Rensselaer County ARC
Rensselaer County Chapter, NYSARC is an association of people with disabilities, parents, professionals and community members dedicated to building the capacity of the community to fully include persons with disabilities. Since our founding in 1950 by a group of parents, ARC has developed a rich array of services to improve the quality of life for individuals with disabilities.
Program Philosophy
It is the intent of Rensselaer County Chapter NYSARC Inc. to move from a systems driven approach to a person centered approach to delivering supports and services to individuals with mental retardation in the community. Operating from a person centered perspective, the ARC works with each individual to tailor a set of supports and/or services. The objective is to facilitate involvement in the life of the community in full consideration of an individual's wants, needs, and desires.
Rensselaer County Chapter NYSARC is committed to a planning and support approach that emphasizes the uniqueness of each and every individual. Our goal is to support individuals in their quest to participate and assume valued roles in the community. We seek to discover the needs, wants, and capabilities of each person and to respond with complimentary supports that facilitate community inclusion. We are frequently asking "What do you want?" in an effort to encourage individuals to assume a lead role in making decisions relating to all areas of their lives.
We see planning as a time to build teams of caring and committed people as a primary way to successfully implement plans, as opposed to a process that reinforces program boundaries. An effort will be made to develop a team that reflects the natural diversity of the community beyond human service membership. The plan will be flexible, learning oriented and responsive to each individual situation and our roles will be dictated by individual need rather than program orientation. Each planning process will be managed by a facilitator who is skilled in managing meetings and group dynamics; addressing conflicts; and building collaborative relations among persons with disabilities, their families/advocates, and staff. The person centered plan provides a focused communication about our commitment and defined set of roles and responsibilities to support individuals in their choice of life style.
For more information contact info@renarc.org.