When it comes to providing opportunities to people with disabilities, Westchester County is committed to doing everything it can. The Office for the Disabled is here to answer your questions, provide assistance or direct you to resources. The office maintains an on-line comprehensive Disability Resource Guide to provide people with disabilities, their families and caregivers a convenient and accessible means of finding services throughout Westchester County.

 A ParaTransit system is available by reservation for those who cannot use the regular buses. The county offers a travel training program that teaches people with developmental disabilities to use the regular Bee-Line buses along with a reduced fare fee structure for those who qualify. 

The Office for the Disabled also offers a disability awareness video and education program that is available to local schools and organizations.

If you, or someone you know, might require additional assistance to leave home during an emergency, consider registering with the Special Needs Registry. The registry is for individuals with physical or mental disabilities who live on their own. The database will be provided to local municipalities to use in their emergency planning efforts.

The Office for the Disabled arranges for sign language interpreters, works with municipalities to provide handicapped parking stickers, and hosts various events such as the Annual Achievement Awards Breakfast and Annual Day at Playland in June.

A person with a disability can be especially vulnerable to domestic abuse. To document the problem, Westchester County is conducting a survey of those organizations that work with disabled men and women. The survey form is available online. If you are in an abusive situation, the Office for Women has resources for you.

Last year, Westchester unveiled the county’s first baseball field designed specifically for kids with disabilities. The field at Ridge Road Park is the result of a partnership between Westchester County and the Miracle League, a national non-profit organization which aims to make baseball accessible to every child, regardless of disability. This is the first summer adults have been able to play on the special rubberized turf field at Ridge Road Park in Hartsdale.

The office also ensures that the county is in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act that guarantees basic civil rights to everyone.