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

NYSTART (Systemic, Therapeutic, Assessment, Resources & Treatment)

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

Residential services are provided in NYC, Long Island, Weschester county, Rockland county and some parts of New Jersey. Options include 24 hour supervised residences and less than 24 hour supportive...
Neurology

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

Psychiatrists provide services representing the full range of psychiatric and developmental disorders. Patients usually come to Premier HealthCare for psychiatry for a diagnosis and/or medication...
Primary Care

Primary care providers focus on Internal Medicine, Family Practice, and Pediatrics.
Family Reimbursement

Funds can be provided to families for services and goods that are not reimbursed through existing programs or funding streams.
Psychosocial Evaluation

YAI's psychosocial evaluation is a comprehensive assessment of a person's history from birth until the present time. The assessment information is gathered from the parent/guardian and previous...
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...

News & Stories

Grief in the Time of Coronavirus

No more hugs or visits from loved ones. A total disruption of daily activities. Housemates who left and will never come back. These are just a few of the difficult changes that people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) supported by YAI are experiencing through the coronavirus pandemic.

YAI Brings Person-First Disability Services to Saudi Arabia

When Ivan Lopez got off the plane for the first time in Saudi Arabia, he understood that the region’s uncompromising beauty was not matched by a wealth of services – especially for people with disabilities. But at the start YAI’s four-month training engagement there, Lopez was ready to make change.

Bilingual Support Group Refocuses Efforts to Meet Participant Needs During Pandemic

A longstanding bilingual program at YAI’s Kew Gardens Day Hab in Queens has reinvented itself to better serve families of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) in need during the COVID-19 crisis. The program caters to native Spanish speakers, providing instruction on the use of English-based resources such as OPWDD online portals or immigration documents.

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.