Since 1974, providing services to disabled children, adults, and their familiesDisabled Persons Action Organization
Services
When you attend our concerts or support us through your contributions, you help make possible the various services offered throughout the year by Disabled Persons Action Organization. We would like you to know more about them.Jefferson County• Self-Direction: (315) 782-3577Self-Direction is an option through OPWDD that is a Person Centered Approach for a service option that allows the individual to create their own budget within their individualized Personal Resource Allocation (PRA), hire their own Community Habilitation and / or Respite staff and have the flexibility to choose a variety of services that best fits their needs.
• Fiscal Intermediary: (315) 782-3577Fiscal Intermediary (FI) is available to assist individuals in exercising budget authority. The FI coordinator assists individuals with the following functions of their Self Direction Plan:○ Understand billing and documentation responsibilities
○ Perform payroll and employer-related duties (e.g., withholding and filing federal, state, local and unemployment taxes; purchasing workers’ compensation or other forms of insurance; collecting and processing worker/broker timesheets; calculating and processing employee benefits; and issuing payroll checks)
○ Purchase approved goods and services
○ Track and monitor individual budget expenditures
○ Identify expenditures that are over or under the budget• Respite (Weekday): (315) 782-5285DPAO provides a Drop-in-Center for short-term respite services for families of a developmentally disabled member. The respite program provides temporary relief when the family is confronted by an emergency, has formal business, or needs time for leisure or activities such as shopping, doctor appointments, or important meetings.• Free Standing Respite (Evening / Overnight / Weekend): (315) 782-2485652 Thompson Street • Watertown, New York 13601The free standing respite program is for a developmentally disabled person of any age. An individual may stay for as little as an hour, overnight, for the weekend, a week, etc. Each stay may not be more than 30 consecutive days and may not be utilized more than 42 days per year. The house is staffed by experienced people who try to make the individual's stay as much fun, as relaxing, and as much like home as possible. Guest are accepted by appointment only.• Home and Community Based Waiver Services: (315) 782-3577
DPAO offers families the opportunity to hire someone to take care of their developmentally disabled individual in the home. Families with developmentally disabled individuals with severe medical difficulties or who are difficult to care for, participate in this program. The parent hires a respite provider and submits a voucher. DPAO pays for the services rendered by the respite provider. OPWDD eligibility required. OPWDD guidelines must be followed. • Light Touch Case Management: (315) 782-5285FSS info/Referral program designed for individuals not enrolled in a CCO case management program. OPWDD eligibility required. • Snoezelen Romm: (315) 782-5285Family Support Services multi-sensory room that are staff-trained in Snoezelen Techniques in order to stimulate calmness. OPWDD eligibility required. • Employment Program: (315) 782-5285This program offers developmentally disabled individuals an opportunity to work in the community in paid and volunteer positions. The goal is for the individual to learn more about working through real work experiences where they can earn wages, increase their independence, gain self-confidence and develop relationships in their community. Employment staff will use person-centered planning to help individuals identify their strengths, skills and interests and develop opportunities to match the person with the right job. DPAO offers employment programs to assist individuals with a variety of support needs. Our services are designed to help individuals with developmental disabilities lead richer lives through employment in the community. Lewis County• Respite / Recreation: (315) 376-8327This program serves children and adults who are developmentally disabled who reside with their families. The respite program provides short term relief to the family by easing the stresses of caring for a disabled family member, while allowing the individual to benefit from recreational and leisure time activities with their peers.• Free Standing Respite (Evening / Overnight / Weekend): (315) 376-83275205 Ebbly Rd • Lowville, New York 13367The free standing respite program is for a developmentally disabled person of any age. An individual may stay for as little as an hour, overnight, for the weekend, a week, etc. Each stay may not be more than 30 consecutive days and may not be utilized more than 42 days per year. The house is staffed by experienced people who try to make the individual's stay as much fun, as relaxing, and as much like home as possible. Guest are accepted by appointment only.• Family Reimbursement / Respite Reimbursement Program / Family Support Services (FSS): (315) 782-3577DPAO offers families the opportunity to hire someone to take care of their developmentally disabled individual in the home. Families with developmentally disabled individuals with severe medical difficulties or who are difficult to care for, participate in this program. The parent hires a respite provider and submits a voucher. DPAO pays for the services rendered by the respite provider. OPWDD eligibility required. OPWDD guidelines must be followed. • Family Support Services (FSS) Campership / Recreation: (315) 782-3577DPAO offers families the opportunity to hire someone to take care of their developmentally disabled individual in the home. Families with developmentally disabled individuals with severe medical difficulties or who are difficult to care for, participate in this program. The parent hires a respite provider and submits a voucher. DPAO pays for the services rendered by the respite provider. OPWDD eligibility required. OPWDD guidelines must be followed.
• Fiscal Intermediary: (315) 782-3577Fiscal Intermediary (FI) is available to assist individuals in exercising budget authority. The FI coordinator assists individuals with the following functions of their Self Direction Plan:○ Understand billing and documentation responsibilities
○ Perform payroll and employer-related duties (e.g., withholding and filing federal, state, local and unemployment taxes; purchasing workers’ compensation or other forms of insurance; collecting and processing worker/broker timesheets; calculating and processing employee benefits; and issuing payroll checks)
○ Purchase approved goods and services
○ Track and monitor individual budget expenditures
○ Identify expenditures that are over or under the budget• Respite (Weekday): (315) 782-5285DPAO provides a Drop-in-Center for short-term respite services for families of a developmentally disabled member. The respite program provides temporary relief when the family is confronted by an emergency, has formal business, or needs time for leisure or activities such as shopping, doctor appointments, or important meetings.• Free Standing Respite (Evening / Overnight / Weekend): (315) 782-2485652 Thompson Street • Watertown, New York 13601The free standing respite program is for a developmentally disabled person of any age. An individual may stay for as little as an hour, overnight, for the weekend, a week, etc. Each stay may not be more than 30 consecutive days and may not be utilized more than 42 days per year. The house is staffed by experienced people who try to make the individual's stay as much fun, as relaxing, and as much like home as possible. Guest are accepted by appointment only.• Home and Community Based Waiver Services: (315) 782-3577
Community HabilitationCommunity Habilitation is usually provided in the home and may be provided at any time of day. Some examples of goals the individuals may wish to work on are: cooking, dressing themselves, toilet training, cleaning house, budgeting, appropriate social behavior, personal hygiene skills, and planning menus.
Day HabilitationDay Habilitation takes place 51% of the time outside the home of an individual and may be provided at any time of day. Some examples of goals the individuals may wish to work on are: using public transportation, safety skills within the community, shopping skills, utilizing community resources such as the library, appropriate public behavior, and how to order from a menu. This program is offered through a site-based certified program and Day Habilitation without walls designed for community inclusion.
• Family Reimbursement / Respite Reimbursement Program / Family Support Services (FSS): (315) 782-3577Day HabilitationDay Habilitation takes place 51% of the time outside the home of an individual and may be provided at any time of day. Some examples of goals the individuals may wish to work on are: using public transportation, safety skills within the community, shopping skills, utilizing community resources such as the library, appropriate public behavior, and how to order from a menu. This program is offered through a site-based certified program and Day Habilitation without walls designed for community inclusion.
DPAO offers families the opportunity to hire someone to take care of their developmentally disabled individual in the home. Families with developmentally disabled individuals with severe medical difficulties or who are difficult to care for, participate in this program. The parent hires a respite provider and submits a voucher. DPAO pays for the services rendered by the respite provider. OPWDD eligibility required. OPWDD guidelines must be followed. • Light Touch Case Management: (315) 782-5285FSS info/Referral program designed for individuals not enrolled in a CCO case management program. OPWDD eligibility required. • Snoezelen Romm: (315) 782-5285Family Support Services multi-sensory room that are staff-trained in Snoezelen Techniques in order to stimulate calmness. OPWDD eligibility required. • Employment Program: (315) 782-5285This program offers developmentally disabled individuals an opportunity to work in the community in paid and volunteer positions. The goal is for the individual to learn more about working through real work experiences where they can earn wages, increase their independence, gain self-confidence and develop relationships in their community. Employment staff will use person-centered planning to help individuals identify their strengths, skills and interests and develop opportunities to match the person with the right job. DPAO offers employment programs to assist individuals with a variety of support needs. Our services are designed to help individuals with developmental disabilities lead richer lives through employment in the community. Lewis County• Respite / Recreation: (315) 376-8327This program serves children and adults who are developmentally disabled who reside with their families. The respite program provides short term relief to the family by easing the stresses of caring for a disabled family member, while allowing the individual to benefit from recreational and leisure time activities with their peers.• Free Standing Respite (Evening / Overnight / Weekend): (315) 376-83275205 Ebbly Rd • Lowville, New York 13367The free standing respite program is for a developmentally disabled person of any age. An individual may stay for as little as an hour, overnight, for the weekend, a week, etc. Each stay may not be more than 30 consecutive days and may not be utilized more than 42 days per year. The house is staffed by experienced people who try to make the individual's stay as much fun, as relaxing, and as much like home as possible. Guest are accepted by appointment only.• Family Reimbursement / Respite Reimbursement Program / Family Support Services (FSS): (315) 782-3577DPAO offers families the opportunity to hire someone to take care of their developmentally disabled individual in the home. Families with developmentally disabled individuals with severe medical difficulties or who are difficult to care for, participate in this program. The parent hires a respite provider and submits a voucher. DPAO pays for the services rendered by the respite provider. OPWDD eligibility required. OPWDD guidelines must be followed. • Family Support Services (FSS) Campership / Recreation: (315) 782-3577DPAO offers families the opportunity to hire someone to take care of their developmentally disabled individual in the home. Families with developmentally disabled individuals with severe medical difficulties or who are difficult to care for, participate in this program. The parent hires a respite provider and submits a voucher. DPAO pays for the services rendered by the respite provider. OPWDD eligibility required. OPWDD guidelines must be followed.