Blog Stories

As Emily Heiss approached the U-shaped brick home, her heart raced. It was her first day on the job as a Direct Service Professional (DSP) at YAI’s Old South Path residence

By the start of the 2019-20 school year, YAI’s affiliate schools, Manhattan Star Academy (MSA) and the International Academy of Hope (iHOPE), will have...

Employing visuals outside the classroom can be a transformative tool for the development, independence, and confidence of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD).

On a late spring day inside a Flatiron low-rise, the entry hall of Seido Dojo hummed as 13 participants from YAI’s Manhattan Recreation program scrambled to find open cubbies for their shoes.

When the latest car or meal delivery service is only an app away, it’s easy to take for granted how much technology streamlines and simplifies our lives.

Every spring, the American Occupational Therapy Association’s (AOTA) brings together the world’s largest gathering of Occupational Therapy (OT) professionals to showcase the latest practices in the field.

Thanks to quick thinking and seamless coordination among YAI’s Long Island staff, residents at YAI’s Sprucewood location are settling back into their routines after an electrical fire destroyed part of their home on March 25. The bright spring day turned ominous when smoke alarms sounded throughout the rooms at Sprucewood. Although there was no immediate sign of fire, the home’s staff leapt into action to make sure everyone was safely evacuated.

When it comes to public transportation, no other city compares to New York with its thousands of buses, subways, and ferries. But for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), these options can be more overwhelming than convenient.

Last Thursday, Ja-Mel Johnson, a YAI Human Resources Generalist, accepted an award from the Institute for Career Development (ICD) recognizing YAI as its Employer Partner of the Year.

April 16 was a day for celebration, as nine of the people that YAI supports were recognized by the Queens Council on Developmental Disabilities for their tremendous accomplishments.