N.Y. Education Law § 241: Purposes of the Cody center

§ 241. Purposes of the Cody center. The purposes of the Cody center

shall be to:

1. Advance the standards of care for individuals with autism spectrum

disorders and other developmental disabilities.

2. Provide an educational setting for professionals working with

families of individuals with developmental disabilities.

3. Contribute significant research outcomes to the body of science

surrounding cause, identification, and treatment of developmental

disabilities.

4. Practice a multidisciplinary approach when serving people with

developmental disabilities.

5. Support and advance developed programs that form the core of

community services and education including the social skills program,

the resource center, the school consultation program, undergraduate and

graduate courses, the parent education program and case management.

(a) The social skills program at the Cody center:

(i) Curriculum is primarily geared toward children and adolescents

with pervasive developmental disorders.

(ii) The program uses a positive teaching approach, in a group format,

to promote the development of pro-social behaviors.

(iii) Clinical psychologists and behavior specialists facilitate

groups.

(b) Resource center services: The Cody center occupies a facility in

Port Jefferson Station designed to provide evaluation and continuing

treatment by a multidisciplinary staff including psychiatry, psychology,

neurology, genetics, social work and other specialties. The Cody center

provides the following services:

(i) Community outreach.

(ii) Individualized information/support sessions with family members

of newly diagnosed children.

(iii) Medicaid service coordination.

(iv) Non-medicaid service coordination.

(v) Sponsorship of parent and professional training seminars.

(c) School consultation services: Children with autism spectrum

disorders face a number of challenges in mainstream educational systems.

Often, school district personnel do not have the special training

required to make inclusion a rewarding and successful experience. The

school consultation program aims to support teachers and other school

personnel in their efforts to educate and work effectively with children

with autism spectrum disorders. The program provides:

(i) Proactive and ongoing technical assistance to school districts and

private educational facilities throughout Long Island.

(ii) Consultation services by Cody center autism specialists with

extensive experience and training in addressing the learning and

behavioral needs of children with autism spectrum disorders.

(d) Services include:

(i) Program planning and staff development.

(ii) Parent training.

(iii) Technical assistance to classroom teams to address the needs of

a particular child or children.