Self Directed Day Supports

In July 2007, Catholic Charities Disabilities Services (CCDS) responded to a Request for Applications (RFA) from the New York State Association of Community and Residential Agencies (NYSACRA), Developmental Disabilities Planning Council (DDPC), and the Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities (OMRDD). The RFA was for an opportunity to become a participant of a learning community of practice and change with provider agencies who were seeking new options for meeting the needs of persons with developmental disabilities.

Since then, Catholic Charities Disabilities Services has been re-examining its roles and business practices. To that end, we have begun to pilot innovative ways to provide day supports for individuals. With individualized budgets and self-directed options, we intend to improve quality, increase efficiency and cost consciousness, and ultimately transform our delivery of services by placing more control over resources into the hands of people with developmental disabilities and their families.

We provide individualized supports involving each person's interest, abilities, and learning styles in order to incorporate these abilities in meaningful, realistic, connected community opportunities. Opportunities within community settings that lead to the development of life and employment skills which may result in competitive employment at some point in the future are encouraged.