Service Coordinators at The Arc help you make choices and find supports

Service Coordinators assist you in making choices and finding individualized services, and are committed to user satisfaction. They work to help you navigate through a potentially complex system assisting you to meet your goals. They are independent of any programs and are objective resources.

What is a Service Coordinator?

A Service Coordinator does just that – helps you to coordinate the services you need. A Service Coordinator works for the person with a developmental disability. A Service Coordinator will help the person they are supporting by advocating, planning individualized services, and maintaining important records. Service Coordinators will always involve the person they are supporting and his or her support system (family members, friends, advocates) to develop plans for service and to present all the available options and choices.

Why is it a Good Idea to have a Service Coordinator?

Supports and services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in New York State are very complex and sometimes confusing. A good, independent Service Coordinator can help you understand all of the supports and services available to you to help you achieve your goals.

Am I eligible to have a Service Coordinator?

• Are you enrolled in Medicaid? (If you are not enrolled in Medicaid, your Developmental Disabilities Service Office or current provider agency can help you enroll)
• Do you have a documented diagnosis of a developmental disability?
• Do you have a need for service coordination on a regular basis?
• Would you like to receive Service Coordination, or is your family member or advocate recommending that you receive Service Coordination?
• Do you live in a community residence, an individualized residential alterna tive, family care, apartment program, in your family’s home, or in a home of your own?

If you answered ‘Yes’ to these questions, call The Arc of Schuyler and we can help you take the next steps to securing a Service Coordinator.

How do I choose the right Service Coordinator?

First find out where they are and who they are. Check around with friends and family or people you know who may be receiving similar supports. Next, start by listing what you’re hoping your Service Coordinator can do for you and what you’re looking for in a Service Coordinator. Here are some qualities you might look for: Honesty and integrity. Does the Service Coordinator listen to me? Am I comfortable with him/her? Does she/he know about services available to me in my community? Will she/he advocate for me? Interview your prospective provider agency and the agency’s available Service Coordinators. Don’t be afraid to talk to more than one. Ask questions about how they can help you. It’s possible that a Service Coordinator you’re interested in has too many other people they’re supporting at this time and you may need to be patient or choose another Service Coordinator for the time being. But make your preference known.

Who are the Medicaid Service Coordinators at The Arc of Schuyler?

Service Coordinators at The Arc are all experienced professionals ready to help you. You can read a little about our Service Coordinators by clicking on the images on the right.

Great! What do I do next?

If you’re interested in meeting with one or more of our Service Coordinators, please call Nikole Piper, Director of Service Coordination at The Arc at 607-535-6934.

Did you know that you have a choice of service coordinators and service coordination vendors?

Our service coordinators can help you initiate this process through the local Developmental Disabilities Service Office. Nikole Piper, Director of Service Coordination, can assist you if you decide you want to pursue The Arc of Schuyler's service options further. This would include providing you with information about how to work with the local Developmental Disabilities Service Office to complete paperwork to change your Medicaid Service Coordinator. The Director of Service Coordination can also assist you with applications for other types of services through The Arc of Schuyler. If you would like to contact the Developmental Disabilities Service Office directly to initiate a change of vendor, you should contact the Access Coordinator at the Finger Lakes Developmental Disabilities Service Office at (607) 734-6135, ext. 25.