Follow Us x
About The Adirondack Arc
The Adirondack Arc's stated mission is to provide opportunities to people with developmental disabilities to live a full and meaningful life through improved support in the areas of education, personal development, home life, productive employment, community involvement, and recreation. This means that there are many areas where we will be offering our assistance to you, ensuring that all aspects of a family's or individual's life is as satisfying as possible.
For the children and families we serve, you chose which developmental goals you want your child to achieve, based upon what is important to you. We then strive to foster the attainment of that goal, whether it be making a bed or making new friends, learning to read or learning to use a wheelchair.
Of importance to every child is personal health, a safe environment that is free of abuse and neglect, and an atmosphere of respect where each child can develop relationships with family and friends.
We value the inclusion of all children in such community programs as playgroups, preschools, Scouts, and other activities where young people and their families gather. Being involved in the community is a vital way to promote the well-being of every member of our society.
We provide information to you about your rights and the services that are available. In addition, we support you in exercising those rights and in making sure you are satisfied with the services being received.
We value the families of the individuals we serve as integral members of the team- all of us working together to ensure that your lives are as satisfying, full, and meaningful as you would like them to be. In this way, all of us, as members of our society, benefit.
In striving to do our best, The Adirondack Arc will be having interviews on a yearly basis with all of the individuals and families with whom we work. We do this in order to ensure we are meeting all of your needs, recognizing that these needs change with time. Staff members who do not typically work with the individuals receiving services will be asking these questions. This method of checking up on how we are doing is a vital part of our agency's procedures and we need you to assist us in our quest to better ourselves. In this way we can better serve all those with whom we work. Although some of the questions we will ask may seem to be probing into your personal lives, and of course you can refuse to answer any that make you feel uncomfortable, your family life is what we care about and we want to support you in realizing your wishes, now and in the future.
SPECIFIC SERVICES OFFERED
Our Early Intervention Program, operating under the auspices of the NYS Department of Health, serves children from birth to age three who have either a diagnosis of a condition that often leads to developmental delays or who have a demonstrated delay in one or more areas. Depending on what the child qualifies for, we provide special education, and speech, occupational, physical, and play therapies. We will refer families to the appropriate agencies should other services be called for, such as those for the hearing or visually impaired. We offer respite services, travel assistance to doctors' appointments, and family support as the child transitions into the school system at age three. We have run playgroups for community members, giving our students the vital opportunity to play with typically developing children. We hold regular meetings with the whole team and the public health workers to ensure that we are all working together to assist the family in every way necessary. For more information, contact 359-7518, ext. 124.
The Children's Corner Program
provides multi-disciplinary evaluations of children in their own homes or daycares to determine eligibility for both the Early Intervention and the preschool programs. Our team of professionals will assess children, focusing on whatever areas are of concern, to see if there are delays and what services might be appropriate to meet their needs.
The Children's Corner Preschool Program
operates five developmentally appropriate preschool classrooms in Saranac Lake, Tupper Lake, Fort Covington and Malone. We serve Children from ages 3-5, providing special education and speech, physical, occupational and play therapies to those who show a need for such services. We also have itinerant teachers and therapists who will travel to homes, daycares, and other preschool settings to deliver their services to wherever the family decides is best for their child. Within our preschool program, we also have a Universal Pre-Kindergarten classroom in Saranac Lake in order that our students may attend school with their typically developing peers. For that reason, we also accept enrollment for youngsters on a paying basis.
For more information about any of our Children's Corner Services, please call 518-359-7518, ext. 124
Respite
is a service we provide for families who need assistance in paying for care for their family member with a disability. The family is responsible for finding the care provider and setting up the times when he or she will be needed. The provider will then bill the agency for the time, using a voucher system. Up to 100 hours a year can be used by families in this way for whatever reason they choose. It has enabled parents of a child with a disability to spend some time together as a couple, siblings to experience a special time focused on themselves, and other equally important opportunities for families to take some time for themselves when caring for someone who may have many needs.
Residential Habilitation and Day Habilitation
are two additional programs we offer to those who have needs beyond just that of an MSC. Programming is done either in the home or in the community or both, again based upon the need of the individual and the desires of the family. The individual and/or the family is involved in the hiring of staff members who then work directly with that person, whether child or adult, working on those goals that have been identified as valuable in the ISP. The amount of hours this programming entails is agreed upon during initial meetings with the MSC and the family as approved by OMRDD.
Residential Supports
are also available through the Adirondack Arc. These include a facility for medically fragile young people who need a considerable level of care in their everyday life, homes for older adults who have lived most of their lives in institutions and need substantial support while maintaining their dignity, supported apartments where two or three people may live together with the assistance of a staff person, and community living situations where staff may visit on a predetermined schedule to provide whatever supports are necessary for such living arrangements to be successful.
