Transition Services

Adult Career and Continuing Education Services-Vocational Rehabilitation (ACCES-VR) starts with the presumption that all individuals with disabilities can benefit from vocational rehabilitation services and should have opportunities to work in jobs integrated within their communities. Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors guide individuals through service programs they need to reach their employment goal. The mission of ACCES-VR is to assist individuals with disabilities to achieve and maintain employment and to support independent living through training, education, rehabilitation, and career development.

• Apply for Vocational Rehabilitation Services | Adult Career and Continuing Education Services | NYS Education Department 
• Application for ACCES-VR services eligibility 
• Video to explain ACCES-VR-

Completed applications should be returned to  Bellport High School South Country ACCES-VR Representative is: Elizabeth D’Alessandro: Elizabeth.DAlessandro@nysed.gov or (631) 952-6754

The New York State Office for People With Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) is responsible for coordinating services for New Yorkers with developmental disabilities, including intellectual disabilities, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, autism spectrum disorders, Prader-Willi syndrome and other neurological impairments. It provides services directly and through a network of approximately 500 nonprofit service providing agencies, with about 80 percent of services provided by the private nonprofits and 20 percent provided by state-run services.

Front Door Meetings: Two hour overview introduces families and professionals to the types of supports and services available. Topics include: Eligibility, Family Support Services, Medicaid Service Coordination, Home and Community Based Waiver, Employment Services, Residential Services (including Family Care), Medicaid, SSI and Self Determination.

Visit the OPWDD website for more information https://opwdd.ny.gov/ *Phone meetings and in person meetings are currently suspended. All meeting are virtual

Local Office: 415-A Oser Avenue Hauppauge, NY 11788 Phone: (631) 434-6100 Fax: (631) 434-6040

These are mandatory for all students who are classified. They are the structured collection of information that begins in middle school. Besides asking work skills questions that may be answered by existing information in student files, the process obtains information from key individuals, especially the student. This team, consisting of students, families and schools can begin to examine educational program and career options. This can ensure that students are exposed to enough information to make a real career choice that meets the student’s needs, preferences and abilities.

There are three components to the annual transition inventories:

■ Student Questionnaire
■ Parent Questionnaire
■ Teacher Assessment

Vocational Assessments

• Parent Questionnaire
• Student Questionnaire

In New York State, when a person becomes 18 years old they are assumed to be legally competent to make decision for themselves. This means no other person is allowed to make a personal, medical or financial decision for that individual.

Guardianship is a legal arrangement where a court gives a person the legal right to make decisions for another person who is unable to make decisions for themselves such as a child, an incapacitated adult or someone who is developmentally disabled. If a person is "intellectually disabled or developmentally disabled," has difficulty making decisions for themselves and over 18 years old, you can ask the Surrogate's Court to appoint a guardian for him or her.

In New York State, a guardianship case is handled by the Family Court, Supreme Court or Surrogate's Court depending on the type of guardianship asked for and the person over whom guardianship is requested.

• Link to Guardianship Paperwork

• Suffolk County Department of Labor- Youth Bureau
• Brookhaven Town Resources
• New York State Department of Civil Service: This website has information on Civil Service jobs, exams and requirements.

• Graduation Requirements for Students with Disabilities contains information to all pathways and credential options.

• Suffolk Independent Living Organization
  SILO is Suffolk County’s only independent living center and has long had the reputation of providing the most comprehensive cross-disability related services to the disabled community. SILO empowers people with disabilities to take an active role in the community in which they live, work and play.
• Parent to Parent of New York State
  This organization provides many resources, along with free webinars for parents on OPWDD services and Housing in New York State. They are located at 415A-Oser Avenue in Hauppauge within the OPWDD building.
• New York Self-Determination Coalition
  New York Self-Determination Coalition is a grassroots organization of parents of people with developmental disabilities that live self-determined lives. Their website has information on utilizing CSS services through OPWDD for transition and post-secondary plans. Email them at nyselfd@gmail.com to get on their mailing list.
• Long Island Advocacy Center
  ​​​​​​​The Long Island Advocacy Center can assist families as they navigate through Special Education services.

• Suffolk Community College
• Eastern Suffolk BOCES