Criteria for Determining Eligibility for Office for People with Developmental Disabilities Services

What is the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities?

The Office for People with Developmental Disabilities is the New York State office that provides funding for services for people with developmental disabilities.

My child is eligibler for State Education (SED) Special Education Services through the school. Does that automatically qualify my child for services through Office for People with Developmental Disabilities?

No. To obtain services through Office for People with Developmental Disabilities, a separate eligibility determination must be made. The eligibility determination process can take up to 6 months, so it is important to contact a service coordinator well in advance to start the process.

What are the requirements to receive services through the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities?

Diagnosis of a developmental disability that must have occurred prior to age 22 An expected continuation of the disability Office for People with Developmental Disabilities funded developmental disabilities are as follows:

• Autism
• Cerebral Palsy
• Epilepsy
• Traumatic Brain Injury
• Other neurological disability (learning disability, Tourette's Syndrome, etc.)

What documentation will be required?

The Office for People with Developmental Disabilities requires everyone applying for services to provide:

• A recent comprehensive psychological evaluation including an IQ score and an adaptive behavior assessment.
• A recent psychosocial evaluation that demonstrates the magnitude of the developmental disabilityand documents the individuals's developmentalhistory
• If the individual is over age 22, you may need to provide proof that the disability manifested itself prior to the age of 22. This is often referred to as "age of onset documentation."
• Medical documentation of the individual’s diagnosis may also be required.
• Current Individualized Education Plan, if applicable

The Developmental Disabilities Service Office (DDSO) may request additional documentation regarding the person’s disability. A service coordinator can help you with gathering and submitting this information for approval.

How can I find age of onset documentation?

Age of onset documentation can be obtained by requesting old school records, evaluations or other clinical documentation from doctors or professionals involved with the individual.

Once eligibility is established, the following services at The Arc of Schuyler can be accessed:

• Service Coordination
• Residential Services
• Employment Services
• Day Program Services
• Health Services
• Guardianship

How can I get more detailed information about eligibility?

For more detailed information on eligibility criteria for Office for People with Developmental Disabilities services, visit http://www.opwdd.ny.gov/.

You can also contact , Nikole Piper, Director of Service Coordination.