North Country Initiative utilized $175,000 in remaining funding from the NY State Delivery System Reform Incentive Payment program to strategically invest in “Promising Practices” that continue the impactful projects implemented as part of the program before it ended in March 2020. Five projects were selected for funding and The Arc Jefferson – St. Lawrence was one of them! The project being funded is called, “Strengthening Access to Physical & Behavioral Healthcare for People with Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities (IDD) through Remote Technology”. The program will use remote technology for nurses to provide more frequent physical and behavioral health services to people with IDD in supportive housing. This technology greatly reduces nurses’ travel time across Jefferson and St. Lawrence counties, thereby maximizing their services for these individuals in both quantity and frequency.

A new long-term co-op internship program being piloted at SUNY Potsdam is covering the cost of in-state tuition. It’s also giving focused students a suite of skills, college credits and job experiences in human services work that go well beyond what they would take away from an average internship.   The Arc Co-Op Internship Program places students for three years with The Arc Jefferson - St. Lawrence, where they work with people with disabilities for a minimum of eight hours and up to 29 hours a week in residential, day habilitation and vocational services. A partnership of the SUNY Potsdam Lougheed Center for Applied Learning and The Arc, the initiative advances the College’s already significant commitment to applied learning and educational experiences tailored to the individual. 

The Arc Jefferson - St. Lawrence (www.thearcjslc.org) announced that Lynn Pietroski, Chief Operating Officer, is the recipient of The Arc New York’s Marc N. Brandt Exceptional Leadership Award. This award was presented on April 29th, during the State-wide, virtual Board of Governors meeting.

The JRC Foundation, Inc. announced today that it received a $15,000 Community Impact Grant from New York Life in support of Bright Beginnings Early Learning Center, which provides child care, preschool, prekindergarten, and early intervention services for children of all abilities and their families. Bright Beginnings is a Program of The Arc Jefferson – St. Lawrence (formerly the Jefferson Rehabilitation Center).

The Arc Jefferson - St. Lawrence (www.thearcjslc.org) is announcing that Dodge Pond Summer Camp for children is cancelled for the 2021 season due to the continuation of the COVID-19 pandemic. The agency administration is optimistic that they will be able to operate the camp in the summer of 2022.

Words cannot express the appreciation of all our staff members’ efforts to keep the people we support safe, keep families informed and maintain operations at the organization despite not only the pressures of COVID-19 but the challenges we face each day. I am especially proud of the success we have had in limiting the number of cases in the agency. Although we have had an increase based on community spread in both counties our numbers are still low for the size of the organization. This is due to our use of PPE, adhering to disinfection and sanitation practices, and social distancing by our staff. Those who provide direct support have been working extra shifts and long hours to ensure we meet our staffing ratios to provide quality services and supports. They often put those we support and their needs ahead of their other responsibilities.