Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities311Search all NYC.gov websites
Disability Service Facilitators (DSF)
Who We Are
Disability Service Facilitators, or "DSFs", are agency representatives who are committed to making our agencies more inclusive. We are liaisons to New Yorkers with disabilities, connecting them to City government and services.
What We Do
As DSFs, we coordinate our agencies' efforts to comply with and carry out our agencies' responsibilities under the ADA and other federal, state, and local laws and regulations concerning access to agency programs and services by persons with disabilities.
Under Local Law 27 of 2016, each City agency must appoint a DSF.
Meet a DSF
Michelle Barnes-Anderson,
Director of Disability Services
Department of Small Business Services (SBS)
Who I Am
I have proudly served as the Disability Services Facilitator since the implementation of NYC Local Law 27 in 2016 and currently hold the role of Director of Disability Services. Prior to this appointment, I worked for 12 years as an Equal Opportunity Investigator, where I gained extensive experience ensuring fairness, compliance, and accountability.
Compliance and inclusion have always been at the heart of my work. I am committed to being a voice for the voiceless and ensuring equity for individuals who are too often overlooked. Uplifting underserved communities and aligning people with the resources they need through NYC services is not only my professional responsibility—it is also my personal mission.
My work is grounded in the belief that true inclusion means creating access, opportunity, and dignity for all. Whether through policy, direct service, or community engagement, I remain dedicated to building pathways that promote equality, independence, and empowerment.
What I Do
As the Disability Services Facilitator, I not only assist individuals with disabilities but also navigate them toward accurate and essential City resources. I serve as the 504 Coordinator for the Rehabilitation Act, Disability Rights Coordinator, and the 55-A Coordinator, ensuring supportive and inclusive employment access tailored to specific needs.
New York City is one of the most extraordinary cultural maps of talented people with disabilities. To support this community, I evaluate and provide input regarding agency policies and procedures for people with disabilities that respond to the evolving needs of both Workforce1 Career Centers and Business Solutions Centers across all five boroughs.
Fun Fact
I worked closely with the New York State Legislature to write and introduce a bill that became Mel’s Law, signed into law by Governor Kathy Hochul on October 25, 2023.
Visit the Meet a DSF Archive