Supports for People with Disabilities
How to Get On: Comprehensive resource guide for living while disabled
Reasonable Accommodation
The American's with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires that people with disabilities have a fair chance to participate in the workplace and government programs, including obtaining Department of Social Services benefits and obtaining housing with a voucher. Reasonable accommodation is any change to a the way things are usually done that allows an individual with a disability to enjoy equal access to benefits available to other individuals.
Suffolk county DSS and Disability Accomodations
Read the public notice here:
A recent class action suit against the Suffolk County Department of Social Services (SC DSS) requires the DSS office to offer reasonable accommodation to all benefit applicants with a disability at every stage of the application process.
Medicaid Programs




Single Point of Access (SPA)
SPA Housing, offered through various programs funded by the Office for Mental Health, provides housing at various levels of care for people with documented severe and persistent mental illness. Placements are made by referral only. Care coordinators with the Medicaid Health Homes program can help their clients fill out SPA applications.
The following organizations provide SPA Housing:
Concern for Independent Living
Medicaid Disability Information
The Medicaid Disability Manual is the official policy guide for disability determinations for the Medicaid program in New York State.
The Medicaid Buy-in for Working People with Disabilities (MBI-WPD) is a special program for individuals with disabilities under age 65 who have work income. Under MBI-WPD, individuals are eligible for full Medicaid benefits at much higher incomes than individuals who are not working.
Health Homes
Medicaid Health Homes program (care coordination) can help provide medical services and help with housing applications. More information here.
Managed Long Term Care (MLTC)
Managed long-term care (MLTC) is a system that streamlines the delivery of long-term services to people who are chronically ill or disabled and who wish to stay in their homes and communities. These services, such as home care or adult day care, are provided through managed long-term care plans that are approved by the New York State Department of Health. The entire array of services to which an enrolled member is entitled can be received through the MLTC plan the member has chosen.
Information from NYS Department of Health
Information from NY Health Access
Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program (CDPAP)
SSI & Paying Rent
Pooled Trusts
Step-by-step guide to enrolling in a pooled income trust for Medicaid spend-down
NYS List of Pooled Special Needs Trusts (SNTs)
Spousal Impoverishment Protections for Married Couples where One Spouse is in a Managed Long Term Care Plan - Pooled Trusts Allowed as an Option
Medical Equipment Lending
Contact program director, Maureen
Office: (631) 880-7929 ext. 168
Cell: (516) 637-7400
merickson@siloinc.org
or
Maria Patellaro
631-730-3737
Fax: 631-946-6377
Search for available devices here
TRAID Program through Long Island Communities of Practice (LICOP)
Items: DME Equipment, hospital beds, medical supplies & diapers - all free
2052 Route 112, Medford, NY 11763
Donation Line: 631.905.7117
Home Store Phone: 631.730.8758
Hours: Monday – Saturday 10am-7pm, Sunday 11-6pm
Email Vinny at equipment@angelashouse.org to see what is available in their inventory
496 Hawkins Road, Selden NY 11784
Support for survivors of brain injury
(631) 793-4311
5 Old Mill Road, Great Neck, NY 11023
Solicits donations for items to match with people requesting: wheel chairs, hospital beds, mobility aids, power chairs, scooters, hover lifts & geri chairs, diapers, chucks, medical supplies
3601 Hempstead Tpke., Suite 208, Levittown
516-796-014
Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday; call in advance.
Items: Wheelchairs and electric wheelchairs cost $40 to borrow; Walkers, canes, commodes, shower chairs cost $25 to borrow. Borrowing fees are returned when items are returned within 3 months.
For Nassau County residents only.
Sayville Cabinet for the Sick
24 Collins Ave., Sayville
631-589-1070; call in advance.
Hours: 12:30 to 3:30 p.m.
Monday to Saturday; closed Saturdays in July and August.
Items: Crutches, canes, overbed tables, walkers, shower chairs, wheelchairs, for free for about a month; transport chairs for free for three days.
For Bayport, Bohemia, Holbrook, Oakdale, Sayville, and West Sayville residents only.
Knoll Top Road and Christen Avenue, Stony Brook
No hours, by appointment only.
Items: Wheelchairs, canes, crutches, commodes, shower chairs for free for 3 months.
For Setauket, Stony Brook, and Old Field residents only.
39 Montauk Hwy., Blue Point
Hours: 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday; call in advance.
Items: Wheelchairs, shower chairs, transfer benches, canes, walkers, commodes for free for 3 months.
For Town of Brookhaven residents only.
Robert E. Reid Sr. Recreation Center
Defense Hill Road and Route 25A, Shoreham
Hours: 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday to Friday; call in advance.
Items: Wheelchairs, walkers, transfer benches, shower seats, commodes, crutches, canes for free for 3 months.
For Town of Brookhaven residents only.
New Village Recreation Center
20 Wireless Road, Centereach
631-732-2338
Hours: 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday; call in advance.
Items: Wheelchairs, shower chairs, transfer benches, canes, walkers, commodes for free for 3 months.
For Town of Brookhaven residents only.
71 Blydenburgh Ave., Smithtown
631-265-1674
lendingcomforts@gmail.com
Hours: 6 to 8 p.m. Monday to Friday; 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday call in advance.
Items: Wheelchairs, shower chairs, transport chairs, canes, walkers, commodes, crutches for free for about 3 months
For Town of Smithtown residents only.
Riverhead Town Senior Center
60 Shade Tree Lane, Riverhead
Facebook group to buy, sell, or borrow medical and special needs items
Resources for People with Developmental Disabilities
Office For People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD)
189 Wheatley Road, #4
Brookville, NY 11545-2699
ahrcinfo@ahrc.org
516-626-1000
807 South Oyster Bay Rd.
Bethpage, NY 11714
(516)-822-0028
Autism Resources
Resource list by Long Island Center for Independent Living (LICIL)
Support services for people with disabilities and autism
Vocational training & career development
Located in West Babylon
Nassau County Local Early Intervention Coordinating Council
Voluntary developmental evaluation and services program
Suffolk County Division for Children with Special Needs
Referrals accepted: (631) 853-3100
Bullying prevention resources:
Long Island Coalition Against Bullying
Children with Disabilities
Resources for Parents


Regulations of the Commissioner of Education
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) 2004
Parent & Educator Resource Guide to Section 504 in public elementary and secondary schools
Parent Training & Information Center
Long Island Advocacy Center
Nassau: 516-248-2222
Suffolk: 631-234-0467
NYS Special Education Quality Assurance (SEQA)
250 Veterans Memorial Highway, Hauppauge
Fax: 631-952-3834
School-age Family and Community Engagement Centers (SA FACE Centers)
Access NY: School Age & Early Childhood Family and Community Engagement Centers
Websites with an Overview of Special Education Topics
and Advocacy Strategies
Accurate, reliable information about special education law, education law, and advocacy for children with disabilities.
Center for Parent Information and Resources
Family-friendly information and research-based materials on key special education topics.
For families of students with learning and attention issues, provides well-researched, practical information that’s easy to apply to everyday life, a secure community, and daily access to experts free of charge.
Companion website for the book Parents Have The Power To Make Special Education Work. It's designed to help parents learn about their child’s rights, navigate the special education bureaucracy, and understand the human fallibility of the public schools.
The go-to website for researching special education and mental health topics. Excellent resources, including a symptom checker.
IEP Advice for Parents, Disability Resources, Special Education Advocacy.
A video-based special education rights resource available for parents! Hundreds of videos that help you empower yourself with the information you need to secure appropriate special education services for your child.
CADRE- The Center for Appropriate Dispute Resolution in Special Education
Supporting the prevention and resolution of disputes through partnership and collaboration. Lots of resources for families.
Based in the state of Minnesota, PACER has resources for parents all over the U.S. Find great template letters, resources to combat bullying, assistive technology info, dispute resolution strategies, and more.
Service & emotional Support Animals
Resource for training your own service dog