Download Family Services Brochure

Family support services is a comprehensive statewide network of services that enhance, support, protect, and advance the lives of persons with mental retardation/developmental disabilities (MR/DD) and the families with whom they reside. The primary goal of family support services is to encourage individuals with a developmental disability to reach their optimum level of functioning and maintain this level within the context of their home and their families.

 

The family services offered by the Broome County Urban League:

• Information/Referral: Information and resources is provided to families about their family member's developmental disability. Educational resources are available to families to learn about their family member's impairment. Referral services are also available.
• Respite Reimbursement: This service provides short-term temporary periods of relief for families that are caring for a family member with a developmental disability that resides with them. Reimbursement helps to cover the cost incurred when families hire someone to sit with their family member while they are absent for purposes other than work.
• Summer Day Program: One of the main goals of this program is to include the children with disabilities in the BCUL summer program with other children, while also allowing for time out to participate in individualized activities. The program is filled with educational, stimulating, and recreational activities.
• Family Training: This service strives to educate families and caregivers about topics that are relevant to them and their family member with a disability. Family trainings are offered at no cost once per month.
• Computer Classes for Children with Disabilities: The computer classes for children with special needs ages 5-12 years are held once per week for one hour per week at the Urban League Technology Center. The classes are held only during the times when school is in session. The purpose of the classes are to allow children with special needs to learn computer technology skills in an environment that is conducive to their varying needs. The classes allow the children to enhance existing computer knowledge as well as to develop new skills. The topics vary depending upon the interests of the children. Spaces are limited to those who qualify.