Our mission is to empower children and adults with developmental disabilities to achieve their potential based on personal choices, abilities and interests...

For more information about our career services please contact:

Kim Spahn
Asst. Executive Director
phone
(914) 428-8330, ext.3107
fax
(914) 428-0322
kspahn
@westchesterarc.org

Westchester Arc
Herbert Katzenberg Center
121 Westmoreland Avenue
White Plains, NY 10606
(914) 949-9300
info@westchesterarc.org

24-hour
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(914) 949-8200

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Westchester Arc
Cited as National Employment Model

Charles Arndt, managing partner for Public Policy Impacts of Washington, D.C., and Tom Hughes, Westchester Arc associate director, discuss best practices in supported employment.

Charles Arndt, managing partner for Public Policy Impacts of Washington, D.C., was recently commissioned by the Illinois Council on Developmental Disabilities to create a blueprint for moving individuals from center-based services to the community. Public Policy Impacts specializes in assisting government and private agencies with solutions that help people with developmental disabilities to get real jobs, with real wages and real employers, to live in their own homes and to be included in their communities with people of their choosing. With a limited time to complete a national tour, he asked industry experts to name agencies in eight states that demonstrated promising practices in the field, which led him to Westchester Arc.

During his visit, Charles Arndt (second from right) met with staff from across the agency, including: (from left) Lori Calandruccio, manager of community options; Nate Pringle, job coach; Tom Hughes, associate executive director, and Cathy Carriero, project coordinator.

Arndt recently met with Associate Executive Director Tom Hughes, Assistant Executive Director Kim Spahn and other Westchester Arc staff to discuss agency initiatives. Over the course of two days, he learned about the organization's Options for People through Services (OPTS) proposal for the 35 individuals who remain in sheltered employment to transition to integrated community activities and possible employment in the near future.

Tom Hughes and Charles Arndt draw inspiration from Westchester Arc self-advocates.

He was particularly impressed by Westchester Arc’s “Glorious Explorers,” a self-named group of self-advocates who work with staff to identify a wide range of community options. Some “Glorious Explorers” have found jobs in retail stores, restaurants and professional offices, while others volunteer at senior centers or participate in community-based recreational programs.

“Do those who volunteer eventually express an interest in working at community sites?” asked Arndt.

“Yes, in some cases,” responded Lori Calandruccio, manager of community options. “The first step is to help individuals feel comfortable in the community.”

“Sounds pretty effective to me,” responded Arndt.

While in White Plains, he also toured Westchester Arc’s community-based employment sites, including law firms, clothing stores and supermarkets.

“Out of the eight programs he visited, Mr. Arndt sees Westchester Arc as perhaps the best model for Illinois,” notes Hughes. “He was impressed with the agency’s ability to take limited funding and still achieve our goals. Though other states receive more funds, their approaches often result in fewer community placements and longer waiting lists. He also found that Westchester Arc, as opposed to other agencies, exhibited a stronger desire to move away from center-based services, as evidenced by the construction of our ‘Gateway to the Community.’ In recent years, the number of people attending our sheltered workshop in White Plains has decreased from 350 to 35. It’s this commitment to community inclusion that makes Westchester Arc stand out as a best practice agency.”

Arndt is impressed by Westchester Arc’s desire to move away from center-based services.

Arndt was struck by the complexity of the work assignments performed by several individuals within professional firms in White Plains. The individuals were also receiving natural supports from supervisory personnel, with regular visits by Westchester staff. The employees were performing beyond expectations and the program rivaled other promising practices across the country. Arndt said “It’s nice to see individuals with significant challenges being employed with typical employees for real wages paid by real employers. I was highly impressed and it remains our goal for hundreds of thousands of individuals still in segregated or less opportune environments. Truly, Westchester is moving in the right direction, one person at a time.”