Seeing beyond disability

YAI supports people of all ages with intellectual and developmental disabilities in achieving the fullest life possible by creating new opportunities for living, loving, working, and learning. YAI is a network of agencies with programs that empower and enhance the lives of thousands of people we support and their families.

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Services

Browse all YAI Services

WOW Arts - YAI Arts Without Walls Day Habilitation

Without Walls (WOW) is an art program that provides opportunities for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in New York City to channel their creativity and become working artists....
Community Habilitation - NYC

Trained specialists provide individualized skills training in the home and the community. Focus is on a person's strengths and critical skills for development, including building skills and...
CSIDD, a START-certified program*

Crisis Prevention and Response Providing crisis prevention and response for people (ages 6 and above) with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities who present with complex behavioral and...
Neurology

Neurology focuses on the treatment of diseases affecting the nervous and neuromuscular systems, including the brain and spinal cord.
Primary Care

Primary care providers focus on Internal Medicine, Family Practice, and Pediatrics.
10 Pins Bowling

Offers the opportunity for participants to socialize and bowl in a non-competitive environment.
Family Reimbursement

Funds can be provided to families for services and goods that are not reimbursed through existing programs or funding streams.
Transition To Independence: Life Skills

For ages 17-21 on the autism spectrum. Develop and enhance life skills that focus on judgement, decision making, risk-taking, problem-solving and self-advocacy. Group topics include money management...

News & Stories

Squeaky Wheel Takes the Highway: Premier HealthCare’s Vaccine Crusade

As soon as the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines were approved in December, many in the disabilities community saw a bright light at the end of the tunnel. But Hope Levy, Executive Director of Premier HealthCare, YAI’s clinical affiliate, made it a personal crusade to get priority access for New Yorkers with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD).

YAI Opens Doors to 18 New Residents

Providing residential services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) takes focus, organization, and lots of patience long before the first resident moves in. From housing permits to community resistance to increasingly bureaucratic reimbursement regulations, the road to offering residential services is long.

Rising to the (Virtual) Challenge

Imagine you’re planning the most important party of the year. You line up the perfect venue and gourmet catering, you confirm spotlights from the Board Chair, the Mayor, and Beyonce, and you watch as week by week, expectations for a good time soar...

And then the world abruptly shuts down.

Upcoming Trainings

Navigating the System for People with Developmental Disabilities

Learn about eligibility & access to services through NYS Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) Workshops are open to all

Travel Training | Two Day Train the Trainer

The program is designed to train professional staff from agencies that support people with I/DD through the travel training process.

Navegando el Sistema para Personas con Discapacidades del Desarrollo

Infórmese sobre elegibilidad y acceso a servicios a través de la Oficina para Personas con Discapacidades del Desarrollo

COVID-19 Updates

COVID-19 Database

A searchable and growing database of resources around COVID-19, people with I/DD, caregivers, and staff.

Caregiver Tips

Navigating how to explain COVID-19 to someone with I/DD and the swift changes to everyday life can be overwhelming. At YAI, we believe that the people with I/DD should be treated with dignity, respect, and honesty. We recommend that caregivers take a calm and matter-of-fact approach to explain what COVID-19 is and how to prevent it.

Using Social Stories to Support People with I/DD During the COVID-19 Emergency

Social stories can be used with adults and children; they are a tool to help provide directions and examples of appropriate ways to respond to social situations. Learn more about them here and access social stories we have gathered about COVID-19 and working to try to stay healthy.

Premier HealthCare's Vaccine Crusade

Services

COVID-19 Updates