LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION honoring Susan M. Dooha upon the occasion of her
designation as the sixth recipient of the Annual Dr. Henry Viscardi, Jr.
Advocacy Award by the New York State Assembly Task Force on People with
Disabilities and the New York State Assembly Committee on Mental Health
on May 17, 2010

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to recognize and pay
tribute to those individuals within the great Empire State who have made
strong contributions to the disability community; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-
standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to honor
Susan M. Dooha of Brooklyn, New York, upon the occasion of her desig-
nation as the sixth recipient of the Annual Dr. Henry Viscardi, Jr.
Advocacy Award presented at the 2010 Legislative Disabilities Awareness
Day sponsored by the New York State Assembly Task Force on People with
Disabilities and the New York State Assembly Committee on Mental Health
on Monday, May 17, 2010; and
WHEREAS, The Dr. Henry Viscardi, Jr. Advocacy Award was created in
2005 to honor the late Dr. Henry Viscardi, Jr. for his lifelong commit-
ment to advocacy on behalf of people with disabilities; and
WHEREAS, The tremendous efforts Susan M. Dooha has made to improve and
enhance the lives of New Yorkers with disabilities are worthy of this
recognition; and
WHEREAS, Susan M. Dooha, J.D., serves as the Executive Director of the
Center for Independence of the Disabled, New York (CIDNY); and
WHEREAS, CIDNY's mission is to ensure full integration, independence
and equal opportunity for all people with disabilities by removing
barriers to the social, economic, cultural and civic life of the commu-
nity; and
WHEREAS, In 2010, CIDNY reached nearly 19,000 New Yorkers through
advocacy, education and direct assistance; Susan M. Dooha joined CIDNY
in 2002 and under her direction, this outstanding organization has
expanded services to people with disabilities living in poverty,
increased its navigational and problem-solving help for people seeking
vocational rehabilitation, and has grown its programs for youth and
seniors; and
WHEREAS, CIDNY's pioneering disability literacy program has become
choice for both New York State and local agencies seeking to increase
their inclusiveness; for nearly 20 years, Susan M. Dooha has been a
leader in New York's health policy arena; and
WHEREAS, Susan Dooha has authored and co-authored numerous articles
and publications on health reform and people with disabilities; more-
over, she was an author of the Americans with Disabilities Act Guide-
lines for Managed Care Organizations used by the New York State Depart-
ment of Health in contracting with health plans, and was also the author
of the position paper on health reform adopted by the National Council
on Independent Living in 1993; and
WHEREAS, Susan M. Dooha has lectured on disability issues at New York
University, The City University of New York, and Hofstra University; and
WHEREAS, Elected officials have repeatedly relied upon Susan M. Dooha
to bring the disability community's perspective into the policy arena;
in 2009, the New York State Board of Regents appointed her the Chair of
the State Rehabilitation Council, which oversees vocational rehabili-
tation services; in 1998, she was appointed by the Senate Minority Lead-
er to the Medicaid Managed Care Advisory Review Panel, where she served
for eight years; and she was selected by the New York State Department

of Health to represent the disability community on its SSI Task Group;
and
WHEREAS, Susan M. Dooha, who is herself, a person with a disability,
has been a nonprofit management consultant, nonprofit executive, public
health policy expert, and community advocate for more than 25 years;
prior to joining the staff of CIDNY, she served as Director of Health
Policy at the nation's oldest and largest AIDS service organization,
GMHC; and
WHEREAS, A member of the New York Association on Independent Living, a
statewide association of independent living centers, Susan M. Dooha is a
member of the American Public Health Association's Disability Section,
and the Steering Committee of Medicaid Matters New York; and
WHEREAS, In 1996, Susan M. Dooha was named Advocate of the Year by the
New York City Consortium of Independent Living Centers, and in 2006, she
was the recipient of the Justin Dart Award for Political Advocacy; and
WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body that those who
enhance the quality of life in their community and have shown a long and
sustained commitment to the maintenance of high standards in their
profession, certainly have earned the recognition and applause of all
the citizens of this great Empire State; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
honor Susan M. Dooha upon the occasion of her designation as the sixth
recipient of the Annual Dr. Henry Viscardi, Jr. Advocacy Award by the
New York State Assembly Task Force on People with Disabilities and the
New York State Assembly Committee on Mental Health on May 17, 2010; and
be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to Susan M. Dooha, Brooklyn, New York.