Community Consultation Program at Strong Center for Developmental Disabilities: New Teleconsultation Pilot to Improve Access to Underserved Populations in NYS (NY UCEDD/LEND)

June 11, 2015

The Community Consultation Program (CCP) at the Strong Center for Developmental Disabilities offers evidence-based technical assistance and training, as well as continuing education and staff development programs, throughout New York State. The program supports school teams and other professionals who work with children that have a variety of educational and/or behavioral challenges including: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Behavioral and Emotional Challenges, Deafness/Blindness, Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, Medical Fragility, and Sensory Impairment.

The goal of the program is to assist in the development and implementation of programs designed to decrease challenging behavior, improve positive social and academic skills, and help individuals receive services that maximize their independence. CCP provides consultation to over 40 agencies and school districts. Many of CCP's current clients are greater than 40 miles from Rochester, NY which is the primary base for the program. There are many agencies that are interested in our consultation; however we are often unable to travel to those locations.

In order to address this issue, the program has designed a teleconsultation service, which will allow the program to provide more services throughout New York State and positively impact the most underserved areas. The new teleconsultation pilot is set to begin this summer with a current site in Oneonta, NY located over three hours away from Rochester, NY.