Educational Consulting
Who is eligible for Educational Consulting services?
Any child age 5-21 with learning difficulties who attends a public school is Onondaga County.
How much do the services cost?
There is no cost to our service with a referral from the Onondaga County Access Team.
How do I get a referral from the Onondaga County Access Team?
Call 315-463-1100
Who can I talk to about the service before I call the Onondaga County Access Team?
Contact Michelle Horton, Director of Education at 315-557-0303 or mhorton@launchcny.org
OPWDD Educational Advocacy
Who is eligible for OPWDD Educational Advocacy services?
Any child age 5-22 with OPWDD eligibility. A TABS ID number is required for the services.
How much do the services cost?
There are no out of pocket costs. If your child has a self-directed budget, we’ll work directly with your broker and fiscal intermediary to determine services within the budget. If your child does not have a self-directed budget, the services are covered by FSS.
How do I get a referral for OPWDD Educational Advocacy?
There are two ways – you can contact your child’s care manager and ask them to make a referral or you can contact us directly by calling Michelle Horton, Director of Education at 315-557-0303 or mhorton@launchcny.org.
OPWDD Eligibility Service Access Assistance
Can someone at your agency assist me with getting OPWDD eligibility for my child?
Yes. You must first call The Front Door at OPWDD at 866-946-9733. Once you have received a TABS ID number from OPWDD contact Michelle Horton, Director of Education at 315-557-0303.
What is the cost?
There is no cost to families for this service.
How long does the eligibility process take?
It can take several weeks to months to complete but we do all the legwork for you!
OPWDD Youth Summer Program
What requirements are there for my child/participant to attend?
Requirements include: OPWDD eligibility with a TABS ID#, must be 8-18yo, reside with their family and not be eligible for extended school year (ESY) in their school district.
Is transportation provided?
We provide transportation to and from field trips. Families are responsible for transportation to and from the program each day.
What if the participant has a self- directing budget?
The budget will need to be amended as soon as possible. In the registration form we ask for the name and contact number of the broker and fiscal intermediary. LAUNCH will provide an itemization of costs to assist with the amendment.
What is the out of pocket cost?
There is no cost for eligible children.
If I want more information, who should I call?
Contact Michelle Horton, Director of Education at 315-557-0303 or mhorton@launchcny.org.
Community Habilitation
What are the hours of this program?
Launch’s community habilitation (LIFE) program does not have standard hours of operation. Session times are based on client need and availability.
Can clients hire their own staff?
The LIFE Program staff are hired by Launch. We take client preferences into account when matching staff with clients. Clients can suggest staff to apply at Launch but they would need to go through the interview process and hiring would not be guaranteed.
How many sessions would a client have per week?
Each person with eligibility is approved for a specific number of hours through OPWDD. The number of sessions per week would depend on client need and availability but would not exceed the number of approved hours.
Who determines what skills someone would work on during their community habilitation sessions?
The specific goals that clients work on in the LIFE program are chosen by the client themselves! For new clients, we spend the first sixty days assessing their independent living skills and offer suggestions of goals they may want to add to their plan.
Where do sessions take place?
LIFE staff and clients work on skills in the client’s home, anywhere throughout their community, and at the Launch office.
What does an average session look like?
There is no “average” session. All session look differently depending on what goals and needs the client has. You could cook a meal, go to the gym, spend time in the community doing recreational activities or making friends.
Adult Recreation
Is transportation provided for this program?
No. Group members meet at the activity location.
Where do the activities take place?
Activities occur all throughout the Syracuse area.
Does Launch cover the cost of all activities?
No. Launch will cover admission or supplies for most events. In the event where the group went somewhere that each person would spend a different amount (ie. Going out to eat), this event would be self-pay.
How old are the group members?
All group members are at least 18 years of age. Most are in their 20s-40s.
What time do activities take place?
Activities are on either Tuesday or Thursday and generally take place from 6-8 PM. There are also one-two activities on Saturday that generally are 10 AM-2 PM.
Employment
Do you have to go through AccesVR first?
This depends on the individual and the circumstances. If an individual has OPWDD eligibility and is interested in employment, but not ready to go out and get a job right at this moment, they could start with our Community Based Prevocational program to learn the soft skills needed for employment no matter what field they choose to work in. If an individual is ready to find work they need to put in an application with AccesVR.
Can an individual participate in Community Based prevoc and other employment programs at the same time?
An individual can participate in Community Based Prevoc and all other employment programs other than AccesVR at the same time. Community Based Prevoc can be used alone or in conjunction with the other OPWDD Employment programs to reinforce skills needed to be successful in employment.
Will a job coach be with me all the time while I am working?
No. A job coach will be there as needed to support you to become as independent as possible in your place of employment. The level of job coaching could change as you learn the skills required and become more confident. The level could also change if new job tasks are introduced or if you are struggling on the job.
Does a job coach help me complete my job tasks?
No. A job coach is there to help you learn the tasks and skills required to do your job. They are not there to do the job, but could demonstrate the job task and offer suggestions and guidance.
Will LAUNCH get me a job?
Launch will help you to create a resume, cover letter, apply to jobs, help with interview prep and if needed, attend job interviews with you. LAUNCH will not get you a job, but assist you in the steps required to find employment.
Can LAUNCH help me to look for a new job even if I am currently employed?
Yes if the individual is in an OPWDD Employment program. At LAUNCH we believe that everyone should be able to find a job of their choosing and that everyone has the right to decide that they want or need a change. If an individual is enrolled in an AccesVR employment program we can help the individual by advocating to their vocational counselor at AccesVR, however this decision is up to the vocational counselor.