services to the North Country for over 30 years and is moving into the next 30 with confidence.

Julie Hovey is the New York State Commission for the Blind Associate Commissioner. Hovey stated, “We are very pleased to continue our longstanding relationship with NCAVI under the management of our partners at NCCI.”

NCCI is a community-based, peer-driven, cross-disability, non-profit organization dedicated to advocacy and leadership on behalf of people with disabilities. It is one of 41 Independent Living Centers (ILC) operating in New York State under the auspices of New York State Education Department (NYSED). Independent Living Centers like NCCI all provide a combination of services and community advocacy. Their goals are to empower people with disabilities to direct their own lives, and to ensure equal access and opportunities for the disability community. For more information visit www.ncci-online.com or call 518-563-9058.

Job Opening: Open Doors Transition Specialist

Job Announcement in bold white letters on a purple background

Job Announcement in bold white letters on a purple background

Open Doors Transition Specialist

The North Country Center for Independence (NCCI) is seeking a qualified candidate to serve as a Transition Specialist to assist eligible Medicaid recipients to move from institutional settings into the community.

Salary: $32,000 a year

Job Type: Full time, temporarily remote

Click here to see the full description and apply online through Indeed

COVID-19 Office Procedures Update

Coronavirus pandemic announcements in white bold letters on an orange background

The North Country Center for Independence is currently open by appointment only. To schedule an appointment, please consult the staff contact list on our About page and either send an email or call the appropriate staff member. If you aren’t sure which staff member to contact you can also call our general phone line at 518-563-9058. Anyone visiting the Center by appointment will be required to wear a mask while in the building. Our staff can do home visits too, so feel free to ask.

Need Health Insurance? We May Be Able To Help!

North country center for independence - medicaid application assistance program (maap) on red background with photo display of a stethoscope and pills in a package

Need Health Insurance? Are your Medicare costs too high?

Do you or someone you know fall into one of the following categories:

  • 65 Years or Older

  • Certified Blind

  • Certified Disabled

Medicaid coverage may be the answer!


Medicaid Application Assistance Program (MAAP)

The North Country Center for Independence provides one-on-one FREE application assistance to eligible individuals who would like to apply for Medicaid programs, including:

  • Medicaid

  • Medicare Savings Program

  • Medicaid Buy-In for Working People with Disabilities

  • Nursing Home Coverage

  • Managed Long Term Care

  • Medicaid Spenddown

FREE SERVICE! Call 518-405-5888, or send an email to: cassiek@ncci-online.com

Funding provided by the New York State Department of Health

Welcome Ephraim Fosu, Olmstead Housing Specialist

Announcements in lagre bold white letters on a blue background

Ephriam Fosu has been hired as the Olmstead Housing Specialist at the North Country Center for Independence. The Olmstead Housing Subsidy (OHS) is a statewide rental subsidy and transitional housing support service program for high-need Medicaid members. The funding was made available as part of the Medicaid Redesign Team’s Supportive Housing Workgroup initiative to help address the needs of eligible Medicaid participants in transitioning from Skilled Nursing Facility settings. Ephraim’s work in this program will cover Clinton, Essex’s and Franklin county.

Ephriam currently holds two positions beside working for NCCI. He is an instructional support assistant at SUNY Plattsburgh. He also worked for Berkshire Farms Center for Youth where he was the Group Home Supervisor. Ephriam has experience working with individuals with disabilities at Advocacy and Resource Center, where he was a Direct Support Supervisor. Prior to that he was an Administrative Assistant for Northern Nephology and Hypertension. Ephriam is currently studying Community and Human Development at SUNY Empire State.

Personal Assistants and COVID-19 Vaccines

Consumer directed personal assistance - self-directed home care for people with disabilities

CDPAP Personal Assistants are now eligible to get the COVID-19 vaccine!

NCCI has provided all CDPAP Personal Assistants with a letter that verifies they are eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine right away. To prove they are eligible, they may be required to produce:

1) The verification letter

2) Your most recent pay stub

3) A photo ID.

Different vaccination sites and providers could handle this differently, so it is best to be prepared with all three items if you can. To find out where to get the vaccine, Personal Assistants can use one of these two approaches:

1. ONLINE PRE-SCREENING AND SCHEDULING

To use a state pre-screening tool, go to: https://am-i-eligible.covid19vaccine.health.ny.gov/Public/prescreener

2. CONTACT YOUR COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT

Here are the Public Health phone numbers by county:

Clinton: 518-565-4840 or email health@clintoncountygov.com

Essex: 518-873-3500

Franklin: 518-481-1709 or email FCHealth@franklincony.org

Welcome Colleen Downs, Systems Advocate

Announcement in bold white letters on a deep blue background

Colleen Downs has been hired to be the Best Systems Advocate at the North Country Center for Independence. She will be working with the Statewide Systems Advocacy Network (SSAN), a program of the New York Association on Independent Living, developed to support the Independent Living Movement in the development of local partnerships and coalitions, to engage in community education about issues impacting people with disabilities. The overall goal is to increase knowledge and visibility about Independent Living, resulting in positive change in communities through New York State.

Colleen is a former attorney with experience in housing and civil rights, the former head of the Accommodations Unit for Prudential Financial, and has led or consulted in the fields of Human Resources and technology within various companies, agencies, and educational institutions.

Colleen can be reached at 518-563-9058 or colleen@ncci-online.com.