OPWDD Employment Training and Supports

Generated from the gc-benefits catalog. It lists what the owner record states. It is not an eligibility decision; confirm current rules with the program.

Programs provided by OPWDD can offer an introduction to career planning or an internship that could lead to a job in a community business, with on-the-job supports once you find a job.

• Owner record: ny/opwdd-employment-services
• Jurisdiction code: NY
• Frame: care_recipient
• Review by: 2026-11-14
• Authority: New York State Office for People With Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD)
• Also called: OPWDD Employment Services

Offering 1: Pathway to Employment

A year-long program to explore employment or volunteer opportunities, identify strengths, skills, interests and job goals, and develop a plan.

• Availability (owner codes): {"intake": "unknown", "type": "unknown"}

Conditions:

• All of these:
• Stated condition, not checked automatically: "The programs listed below are available to anyone who receives OPWDD services, has a Care Manager and is enrolled in the Home and Community Based Services Waiver."
• Stated condition, not checked automatically: "Pathway to Employment is open to you if you need to develop a job goal, comprehensive career plan and may be:"
• Any one of these:
  • Stated condition, not checked automatically: "leaving high school"
  • Stated condition, not checked automatically: "receiving day habilitation"
  • Stated condition, not checked automatically: "enrolled in prevocational services"

Access route 1.1

• Where: Care Manager
• How: Contact your Care Manager to take part in any of these programs.

Offering 2: Community Based Prevocational Services

Support and training to build workplace skills, try different types of jobs, and work toward employment services.

• Availability (owner codes): {"intake": "unknown", "type": "unknown"}

Conditions:

• All of these:
• Stated condition, not checked automatically: "The programs listed below are available to anyone who receives OPWDD services, has a Care Manager and is enrolled in the Home and Community Based Services Waiver."
• Any one of these:
  • Stated condition, not checked automatically: "If you are looking to improve your skills and try different jobs to learn what type of job you might be successful at, Community Based Prevocational Services might be right for you!"
  • Stated condition, not checked automatically: "If you want to work but need extra help to get the skills to do well in the workplace, prevocational services can help you learn about the world of work and build skills that employers value. These services look at your work interests and can help you build on your strengths and face challenges in the workplace."
  • Stated condition, not checked automatically: "This program may be part-time or full-time. Community Based Prevocational services can also help people who are employed practice important skills outside of work or gain skills and experience in new jobs to get a better job in the future."

Access route 2.1

• Where: Care Manager
• How: Contact your Care Manager to take part in any of these programs.

Offering 3: Employment Training Program

Helps participants find a paid internship and includes discovery, job development, job coaching and employability-skills assistance.

• Availability (owner codes): {"intake": "unknown", "type": "unknown"}

Conditions:

• Stated condition, not checked automatically: "The programs listed below are available to anyone who receives OPWDD services, has a Care Manager and is enrolled in the Home and Community Based Services Waiver."

Access route 3.1

• Where: Care Manager
• How: Contact your Care Manager to take part in any of these programs.

Offering 4: Supported Employment

Supports people to maintain a paid competitive job in the community, including support for self-employment.

• Availability (owner codes): {"intake": "unknown", "type": "unknown"}

Conditions:

• All of these:
• Stated condition, not checked automatically: "The programs listed below are available to anyone who receives OPWDD services, has a Care Manager and is enrolled in the Home and Community Based Services Waiver."
• Stated condition, not checked automatically: "To be eligible for these services, a person needs to be enrolled in the Home and Community Based Waiver."

Access route 4.1

• Where: Care Manager
• How: To enroll, discuss your employment goals with your Care Manager.

Offering 5: Career Specific Vocational Training

Career-specific vocational training combines industry-driven instruction and hands-on learning with community-based vocational experiences.

• Availability (owner codes): {"intake": "unknown", "type": "unknown"}

Conditions:

• All of these:
• Stated condition, not checked automatically: "The programs listed below are available to anyone who receives OPWDD services, has a Care Manager and is enrolled in the Home and Community Based Services Waiver."
• Stated condition, not checked automatically: "programs for people with developmental disabilities"

Access route 5.1

• Where: Care Manager
• How: Contact your Care Manager to take part in any of these programs.

Owner confirmations

• /offerings/3/rules/all/0: sha256:04734de32f5f30f75785ff6fcd5fc29840d03686c5cf2de449fd9bb63d9f1940
• /offerings/4/rules/all/1: sha256:ffaeeb2790412307f9ca4a9a7c0817aea13abdbcd511dd6d702ace9104206de2

Evidence

• /name: "# OPWDD Employment Training and Supports" (source, capture 15abae94f624fd357f5622b75a86abf735dbd5ec7bc4c19e6d4dfdce7838cfe3)
• /caregiving_effect: "If you are interested in getting a job, programs provided by OPWDD can offer an introduction to career planning or an internship that could lead to a job in a community business, with on-the-job supports once you find a job." (source, capture 15abae94f624fd357f5622b75a86abf735dbd5ec7bc4c19e6d4dfdce7838cfe3)
• /offerings/0/summary: "Explore the world of work in this year-long program. Discover what types of employment or volunteer opportunities are best suited to you. Pathway to Employment is typically part-time and pairs well with your other services. Pathway to Employment helps you identify your strong points, skills, interests and job goals." (source, capture 15abae94f624fd357f5622b75a86abf735dbd5ec7bc4c19e6d4dfdce7838cfe3)
• /offerings/0/rules: "The programs listed below are available to anyone who receives OPWDD services, has a Care Manager and is enrolled in the Home and Community Based Services Waiver. They may be used separately or together to help you reach your goals and take part in your community." (source, capture 15abae94f624fd357f5622b75a86abf735dbd5ec7bc4c19e6d4dfdce7838cfe3)
• /offerings/0/rules: "Pathway to Employment is open to you if you need to develop a job goal, comprehensive career plan and may be:" (source, capture 15abae94f624fd357f5622b75a86abf735dbd5ec7bc4c19e6d4dfdce7838cfe3)
• /offerings/0/rules: "* leaving high school\n* receiving day habilitation\n* enrolled in prevocational services" (source, capture 15abae94f624fd357f5622b75a86abf735dbd5ec7bc4c19e6d4dfdce7838cfe3)
• /offerings/0/access: "Contact your Care Manager to take part in any of these programs." (source, capture 15abae94f624fd357f5622b75a86abf735dbd5ec7bc4c19e6d4dfdce7838cfe3)
• /offerings/1/summary: "As part of this program, you will receive support and training about how to complete tasks, learn about and try different types of jobs, learn how to get along with coworkers, customers and supervisors, and more.The goal of Community Based Prevocational services is to help you move to employment services." (source, capture 15abae94f624fd357f5622b75a86abf735dbd5ec7bc4c19e6d4dfdce7838cfe3)
• /offerings/1/rules: "The programs listed below are available to anyone who receives OPWDD services, has a Care Manager and is enrolled in the Home and Community Based Services Waiver. They may be used separately or together to help you reach your goals and take part in your community." (source, capture 15abae94f624fd357f5622b75a86abf735dbd5ec7bc4c19e6d4dfdce7838cfe3)
• /offerings/1/rules: "If you are looking to improve your skills and try different jobs to learn what type of job you might be successful at, Community Based Prevocational Services might be right for you!" (source, capture 15abae94f624fd357f5622b75a86abf735dbd5ec7bc4c19e6d4dfdce7838cfe3)
• /offerings/1/rules: "If you want to work but need extra help to get the skills to do well in the workplace, prevocational services can help you learn about the world of work and build skills that employers value. These services look at your work interests and can help you build on your strengths and face challenges in the workplace." (source, capture 15abae94f624fd357f5622b75a86abf735dbd5ec7bc4c19e6d4dfdce7838cfe3)
• /offerings/1/rules: "This program may be part-time or full-time. Community Based Prevocational services can also help people who are employed practice important skills outside of work or gain skills and experience in new jobs to get a better job in the future." (source, capture 15abae94f624fd357f5622b75a86abf735dbd5ec7bc4c19e6d4dfdce7838cfe3)
• /offerings/1/access: "Contact your Care Manager to take part in any of these programs." (source, capture 15abae94f624fd357f5622b75a86abf735dbd5ec7bc4c19e6d4dfdce7838cfe3)
• /offerings/2/summary: "Employment Training Program services include discovery, job development and job coaching as well as assistance with other employability skills.The business will hire you directly if you learn to perform your job duties to meet the business’s requirements. Once you have been hired by the business, OPWDD Supported Employment services will continue to provide you with the supports you need to help you advance in your job if you choose." (source, capture 15abae94f624fd357f5622b75a86abf735dbd5ec7bc4c19e6d4dfdce7838cfe3)
• /offerings/2/rules: "The programs listed below are available to anyone who receives OPWDD services, has a Care Manager and is enrolled in the Home and Community Based Services Waiver. They may be used separately or together to help you reach your goals and take part in your community." (source, capture 15abae94f624fd357f5622b75a86abf735dbd5ec7bc4c19e6d4dfdce7838cfe3)
• /offerings/2/access: "Contact your Care Manager to take part in any of these programs." (source, capture 15abae94f624fd357f5622b75a86abf735dbd5ec7bc4c19e6d4dfdce7838cfe3)
• /offerings/3/summary: "Supported Employment can provide the supports you need to maintain a paid competitive job in the community. Typically, you will transition to Supported Employment after you have received supported employment services funded through OPWDD's Employment Training Program (ETP) or by the NYS Adult Career and Continuing Education Services-Vocational Rehabilitation (ACCES-VR), and you need limited job coaching to keep your employment. Supported Employment can also help people who want to start their own business or work for themselves, a form of self-employment." (source, capture 15abae94f624fd357f5622b75a86abf735dbd5ec7bc4c19e6d4dfdce7838cfe3)
• /offerings/3/rules: "The programs listed below are available to anyone who receives OPWDD services, has a Care Manager and is enrolled in the Home and Community Based Services Waiver. They may be used separately or together to help you reach your goals and take part in your community." (source, capture 15abae94f624fd357f5622b75a86abf735dbd5ec7bc4c19e6d4dfdce7838cfe3)
• /offerings/3/rules: "To be eligible for these services, a person needs to be enrolled in the Home and Community Based Waiver. To enroll, discuss your employment goals with your Care Manager." (source, capture 15abae94f624fd357f5622b75a86abf735dbd5ec7bc4c19e6d4dfdce7838cfe3)
• /offerings/3/access: "To be eligible for these services, a person needs to be enrolled in the Home and Community Based Waiver. To enroll, discuss your employment goals with your Care Manager." (source, capture 15abae94f624fd357f5622b75a86abf735dbd5ec7bc4c19e6d4dfdce7838cfe3)
• /offerings/4/summary: "In September 2023, Governor Hochul announced that OPWDD was awarding grants to seven service provider agencies across the state to support career-specific vocational training programs for people with developmental disabilities. Working together with area businesses and educational experts, these agencies are developing vocational training programs that combine with community-based vocational experiences available through the Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) Waiver. The programs operate free-of-charge and require no more than five months to complete and up to 100 hours of training provided in each class session. Classes provide industry driven instruction and hands-on learning, while offering participants opportunities to boost their job readiness and confidence and attain industry-recognized credentials to enhance their resume." (source, capture 15abae94f624fd357f5622b75a86abf735dbd5ec7bc4c19e6d4dfdce7838cfe3)
• /offerings/4/rules: "The programs listed below are available to anyone who receives OPWDD services, has a Care Manager and is enrolled in the Home and Community Based Services Waiver. They may be used separately or together to help you reach your goals and take part in your community." (source, capture 15abae94f624fd357f5622b75a86abf735dbd5ec7bc4c19e6d4dfdce7838cfe3)
• /offerings/4/rules: "In September 2023, Governor Hochul announced that OPWDD was awarding grants to seven service provider agencies across the state to support career-specific vocational training programs for people with developmental disabilities. Working together with area businesses and educational experts, these agencies are developing vocational training programs that combine with community-based vocational experiences available through the Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) Waiver. The programs operate free-of-charge and require no more than five months to complete and up to 100 hours of training provided in each class session. Classes provide industry driven instruction and hands-on learning, while offering participants opportunities to boost their job readiness and confidence and attain industry-recognized credentials to enhance their resume." (source, capture 15abae94f624fd357f5622b75a86abf735dbd5ec7bc4c19e6d4dfdce7838cfe3)
• /offerings/4/access: "Contact your Care Manager to take part in any of these programs." (source, capture 15abae94f624fd357f5622b75a86abf735dbd5ec7bc4c19e6d4dfdce7838cfe3)