Frequently Asked Questions
Common Questions About The Project
- NCI is a national survey project. It helps the state learn how to better help adults who have an intellectual or developmental disability receiving services.
- Interviewers speak with people to learn about the services and other help they are getting.
- This survey is done remote over video. Interviewers meet with participants over Zoom video conference calls.
- To gather opinions and experiences of people who receive services through OPWDD.
- This is done to learn more about how to best help adults with an intellectual or developmental disability that receive Medicaid services in New York.
- OPWDD will use this feedback to continue making services and supports better for people with intellectual or developmental disabilities.
- OPWDD is funding this project.
- OPWDD provided Vital Research with a list of people receiving services and supports across the state.
- The interview takes about 45-60 minutes (1 hour).
- An interviewer may call you between January and May of 2025 to set up a time to meet with you.
- To communicate with you, an interviewer will email you from an OPWDD email account, like "john.x.doe@opwdd.ny.gov".
- Absolutely! The answers you provide will not be shared with any of the people who are responsible for your services or are paid to help you.
- No one will be able to trace your answers back to you.
- This project is voluntary - you can choose to take part, or you can say no. Your choice will not change the services you receive.
- If you participate, you do not have to answer any questions that you do not want to. You can also end the survey at any time.
- You may start and stop the survey at any point if you do not want to continue.
- If you would like to take the survey, please call Vital Research tollfree at 888-351-4147.
- An interviewer will call you and set an appointment.
- There are no right and wrong answers. The interviewer wants to hear what you think. You can stop the interview any time.
- Nothing. You do not have to participate. Your decision will not change your services.
- You may receive a call from an interviewer asking if you would like to take the survey. You can let them know you are not interested. You can also call Vital Research tollfree at 888-351-4147 to let them know that you do not want to take the survey.
- It is important for our interviewers to talk directly to you, the person who is receiving services.
- Opinions of families and staff are important, but they provide different perspectives than the person who is receiving services.
- If you are unable or unwilling to respond, a proxy respondent (such as a family member, friend, staff, or guardian who knows you well) may answer some of the questions on your behalf.
- The survey asks for your opinions about your quality of life and the services you receive. Some examples are questions about your provider, living arrangement, direct care staff, choices of activities, employment, or your health and safety.
- You can skip any questions that do not apply to you or that you don’t want to answer.
- Many different people take this survey. Some topics may apply to you but not to everyone. Other topics which apply to you might not be asked in this survey.
- No. Your answers are private. Your answers will not change your services.
- Call the interviewer who contacted you or call the Vital Research Project Team at 888-351-4147 (toll-free).
- Vital Research is a vendor working with OPWDD. They are collecting responses to the survey through the Zoom interviews. Interviewers are employees of Vital Research working on behalf of OPWDD.
Common Questions for Guardians and Family Members
- Yes! All survey responses are confidential and not linked to you or the person receiving services in any way. No one at the state, county, or provider agencies will know how each participant responds.
- All personal information about you and the person for whom you are the legal guardian is kept private and confidential.
- Please go to the Documents page to view a copy of the document provided by OPWDD for more details.
- You can also contact Olivia Popiel at OPWDD at NCIAdultInPerson@opwdd.ny.gov or 518-473-9313 if you have any questions about the survey.
- Interviewers will be using an OPWDD-associated government email account. These email addresses will look like "john.x.doe@opwdd.ny.gov".
- The interview is designed for adults of all ages and participants with varying abilities.
- Interviewers are trained on how to interview participants with different abilities and ways of communicating.
- Interviewers learn about how to make participants feel safe when talking with them.
- As the legal guardian, you may be present during the interview and assist in answering some of the questions if needed.
- If an individual is unable or unwilling to respond, the interviewer will switch to a “proxy” version of the survey, which allows you to answer on behalf of the individual.
- If you are unable to be present during the interview and would like to recommend another person who can serve as a proxy if assistance is needed, please inform the interviewer during scheduling.
What if the participant for whom I am a guardian needs to use a communication device to participate?
- Interviewers are trained to conduct interviews with people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. If a communication device or other communication help is needed, please let the interviewer know during scheduling.
- Only a participant or legal guardians can refuse on behalf of a participant.
- Care managers and staff members in group homes or residential care centers cannot refuse on behalf of a person.
- If a person is unable to communicate in any way, a legal guardian, family member, staff or friend who knows them well can answer some questions for them.