N.Y. invests $25M in disability health-care access across state, including Staten Island

Gov. Kathy Hochul on Monday announced 30 awards totaling $25 million to expand health-care services across New York, including Staten Island, helping those with developmental disabilities and addressing longstanding barriers to comprehensive medical and dental care.

The statewide initiative, part of Hochul’s 2025 State of the State and enacted in the FY26 Budget, prioritizes projects that expand dental care access, improves facilities for wheelchair users, creates sensory-friendly environments for neurodiverse patients, and increases specialty health services in underserved areas.

NYU College of Dentistry received the largest award, $5.48 million, to expand its Oral Health Center for People with Disabilities. The funding will create dedicated treatment space for children and adolescents with disabilities and add eight new treatment rooms, nearly doubling clinical capacity. The expansion is expected to serve more than 3,300 pediatric patients with disabilities annually in New York City and surrounding areas.

The NYU project will include specialized dental equipment for patients with autism and other developmental disabilities, wheelchair-accessible spaces, and features designed to reduce anxiety. The college will also train dentists to care for patients with developmental disabilities.

Northwell Staten Island University Hospital received $1,214,800 for improving access to behavioral health and dental services through implementation of sensory-friendly spaces.

Awards were distributed across various regions, including New York City, Long Island, Western New York, the Finger Lakes, Capital Region, Mohawk Valley, Mid-Hudson, Central New York, and the North Country.

Willow Baer, commissioner of the New York State Office for People With Developmental Disabilities, said initiatives like the NYU expansion “will open literal doors for people who, for far too long, have been shut out of the equitable and quality health care they deserve.”

Assemblymember Keith Powers said that people with disabilities often cannot access dental care due to a lack of accessible offices and dentists trained to treat patients with physical or behavioral issues, forcing some to undergo simple procedures in hospital operating rooms under sedation.

Luisa Henriquez, whose son Liam receives care at NYU’s center, said her son wouldn’t open his mouth for dentists after a traumatic experience. At NYU, a dentist built trust by playing with Liam first, and he completed treatment without sedation.

“Now Liam feels comfortable and safe every time he goes to the dentist,” Henriquez said. “The environment at the center is incredible — it’s organized, supportive, and designed in a way that truly helps children feel calm and understood.”

This article was produced with assistance from AI tools and reviewed by SILive.com staff.