Ulster-Greene ARC
Greene County Annual Report – 2012
Ulster-Greene ARC (UGARC) serves one of the largest groups of
individuals with intellectual disabilities in Greene County. To ensure each
individual is matched appropriately with their skills, interests, and environment;
cross county services are provided. Currently, we support more Greene County
residents in Ulster County, than the other way around. We serve 19 Greene
County residents in Ulster County, versus 11 individuals from Ulster County
served in Greene County.
Individuals come to us in order to take advantage of a variety of services.
These would include:
- Access to over 25 certified residential settings
- Interest based day services which offers programming in the arts,
music, and wellness services
- Career services with the largest pool of assisted employment
opportunities in the community
- Special designed clinical services
- Service coordination services skilled at promoting the newest
opportunities towards self-determination programming (such as
Individualized Support Services (ISS), Portal, and Consolidated
Support Services)
- Recreational Services
- Family support Services
- Respite services
Since we are a member of the New York State ARC (NYSARC), we offer
the additional advantage of guardianship services through our statewide
organization. In addition to court appointed guardian, our guardianship program
offers additional personal support and advocacy for individuals who have little
attention in the way of family and friends. This support often ranges from the
simple ways (a gift or card for special occasions) to the more complex ways
(assistance with healthcare or end of life decisions) if needed.
Because UGARC strives to support a person’s individual needs and
choices, several specialty programs have been developed to enhance a person’s
quality of life and promote independence. We offer a full range of cognitive
support technology through our technology partner known as AbleLink. This
technology is designed to further enhance an individual’s existing independence.
It helps enhance an individual’s ability to complete a series of routine tasks (for
average daily living skills) or further their independent traveling skills for the
purpose of making people more independent.
If a better career or job was desired, UGARC has one of the largest
assisted employment services in the region. Whether employment is offered at
McDonalds, Price Chopper, Roy Rogers (New Baltimore rest area), Tip Top
Furniture, Wal-Mart, Windham-Valero Gas Station, Curves, United Stationers, or
1
Ulster-Greene ARC
Greene County Annual Report – 2012
UGARC, our Pilot Industries program is there to help train and place the people
we serve.
In addition to employment with host companies, UGARC also supports
employment outcomes for Greene County residents through our Work Center
located in Catskill, and at enclaves for competitive employment with various local
businesses. UGARC uses local and state funds to support employment
outcomes of Greene County residents; specifically Greene County funds are
utilized to transport County residents to and from the various employment sites
(which Medicaid will not pay for).
Work Center: (Pilot Industries, 311 West Bridge Street, Catskill):
In 2012, Our Work Center provided employment to 57 (total enrollment)
individuals with development disabilities. They performed 35,195 hours of work
and earned $91,793.43. The average wage for 2012 was $2.61 per hour.
For individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, our work center is
often the first opportunity to experience meaningful work. Work is set up in a
large open environment with individuals sitting around small tables or operating
sealing machines. In the Work Center we complete light assembly work, packing
and re-packing of various items including magnets, make-up, batteries and office
supplies. We have done work for local companies such as Sullivan Industries,
Milecrest, Paperhouse, A&W Worldwide, Qosina and Funworld. The rate of pay
is determined by their ability to perform the assigned tasks.
Our Work Center business in Greene County is significant and in 2012 we
provided a total of $81,800.00 in gross sales.
Supported Employment:
Supported Employment is a service for an individual with intellectual and
developmentally disabilities where he or she is able to obtain community based
employment. There are two distinct types of opportunities; enclaves and
competitive employment.
Enclaves:
In 2012, our Enclaves in Greene County employed 34 individuals. They
performed 24,994.00 hours of work and earned $122,483.63. The average wage
for 2012 was $4.90 per hour.
The enclaves consist of one staff member along with 4-6 individuals who
provide a contracted service for a host company. Individuals work 2-5 six hour
shifts per week. The rate of pay is determined by their ability to perform the
assigned tasks. We had two large enclaves (NYS Thruway rest area and United
Stationers) and two small enclaves (Catskill School district and a lawn crew).
In June 2012, we opened our newest enclave the Bottle and Can Redemption
Center. The redemption center is located at our 311 West Bridge street facility
and employs 4-7 individuals per day. The redemption center is open 5 days a
2
Ulster-Greene ARC
Greene County Annual Report – 2012
week and has grown from a few thousand bottles and cans per week to an
average of 3-5000 thousand a day. We have collaborated with Greene county
solid waste to keep Greene county green by processing the bottles and cans.
The individuals sort, count and redeem the bottles and cans. We processed in 6
months 84,881 bottles and cans from county residents. The individual’s rate of
pay is determined by their ability to perform the assigned tasks. The average
wage for 2012 was $3.50 per hour.
Competitive Employment
Competitive Employment is when an individual is placed at a host
company and earns typically at least minimum wage. Currently we have 16
individuals employed and another 5 individuals in job development. UlsterGreene ARC provides the initial job training and then continues to support the
individual through bi-weekly visits. Work ranges from part-time to full-time and
the average wage for all individuals competitively employed is $7.25 per hour.
The employers in Greene County include the following: McDonalds, Price
Chopper, Roy Rogers (New Baltimore rest area), Tip Top Furniture, Wal-Mart,
Windham Valero gas station, Curves and UGARC.
By highlighting the abilities of those we serve and finding a niche that was
needed, new partnerships were built and employment opportunities were found
in 2012. Our priority always remains that the individuals supported by UlsterGreene ARC feel a sense of true wealth of working. In order to provide the level
of support needed to safeguard individuals, train them in areas that match their
interests, and concurrently ensure that the community stakeholders who employ
them have the appropriate education, a significant amount of resources are
required.
Transportation Costs (Medicaid does not cover these expenses):
Our continued concern is the total cost associated with providing
transportation to the employment sites where our individuals work. There is the
natural assumption that those who are capable of working are inherently capable
of getting themselves to and from work. Unfortunately, the majority of Greene
County area can be categorized as rural and is lacking the necessary mass
transportation systems to allow many of our individuals to accomplish this simple
task. In order to accommodate our individuals in their pursuit of employment,
Ulster-Greene ARC provides this support by either having a job coach pick them
up at their home or enlisting the help of the Agency’s Transportation Department.
The Transportation department for Ulster-Greene ARC operates 7 vehicles per
day, Monday through Friday, and 1 vehicle on Saturday and Sunday.
Transportation is provided to the following Greene county locations: Athens,
Cairo, Catskill, Coxsackie, Earlton, East Durham, Greenville, Kiskatom, New
Baltimore, Norton Hill, and Round Top. The total miles annually are
approximately 45,840 in 2012.
3
Ulster-Greene ARC
Greene County Annual Report – 2012
Total Transportation costs for Greene County in 2012 are included in the
attached P&L report.
In addition, to continue to meet the needs of Greene county residents,
Ulster- Greene ARC in 2012 has provided and maintained the following other
services:
ADAPTT Family Campout:
Ulster-Greene ARC held its first ever ADAPTT (Advocacy and Personal
Transition Training) weekend family campout, designed for children and young
adults with autism or Asperger’s and their families. This event was held on
Friday, August 10 through August 12 starting at 5:00pm at the Brookside
Campground, 4952 Route 32 in Catskill, NY on August 10 and ended on Sunday,
August 12 at 10:00 am.
ADAPTT is a group formed specifically for families with junior high and
young adult children with autism or Asperger’s who do not qualify for OPWDD
services. The group offers opportunities for families to come together for
supports and for young adults to have a club designed to meet people and have
fun.
This event was generously funded by the Hudson Valley Autism Society
and NYSARC, enabling our agency to offer this event for free to the 20 people
who attended. All food and beverages were included! We purchased all of the
games and equipment needed for this event. Activities included Nerf wars, camp
games, swimming, fishing, campfire (with s’mores), sing-alongs, and so much
more.
Assistance with accessing OPWDD services:
Ulster-Greene ARC is one of the few agencies in the entire Taconic region
who offers this service. Our agency offers Greene County residents the following
services (often at no cost to them):
 Assistance with applying for eligibility for OPWDD services
(Medicaid does not pay for this)
 Clinician for Testing for eligibility
 Guardianship
 Partnering with Greene County SPOA to facilitate transition to OPWDD
services.
Recreation
Recreation is a waiver program for families who have children with
developmental or intellectual disabilities. The recreation group meets every
Tuesday and Thursday afternoon from 3:00 pm - 5:30 pm at our 311 West Bridge
street location. In addition, the group has special activities and group events.
Examples of the 2012 program include:
4
Ulster-Greene ARC
Greene County Annual Report – 2012
-
A healthy eating and exercise program with yoga, music and drumming
at Potential unlimited
DEC fishing trip
4 day trip to Lake George
Day trips to North Lake
Weekend trip to Pine Grove dude ranch
Professional sports games including Harlem Globetrotters, Albany
devils, Hudson Valley Renegades
Gaming Night for individuals on the Autism spectrum
Family support group for families of individuals on the Autism spectrum
Loft parties.
Day Hab.
Our Day Hab. programs provide volunteer services to Greene county
residents through collaborative relationships with community partners. In 2012
services provided includes:
- Sorting at Pay it forward Thrift store
- Deliver Meals on Wheels
- Gardening at Thomas Cole House
- Clean Greenville Norton church
- Greater northern Catskill chamber of commerce
- Gardening at Dutchman’s landing
- Gardening at Miracle Mountain resort
- Donate crafts to local nursing homes.
Family Support and Clinical services:
 Multi-Sensory Room for Autism
 Cognitive Support Technology
 Family Support Training
 Self- Advocacy Group
School to Work Program:
 We work with various school districts to offer transitional services
 Offer opportunity to students to explore various career possibilities, and
experience on the jobs training and learn real world job skills.
Intensive Behavior Supports:
 Offers clinical supports to individuals living in their natural homes.
5
Ulster-Greene ARC
Greene County Annual Report – 2012
Greene county residents receiving services from Ulster-Greene ARC:
(Un-duplicated numbers)
 Residential :
41 Individuals
 Pilot ( this number includes individuals who do
not get any other services: An unduplicated number,
total employed are 57)
26 Individuals
 Supported employment:
23 Individuals
 Day habilitation
 Catskill day Hab:
12 Individuals
 Cairo day Hab:
12 Individuals
 Case management (MSC)
14 Individuals
 Recreation - Waiver:
5 Individuals
 Clinical services:
8 Individuals
 Community habilitation:
14 Individuals
Waiver Respite
2 Individuals
 Voucher Respite:
16 Individuals
 School-to-work:
3 Individuals
Intensive Behavior Supports: individuals
2 Individuals
Total
178 Individuals
Ulster-Greene ARC has been a true partner and leader in meeting the
needs of Greene County residents. This has been made possible only with the
collaborative efforts of our agency, county, and our community partners. Our
daily efforts are centered not only on providing high quality services, but also on
minimizing program, department, and agency losses. However, without the
support of the county funds, the rising costs of our Work Center, Supported
Employment, and Transportation Services could put the entire program in
jeopardy, or at the very least lead to a significant reduction in the total available
opportunities for the individuals we serve to achieve their goals of independence,
authentic inclusion and full wealth within their lives. In order for Ulster Greene
ARC to provide these much needed services to Greene County residents
continued support from Greene County is crucial.
6