City Access New York

CITY ACCESS NEW YORK (CANY) PROMOTES LIFELONG ACCESS TO EDUCATIONAL, VOCATIONAL & CULTURAL PROGRAMS. CANY IDENTIFIES BARRIERS TO PARTICIPATION, IN SCHOOLS AND IN THE COMMUNITY, AND ADOPTS THE CONTENT AND DELIVERY OF PROGRAMS TO THE DIVERSE NEEDS OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.

HABILITATION & SUPPORT - PROVIDES SERVICES FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH INTELLECTUAL/DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES. IT PROMOTES PHYSICAL FITNESS AND HEALTH, CREATES ONGOING OPPORTUNITIES FOR COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT AND DEVELOPS SOCIAL, PREVOCATIONAL AND VOCATIONAL SKILLS. THE PROGRAM MAXIMIZES COMMUNITY ACCESS, WIDENS SOCIAL HORIZONS, BUILDS SKILLS AND ALLOWS PARTICIPANTS TO EXPLORE NYC'S WEALTH OF CULTURAL RESOURCES.

RESPITE PROGRAMS - BROOKLYN AND STATEN ISLAND RESPITE PROGRAMS ARE FOR 14-21 YEAR OLDS DURING SCHOOL HOLIDAYS AND 5-10 DAYS IN THE SUMMER. THE PARTICIPANTS GO TO VARIOUS VENUES THROUGHOUT THE AREA. CANY ALSO HAS A PROGRAM FOR OVER 21 YEAR OLDS THAT MEET ONE TO TWO WEEKEND DAYS PER MONTH. CANY ALSO HAS FOUR (4) SITE-BASED RESPITES PER YEAR.

LAVELLE FUND FOR THE BLIND AND NEW YORK STATE COMMISSION FOR THE BLIND (NYSCB) - SUPPORTS THE CAREER DISCOVERY PROJECT (CDP), A MULTI-YEAR PROJECT DESIGNED TO ANNUALLY PROVIDE APPROPRIATELY SUPPORTED, EXTENDED INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE BLIND OR LOW VISION HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. CDP WILL BE ADMINISTERED BY CANY IN COLLABORATION WITH NYSCB, THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART, THE QUEENS MUSEUM OF ART, AND THE NEW YORK HALL OF SCIENCE.

PATHWAY TO EMPLOYMENT IS A PERSON-CENTERED PRE-EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES SUPPORT SERVICES AND CAREER PLANNING FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE NOT HAD ANY EMPLOYMENT EXPERIENCE. INDIVIDUALS EQUIP THEMSELVES WITH TOOLS NECESSARY TO GAIN EMPLOYMENT. DURING THIS PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS LEARN COMMUNICATION SKILLS, INTERVIEWING SKILLS, TRAVEL TRAINING, JOB READINESS TRAINING, AND CONSTRUCTING A RESUME. THE INDIVIDUALS WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO VOLUNTEER AT POTENTIAL EMPLOYMENT SITES WHERE THEY WILL RECEIVE HANDS-ON JOB TRAINING AND INSTRUCTION PROVIDED BY A TRAINED JOB COACH. PATHWAY SEEKS TO GIVE INDIVIDUALS KNOWLEDGE OF, AND EXPERIENCES WITH, DIFFERENT TASKS IN DIFFERENT JOB AREAS SO THAT THEY CAN MAKE AN INFORMED CHOICE ON WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO DO FOR EMPLOYMENT. THE END GOAL OF THE PROGRAM IS EMPLOYMENT AND INDEPENDENCE. A PERSON HAS TO BE IN THE HCBS WAIVER TO PARTICIPATE IN PATHWAY. YOUMAY BE ENROLLED IN SEMP OR A DAY HAB WHILE PARTICIPATING IN PATHWAY.FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE ABLE TO SECURE A JOB, THERE IS SUPPORTED EMPLOYMENT. LIMITED JOB COACHING THROUGH SUPPORTED EMPLOYMENT PROVIDES THE SUPPORT AND SERVICES FOR THAT INDIVIDUAL TO FURTHER HONE THEIR WORK SKILLS. AT THIS LEVEL THE ROLE OF THE JOB COACH IS TO BE THE BRIDGEBETWEEN THE EMPLOYEE AND EMPLOYER. ALL OF THE PROGRAMS ARE OPWDD SPONSORED AND A PERSON MUST BE ELIGILE FOR HCBS WAIVER SERVICES IN ORDER TO PARTICIPATE.COMMUNITY HABILITATION PROGRAM CAREFULLY PAIRS EACH PARTICIPANT WITH A MENTOR TO ENSURE THAT THE GOALS, SET BY PARTICIPANTS AND PARENTS, ARE MET.PARTICIPANTS CAN LEARN HOW TO PLAN AN OUTING, SAFELY TRAVEL AND EXPLORE THEIR COMMUNITY, WORK ON MONEY SKILLS AND MUCH MORE, ALL WHILE BUILDING A LASTING RELATIONSHIP WITH THEIR MENTOR. THIS IS A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY TO ESTABLISH APPROPRIATE ADL AND SOCIALIZATION SKILLS TO PARTICIPATE IN FUN FILLED ACTIVITIES.