1992: Expansion into Education Services
The Education Division started in 1992 as Upstate Cerebral Palsy developed the first of its three Tradewinds Education Centers. The Utica campus was the first in our region to incorporate residential opportunities on the school campus for individuals with intellectual disabilities, primarily on the autism spectrum, whose severe behavioral and developmental issues present challenges to achieving success in their own school districts and family homes. As additional needs emerged for this model, the Rome Tradewinds Education Center with accompanying residences was constructed in 2005, and the Chadwicks Tradewinds Education Center was also opened in 2006. This program now serves over 400 preschool and school-age students annually, including day students and 72 who reside in 10 residences.
The agency also offers Early Intervention Evaluation and Therapeutic Services to address the needs of developmental needs of children from birth to age 3 and best prepare them for preschool and educational experiences. Currently, over 130 children monthly benefit from these critical services.