Accessibility - The Aging and Disability Services' mission is maximizing opportunities for the independence and well-being of people with disabilities and older adults in Connecticut.  Access is an essential component of this work, and our goal with this page is to provide resources and tips on how to meet your responsibility for ensuring access. You will find tips on how to create accessible technology, such as Word documents, PDFs and websites to ensure all users have access to the information you provide.

 

Adult Services - Bureau of Education and Services for the Blind - serves as the central intake for clients and provides independent living training to adults to assist them with maintaining independence within the home and the community.

 

Aging and Disability Resource Centers - Provides information and a seamless connection to services and supports for community living as part of the state’s No Wrong door System. Services include benefit screening, information and assistance, decision support, follow up and person centered options counseling.   

 

Area Agencies on Aging - Area Agencies on Aging are private, nonprofit planning agencies, each guided by its own Board of Directors and Advisory Council.  Through funding provided by the State Unit on Aging, each AAA receives Federal Older Americans Act (Title III) funds and State funds that are allocated to elderly service providers through a request for proposal process.

 

The five AAAs provide services in the areas of social services, nutrition, disease prevention & health promotion services, family caregiver support services and adult day care aide positions (to provide day care services to victims of Alzheimers’s Disease and related dementia). They may also provide community education, advocacy, case management, information and assistance, benefits counseling and training.

 

Benefits Counseling - Individuals who receive disability cash or medical benefits (such as Social Security Disability Insurance, Supplemental Security Income, State Supplement, Medicare and/or Medicaid) may be able to work and still receive benefits.  Benefits counseling ensures that accurate information is received so that informed decisions are made regarding vocational goals, potential earnings and health insurance needs.

 

Business Enterprise Program - Bureau of Education and Services for the Blind - offers entrepreneurial opportunities to people who are blind to manage their own food service and gift store businesses at public facilities.

 

Children's Services Program - Bureau of Education and Services for the Blind - provides braille instruction, mobility instruction, adaptive technology devices and training, braille and large print textbooks, and independent living training to children, as well as professional development training and technical assistance to school districts.

 

CHOICES (Connecticut’s program for Health insurance assistance, Outreach, Information and referral, Counseling, Eligibility Screening) - helps Connecticut’s older adults and persons with disabilities with Medicare understand their Medicare coverage and healthcare options.

 

Congregate Housing Services Program - Congregate Housing Services Program is designed to prevent the premature and unnecessary institutionalization of adults aged 62 years + and adults of any age with permanent or temporary disabilities living in designated rural housing sites. CHSP provides housing combined with professional service coordination and supportive services to allow residents to remain safe and independent at home. 

 

Connect to Work Project - allows individuals who receive Social Security Disability benefits to better understand the impact returning to work will have on their disability benefits.

 

Connecticut Partnership for Long-Term Care - This alliance between the State of Connecticut, Office of Policy and Management and the private insurance industry through which Connecticut residents can purchase quality, affordable long-term care insurance designed to help older adults pay for long-term care without depleting their assets. The partnership provided one-on-one counseling; distributed education materials and conducts outreach through community forums. 

 

Connecticut Statewide Respite Care Program - The Statewide Respite Care Program offers relief to stressed caregivers by providing information, support, in-home assessments and services for the individual with Alzheimer’s Disease or related dementias. Respite is designed to assist fatigued caregivers.

 

 

Deaf and Hard of Hearing Counseling - provides counseling related to special language, communication and socioeconomic problems unique to individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing and their families.

 

Deaf and Hard of Hearing Interpreter Registry - The department monitors and posts a statewide Interpreter Registry for all sign language interpreters working in Connecticut in accordance with state statute.

 

Disability Determination Services - this bureau is responsible for deciding medical eligibility for the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) programs. These programs provide cash benefits and medical insurance to individuals who are unable to maintain employment due to the severity of their disabilities.

 

Driver Training Program - This program provides evaluation, training and license certification through the Department of Motor Vehicles for individuals with physical disabilities who must utilize special equipment to drive using a modified vehicle in the state of Connecticut.

 

Elderly Nutrition Program - The program provides nutritionally balanced meals , reduces hunger and food insecurity and promotes socialization, the health and well-being for older adults. The programs serves individuals age 60 and older, their spouses, and individuals under 60 years with a disability and residing with an older person or in an elderly housing facility with a community café site.

Grandparents as Parents Support - the main focus of the GAPS network is to share information amongst the network of over 150 agencies, individuals and community organizations. There are support groups across five regions in Connecticut.

 

Independent Living Program - The Independent Living Program provides comprehensive independent living services to persons with significant disabilities through contracts with Connecticut’s five community-based Centers for Independent Living.

 

Level Up - provides students aged 16-21 with the tools, training and resources to work competitively and forge a path to independence. Working together we are building relationships with schools, families and the community and have created a collaborative partnership that introduces students who have an IEP, 504 plan or related challenges to new possibilities. Our goal is to help students be prepared to go out and find their place in the world.

 

LGBT Resources for Older Adults - We are proud to announce that our staff have received training from the National Resource Center on LGBT Aging and our Department is now a Safe Space for our friends in the LGBT community.

Live Well - a Chronic Disease Self-Management Program- This nationwide evidence-based health promotion program developed by Stanford University is geared towards older adults (and their caregivers) to provide information and teach practical skills on managing and living the chronic health conditions. Workshops are available in English or Spanish, and are not meant to replace your physician's care. 

 

Long Term Care Ombudsman Program - Mandated by the Federal Older American’s Act and Connecticut General Statute 17b-400, the Office of the Long Term Care Ombudsman  protects and promotes the rights and quality of life for residents of skilled nursing facilities, residential care homes and managed residential care communities (also known as assisted living facilities). The State Long Term Care Ombudsman advocates with policy makers, legislators and stakeholders to ensure quality care and services and the well-being of residents at the state level.

 

National Family Caregiver Support Program - The Family Caregiver Support Program is designed to offer caregivers a variety of services when caring for their loved ones at home. The program was created for family and other unpaid caregivers supporting older individuals, as well as grandparents, older relatives and parents of adult children with disabilities.

 

No Wrong Door Initiatives – Improving Behavioral Health Services for Older Adults - this program is geared to produce short and long term goals related to the mental health needs of the older adult population.  

 

Older Worker Program - participants are placed in temporary training assignments where they gain valuable on-the-job work experience and training needed to gain meaningful employment.  

 

Senior Community Services Employment Program - The program serves low income adults age 55 year and older to re-enter today’s workforce. Participants are placed in temporary subsidized training assignments where they gain valuable on-the-job work experience and training needed to gain meaningful employment.

 

Senior Medicare Patrol - Informs and empowers Medicare beneficiaries, family members and caregivers to prevent, detect, and report health care fraud. Trained volunteers educated seniors how to detect and handle fraud, errors, and abuse and other deceptive healthcare practices through outreach and public awareness campaigns. 

 

Veteran’s Directed Home and Community Based Services Program - The program gives veterans the opportunity to self-direct their own care and receive services in their own homes from the caregiver of their choice. This program is designed to keep veterans in their communities.

 

Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) - Bureau of Rehabilitation Services - is designed to help individuals with disabilities prepare for, obtain, maintain or advance in employment.

 

Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) - Bureau of Education and Services for the Blind - A proud partner of the American Job Center Network, the VR provides school-to-work transition services to youth and assists adults to obtain, retain and advance in employment. The Program also provides technical assistance and job candidate referral services to employers across the state.

 

Workers' Rehabilitation Program - assists eligible individuals with work-related injuries to return to the workforce.