OPWDD
Office for People with Developmental Disabilities
What is OPWDD?
OPWDD stands for the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities. OPWDD is responsible for coordinating services for New Yorkers with developmental disabilities. Once eligible, support is lifelong. OPWDD provides services directly and in conjunction with local agencies. The first step to apply for OPWDD is to link directly with the Front Door or work with an Enrollment Coordinator from Person Centered Service or Prime Care Coordination. Parent Network of WNY also has an Eligibility Navitagor who can help with an OPWDD application. For more information on the Front Door and application process, click here.
To qualify for services, an individual must have:
Been diagnosed with a developmental disability before the age of 22 (intellectual disability, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, autism spectrum disorders, and other neurological impairments)
A disability that can be expected to continue indefinitely, or permanently
A disability that causes a handicap to a person’s ability to function normally in society
Eligible youth and adults can receive services in:
Family & Community Support (after-school programs, recreation, camps, support groups, counseling)
Health, Wellness & Behavioral Health
Transitional, Pre-vocational & Employment service
Applying for OPWDD can seem overwhelming. There are two local Care Coordination Organization (COO) agencies, Person Centered Services & Prime Care Coordination, that can help you with the process. These agencies have enrollment coordinators who can walk you through the application process. Parent Network of WNY also has support services through their eligibility navigator to help with a linkage. Click the links below for more information on each agency.
Person Centered Services Prime Care Coordination Parent Network of WNY
Person Centered Services Prime Care Coordination Parent Network of WNY
Intake Department: (855) 208-3533 Enrollment Coordinator: 1-844-347-3168 Eligibility Navigator: Michelle Davis - 716-332-4170
Website: www.personcenteredservices.com Website: https://primecareny.org Website: https://parentnetworkwny.org/opwdd-eligibility
Email: intake@personcenteredservices.com Email: info@primecareny.org Email: info@parentnetworkwny.org
Care Coordination Services
Once your child has been approved for OPWDD, he/she will work with a care coordinator or care manager to coordinate their OPWDD services. Your child's care coordinator or manager, will also develop their Life Plan. We encourage parents to inform the Committee on Special Education or special education teacher if their child is linked with OPWDD services and sign a release allowing the CSE to communicate with your child's care coordinator/manager.
While in high school, the care coordinator and school personnel will work together to ensure services are in place as your young adult prepares to graduate or age out of the K-12 education system. During the year that your child will graduate or exit, the care coordinator/manager will apply for adult services through the OPWDD System. Students & parents must work closely with the school and care coordinator/manager to understand the post-secondary options available after graduation. As your child navigates from the K-12 system to the OPWDD adult service system, it's important to remember that services go from entitlement while in school to eligibility in the adult system.
OPWDD OPTIONS AFTER HIGH SCHOOL
Employment
Pre-Vocational Services, Pathways to Employment, Supported Employment, Employment Training Program, and
ACCES-VR
Source: NYS Office for People with Developmental Disabilities
There are a variety of employment services available to individuals who want to work. The information below is taken directly from the NYS OPWDD Website.
Pre-Vocational Services - Prevocational services are available to you if you want to work, but need extra help to develop the skills to be successful in the workplace. These services address your vocational interests and can help you build on your strengths and overcome barriers to employment.
Pathway to Employment - Explore the world of work in this year-long program. Discover what types of employment or volunteer opportunities are best suited to you. Pathway to Employment helps you identify your strong points, skills, interests and job goals. Pathway to Employment is open to you if you are leaving high school, receiving day habilitation or pre-vocational services or are interested in getting and keeping a job.You can explore the work world through job shadowing, internships, and volunteering.
Supported Employment - Supported Employment can provide the supports you need to maintain a paid competitive job in the community. Typically, you will transition to Supported Employment after you have received supported employment services funded by the NYS Adult Career and Continuing Education Services-Vocational Rehabilitation (ACCES-VR) and you require limited job coaching to successfully maintain your employment. (See ACCES-VR page at top of this site for more information)
See the DDAWNY Guide to Service below for a list of agencies that offer Employment Services
Day Habilitation
(The above video provides an overview of day habilitation services. However, YAI does NOT provide services in WNY)
Source: NYS Office for People with Developmental Disabilities
These programs are offered to people regardless of where they live. They take place outside your home, usually at a certified site in the community or even in the community, called Day Hab Without Walls.
As with Community Habilitation services, Day Habilitation services can assist people to acquire, retain or improve their self-help, socialization and adaptive skills, including communication, travel and other areas in adult education. Activities and environments are designed to foster the development of skills and appropriate behavior, greater independence, community inclusion, relationship building, self-advocacy and informed choice. Additionally, people accessing day habilitation often contribute to their communities through volunteer work.
Within the Buffalo area, day habilitation programs are run through local agencies. For more information, see the links below.
Cantalician Center for Learning, Inc.
This service helps you learn and keep the skills you need to live safely and more independently, meet people, make and keep friends, take part in community events and be part of your community. Community Habilitation is for people who do not live in an OPWDD certified or operated home. You can have Community Habilitation services at your home or in the community.
Supports include adaptive skill development, assistance with activities of daily living (hands-on), community inclusion and relationship building, training and support for independence in travel, transportation, adult educational supports, development of social skills, leisure skills, self-advocacy and informed choice skills, and appropriate behavior development to help people access their community.
Most agencies that offer Day Habilitation Services also offer Community Habilitation. See the links below for more information.
Cantalician Center for Learning, Inc.
Self-Direction
Self-Direction is another option that allows individuals to pick and choose the services that best meet their goals and needs. For more information, see the links below.
My Life My Choice Brochure from OPWDD
How to Get Started with Self-Directed Services
Virtual Agency Fair hosted by Parent Network of WNY
Reference:
NYS Office for People with Developmental Disabilities. NYS Office for People with Developmental Disabilities, opwdd.ny.gov/. Accessed 6 May 2021.
2019-DDAWNY-Guide-1.pdfDDAWNY Guide to Services
Developmental Disabilities Identification Card
Individuals with developmental disabilities can apply for an identification card through the OPWDD website, which can be presented to law enforcement and emergency medical providers to help first responders communicate with the individual during a routine or emergency situation.
Visit https://opwdd.ny.gov/form/i-dd-id-cards to request an ID card.
Source: NYS Office for People with Developmental Disabilities. NYS Office for People with Developmental Disabilities, https://opwdd.ny.gov/form/i-dd-id-cards, Accessed 31 May 2023.