People with disabilities are not immune to the risk of suicide, even when in the care of others.

In this episode, we speak with Tricia Hartnett, deputy director of the Office of Prevention and Health Initiatives at the NYS Office of Mental Health, to discuss suicide risk and prevention for people receiving care from New York State service systems. 

Together, we explore how to move past common misconceptions about risk and identify the behavioral warning signs that are often overlooked. 

This conversation focuses on practical environmental safety, specifically how to reduce access while respecting a person’s autonomy. From staff training to crisis response, we provide actionable steps for creating a safer, more supportive environment for those in care. 

Featured Guests: 

Tricia Hartnett, Deputy Director, Office of Prevention and Health Initiatives, NYS Office of Mental Health

Resources:

• NYS Office of Mental Health's Suicide Prevention Center: www.preventsuicideny.org
• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: 988lifeline.org

In this episode, we dive into a complex and often misunderstood behavioral eating disorder: pica.

Characterized by the persistent craving and ingestion of non-food substances—such as soil, chalk, fabric, or metal—pica presents unique clinical and safety challenges, particularly within the Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (I/DD) community.

Our guest today is Dr. Mary O’Neill, principal psychologist with the Bureau of Clinical Project Management at the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD). 

Together, we define pica, discuss what it means for ensuring safety in care settings, and how providers can build environments that prioritize both dignity and life-saving supervision.

Featured Guests:

Dr. Mary O’Neill, Director of Bureau of Clinical Project Management, NYS Office for People with Developmental Disabilities 

Resources:

Spotlight on Prevention: Could This Happen In Your Program? Toolkit

OPWDD Health and Safety Alert: Important Information about Pica

OPWDD Recorded Training about Pica (link to come)

In honor of Disability Pride Month, we kick off this episode by sitting down with our Director of Disability, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) to discuss the importance of Disability Pride and why true inclusion requires moving beyond baseline reasonable accommodations and bringing underrepresented voices and lived experiences into the conversation. 

Then, we go live from Empire State Plaza for the State’s Disability Pride on the Plaza Celebration. You’ll hear directly from award-winning advocates, state partners, and other community members about what Disability Pride means to them.

These conversations explore the deeper meaning behind the celebration. It’s about identity, inclusion, and the continued effort to build a community where everyone feels truly valued.

Featured Guests:

• Sidra Chaudhary, Director of DEIA
• Disability Pride on the Plaza Attendees

To mark National Safety Month and the one-year anniversary of the “Could This Happen in Your Program?” podcast, we are looking ahead to the next chapter of our mission and the Justice Center’s commitment to prevent, protect, and advocate for New Yorkers with disabilities.

Our guests, Chief of Staff Dr. Jessica Pidgeon and Director of Strategic Initiatives & Portfolio Management Mike Wilmot, join us to provide a first look at the Justice Center’s new strategic plan. We’ll discuss how the agency is evolving beyond traditional oversight toward a proactive safety model—using data and community outreach to identify risks before incidents occur. 

Featured Guests:

• Dr. Jessica Pidgeon, Chief of Staff
• Mike Wilmot, Director of Strategic Initiatives & Portfolio Management

In honor of Global Accessibility Awareness Day, this month we shift the conversation around accessibility from checklists to compliance deadlines to the heart of the matter: People. 

When a person with a disability can access information via a website or a digital application, it’s one more step toward creating a more inclusive state for all.

In this episode, we sit down with Michele Bruno from the New York State Office of Information Technology and Jeffrey Knaack from the New York State Digital Service to explore the human impact of accessible design, the shift from viewing accessibility as a "deadline" to seeing it as an "opportunity," and how New York is leading the charge by building accessibility into the very DNA of its digital infrastructure.

Whether you are a provider agency with a small budget or a curious advocate, this conversation offers a roadmap for making services truly accessible by design.

Featured Guests:

• Michelle Bruno, NYS Office of Information Technology
• Jeffrey Knaack, NYS Digital Service

In recognition of April’s National Volunteer Month, we’re discussing the important role volunteers play in some of the Justice Center’s most critical programs.  

Earlier on the “Could This Happen in Your Program?” podcast, we introduced you to the Surrogate Decision-Making Committee—a non-court alternative authorized to provide consent for non-emergency major medical treatment and end-of-life care in New York.  

In this episode, we will go deeper, discussing the critical role volunteers play for programs like SDMC, how the Justice Center supports volunteers through the process, and the specific training and resources provided to ensure success.    

We’ll also speak directly with two SDMC volunteers to learn what draws them to this work, the social and physical benefits they gain from service, and why they find this specific program so rewarding.  

This conversation highlights how dedicated community members make a measurable difference in the lives of those we serve. Because ensuring the safety of others takes all of us.    

In honor of Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month, we explore how self-advocacy and family support help ensure that people with developmental disabilities live with dignity, choice, and security.   

We begin with Dr. Lucina Clarke, Executive Director and Co-Founder of My Time Inc.  

Dr. Clarke shares her mission to support the pillars of the disability community who are too often forgotten: the parents and caregivers. Dr. Clarke explains why caregiver wellness and education are important safeguards for a person with a developmental disability, and illustrates how an informed parent can become a powerful, lifelong advocate. 

Then, we welcome Crystal Collins, Ombudsman Supervisor from the Justice Center. We discuss the role of oversight in person-centered care, how to navigate disputes within the service system, and the specific mechanisms that ensure every person remains safe and their rights are upheld. 

This episode offers a comprehensive look at what it takes to create a "person-centered" safety net. Join us! 

In investigations and human services, we often focus on the mechanics of a case. Yet, at the heart of every interaction is a person who has likely experienced a significant crisis.  

In this episode, we explore why a trauma-informed approach is critical for anyone who works with people in vulnerable situations. It's a shift in perspective that moves us from simply "getting the facts" to understanding the human being behind the story.

We'll start by breaking down what trauma actually is and how it "shows up" in the brain and body. We'll discuss how this understanding is being built into a new training initiative for our internal teams and beyond.  

Finally, we'll explore the concept of secondary trauma, how it can affect human services professionals, and practical steps they can take to stay psychologically safe.  

This conversation explores empathy, the science of safety, and how we can work together to create a more supportive environment for the people we serve and for ourselves. 

For those who may be unable to report pain or describe an injury, body checks provide an early warning sign to assess a person and help tell that story.   

In this episode, we explore why body checks are far more than paperwork; they are a vital tool for protection, dignity, and early intervention. We're joined by Serena Sturman-Pupons, Deputy Counsel at the Justice Center and a former nurse, to discuss how a careful eye can ensure that every person receives the medical attention and protection they deserve.  

Join us for a conversation on the importance of body checks, the best practices and sensitivities to consider, and why having a physical record is a powerful way to advocate for the people in care. 

But first, to help us kick off the New Year, we sit down with the agency’s Acting Executive Director, Maria Lisi-Murray, to reflect on the progress made in 2025 and preview her plans for 2026.

Most people know the NYS Justice Center investigates abuse and neglect. But what many don't know is that at the heart of the agency is a powerful Data and Analytics unit—a team of data scientists working to make the entire system safer. 

In this episode, we spotlight our data unit and how the Justice Center leverages incident reports to identify systemic dangers that no single provider or case file could reveal. We use a powerful real-world example: the agency's data-driven response to food-choking incidents.

Discover how recognizing a dangerous trend led to direct, actionable changes that have protected countless people supported by New York State care systems, proving that sometimes, the most effective tool in the fight for safety is preventing harm before it happens.    

Watch on the Justice Center website: https://www.justicecenter.ny.gov/how-justice-center-uses-data-prevent-harm