YAI: Seeing Beyond Disability

Premier HealthCare provides medical, dental, and psychiatric services to everyone and specializes in supporting people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). Premier's clinics offer people with I/DD access to high-quality primary care and specialty outpatient services with doctors and other professionals trained in their unique needs.

MSA, a school on Manhattan's West Side for young people aged 5 to 21, believes that every child has the capacity to learn, grow, and contribute. Students who have a broad range of needs and learning styles receive encouragement, support, skills, and opportunities to develop academically and socially from teachers and therapists. MSA's pre-school, lower school, and upper school all foster a collaborative, multidisciplinary learning environment that promotes independence and inclusivity. MSA's mission is to provide a comprehensive, developmentally appropriate program that focuses on the whole student. Instructional activities are designed for each student to maximize their full potential and be as independent as possible.[5]

iHOPE serves children, adolescents, and young adults from ages 5 years to 21 years old, with sustained acquired brain injuries or other brain-based disorders who cannot be served in their local school systems.[6] To allow all of iHOPE's services to be available under one roof, the school will relocate in January 2022 from East Harlem to Midtown Manhattan.

With an emphasis on providing opportunities for individuals to live as independently as possible, NIPD/NJ offers supervised and supportive residential programs in five northern New Jersey counties where residents strive to achieve personal and professional goals, contribute to supportive communities, and prepare for volunteer work and possible employment.

Employment services provide job skills training, resume writing, interview preparation, application help, intensive job coaching, and follow along support to people with I/DD who wish to obtain and maintain competitive employment.

Manhattan Star Academy - Manhattan Star Academy is a school for 5- to 12-year-olds, driven by the belief that every child has the capacity to learn, grow, and contribute.

iHOPE - The International Academy of Hope serves children, adolescents, and young adults from ages 5 to 21 years, who have sustained acquired brain injuries or other brain-based disorders and who cannot be served in their local school systems.

Premier HealthCare offers primary care and specialty outpatient services to patients who have intellectual and developmental disabilities. At their four New York City locations, they offer outpatient healthcare services that include primary care, dentistry, pediatrics, psychiatry, podiatry, neurology, and ophthalmology.

Family services include respite, crisis intervention, recreation, and socialization services for families of children and adults with disabilities living at home.

Specialists provide individualized skills training in the home and the community. Services focus on a person's strengths and critical skills for development, including building skills and independence in the areas of self-care, social skills, money management, safety, household tasks, participating in local activities, and job success.

The emphasis of day habilitation is participation in the larger community. YAI's services include tutoring to help improve basic academic skills and volunteering, among other activities. Participants have daily opportunities to develop skills, including safe travel using public transportation and community integration.

Residential services are offered to people in need of group homes and supportive apartments. YAI's individualized residential alternatives (IRAs) provide varying levels of staff support and supervision. Supervised IRAs offer 24-hour staff presence and supportive IRAs offer need-based supports and services to people who are able to live more independently.

LINK, YAI's information and referral service, provides the latest information on programs that make a difference in the lives of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families.

YAI offers social opportunities and events across all age ranges and locations. Travel opportunities for adults with I/DD include weekend trips and extended vacations with domestic and international destinations. YAI also offers an award-winning inclusive camping experience in the Catskills called 'YAI: Mainstreaming at Camp'[7] to children and teens with developmental and learning disabilities, ages 8 and up.