Southampton School District strives to help students and their families apply to outside agencies for any possible additional services. 

The Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) may be able to provide many services, if the student is deemed eligible. These services can include supports at home, in the community, independent living, and employment training that can help individuals transition into their adult life.  

The New York State Office for People With Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) is responsible for coordinating services for more than 130,000 New Yorkers with developmental disabilities, including intellectual disabilities, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, autism spectrum disorders, and other neurological impairments. It provides services directly and through a network of approximately 700 nonprofit service providing agencies, with about 80 percent of services provided by the private nonprofits and 20 percent provided by state-run services. 

https://opwdd.ny.gov/

Local Office - 

415-A Oser Avenue

Hauppauge, NY 11788

Phone: (631) 434-6100

Fax: (631) 434-6040 

Southampton UFSD strives to help students and their families apply to outside agencies for any possible additional services. 

The Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) may be able to provide many services, if the student is deemed eligible. These services can include supports at home, in the community, independent living, and employment training that can help individuals transition into their adult life.  

STEP 1: CONNECT WITH THE FRONT DOOR

The Front Door is the way OPWDD connects you to the services you want and need. Once you enter, a person-centered planning process begins, which helps you learn about and access service options that take your child and families needs and desires into consideration. It will also help your family member or loved one as they direct theirs.

The Front Door is based on the understanding that, as a person with developmental disabilities you have the right to:

• Enjoy meaningful relationships,

• Experience personal growth,

• Participate in your community and,

• Live in the home of your choice. 

The family can email OPWDD/Front Door Directly the following people:

 michelle.x.reichert@opwdd.ny.gov

  Sandra.lorraine.green@opwdd.ny.gov

Or, to call the Front Door the number is: 631-434-6000

Some basic contact and demographic information will be collected to check if a person is already known in the system.  Families will then be assigned a Front Door Facilitator who can continue to serve as a point of contact to help guide families and to answer any questions.  The Front Door (FD) facilitator will guide to the next steps.  After this meeting, you are assigned a TABS ID.  If you have NOT yet attended a Front Door Information Session, the FD facilitator will send you a list of dates to register for a session.  It is not required for the Front Door Information Session to be the first step, but it can be. 

To help you get ready to plan for OPWDD services, you will be asked to view the Front Door Videos on the OPWDD website: opwdd.ny.gov/get-started  The videos are a way for you to learn valuable information about:

• The supports and services that may be right for you, and how to access them

• The choices that OPWDD offers for helping individuals and families

• How the Front Door process works

STEP 2 : CONTACT A CARE COORDINATION AGENCY 

Once a TABS ID is generated, the FD facilitator will connect you with a Care Coordination Organizations (CCO) or Service Access Agency (SAA).

A Care Coordinator or Service Access Agency can help you finish the OPWDD application process and help you get services for your child after your child is found eligible for OPWDD. On Long Island, there are 3 care coordination organizations (CCOs) that you can choose from: Advanced Care Alliance (ACA), Care Design, and Tri-County Care. You will receive a list with their contact information when you attend the Front Door Session. 

STEP 3: GATHER YOUR DOCUMENTS  

To apply for OPWDD, you will need these 4 documents: 

1. An OPWDD Eligibility form (provided by OPWDD after you have connected with the Front Door). 

2. A psychological assessment that shows your child has one of the disabilities listed on page 1. This evaluation must be less than 3 years old. It should include: 

      • Comprehensive Adaptive Behavior Scales (such as the Vineland II or ABAS)

      • I.Q. testing (such as the WISC-IV, WAIS-IV or Stanford Binet V) 

      • A written summary explaining the results from the person who did the testing              

           (called a “narrative”) 

3. A Social History or a Psychosocial

• These might be included in the psychological report listed above or done with your child’s school evaluations as part of the IEP process 

• Must be less than 1 year old

 4. Medical Report 

• If your child has a diagnosis besides intellectual disability, you will also need a Medical or Specialty report that includes your child’s diagnosis

• Must be less than 1 year old 

OPWDD may also ask you for other documents or evaluations, including an IEP.

STEP 4: WORK WITH YOUR CARE COORDINATOR or SSA TO FINISH THE PROCESS 

Your Care Coordinator will help you sign all of the necessary documents to complete the eligibility process. When these documents have been submitted, you will receive a Notice of Decision (NOD) in the mail within a month. If you do not get the NOD after a month, call your Care Coordinator. After you get the NOD, your child can start getting OPWDD services with the help of your Care Coordinator.

If you need any help during this process, please do not hesistate to reach out to Mrs. Lewis at jlewis@southamptonschools.org or 631-591-4591