OPWDD

Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) is a New York state agency that supports people with developmental disabilities, including but not limited to:

• Intellectual disability 
• Cerebral palsy 
• Epilepsy 
• Neurological Impairment 
• Autism 
• Familial Dysautonomia
• Prader-Willi Syndrome

Services Available

Application Process

• Watch the OPWDD Front Door Information Videos to learn more about the eligibility process and services offered (available in English, Spanish, and Chinese).
  • OPWDD will provide translation services for anyone who needs a different language. Contact language.access.requests@opwdd.ny.gov to submit a request.
• Enroll in one of the three Care Coordination Organizations (CCOs)* serving NYC residents to assist you with the OPWDD application process.
  • Advanced Care Alliance (ACA)
  • Care Design NY
  • Tri-County Care
  • See the full list of NYS CCOs: https://opwdd.ny.gov/find-care-manager 
• Contact the local Developmental Disabilities Regional Office (DDRO) for your borough with any questions you may have.
• Gather all required documents. Save all copies of all documents submitted and received from OPWDD.

*Note: OPWDD now requires applications to be submitted by the Care Coordination Organization (CCO).

Documents Needed to Apply

• A psychological evaluation, within three years, that includes IQ testing and summary score from the assessment (i.e. Vineland Adaptive scores).
  • For IQ scores above 60, an additional interpretive report of adaptive behavior is required  
  • For IQ scores below 60, an adaptive assessment may be based on an interpretive report using information gathered from interviews with caregivers, records review and direct observations. 
  • For autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a report(s) constituting a comprehensive evaluation for the ASD diagnosis is required.
• A social history or psychosocial evaluation report that is less than 1 year old.
• A general medical report, such as the one from the annual physical conducted for your child’s school, that is less than 1 year old.

For more information about eligibility and required documentation: https://opwdd.ny.gov/eligibility

For more information on how to apply, speak with your Care Coordination Organization’s (CCOs) intake specialist or visit: https://includenyc.org/help-center/resources/application-process-for-opwdd-services

For an additional resource about eligibility, please refer to the Front Door: Access to Services Guide.

Developmental Disabilities Regional Offices (DDROs)