Day Habilitation

Mark D. Keller
Assistant Executive Director
Residential Services Office
6 Commerce lane
Canton, NY 13617
(315)379-0701

St. Lawrence NYSARC operates a variety of residential opportunities for individuals with developmental disabilities in St. Lawrence County. Currently, residences exist in the city of Ogdensburg, the villages  of Massena, Norwood,  Potsdam, Gouverneur, Canton, Hermon and in the towns of Dekalb Junction, Fowler, Waddington and Norfolk. Existing OMRDD-certified Individualized Residential Alternatives (IRAs) range in size from two to twelve persons. New services are developed with an emphasis on smaller living units that can enhance an individual's particular abilities and preferences.

Residential Habilitation funded through the Home and Community-Base Services Medicaid Waiver provides supervision and assistance in accordance with the needs and abilities of the residents. Our homelike atmosphere affords many opportunities for individual and shared learning, especially as individuals typically participate in the preparation of meals and normal housekeeping duties. Staff teach and/or provide assistance with self-care skills such as dressing, bathing, dining manners, and social skills to enhance personal interaction with others. Individualized Service Plans (ISPs) and Residential Habilitation plans are developed and maintained that focus on personal and life goals and needs, which staff work with individuals to achieve. Leisure and recreation activities are a central part of the lives of all residents. There are frequent outings to community events, restaurants, shopping centers and other community facilities. Persons with existing family relations are encouraged and assisted to maintain these natural supports. More severely disabled individuals who may require intensive levels of assistance and/or therapies benefit from living in one of several Individualized Residential Alternatives, which provide higher levels of care and staffing patterns to better meet the diverse needs of the population they serve.

For more information about residential opportunities, you may contact the Director of Residential Services at the Residential Services Office in the Richard L. Laurin Center, 6 Commerce Lane, Canton, NY 13617, or by calling the Office at (315) 379-0701.