ACCES-VR Albany District Office - Albany, New York

Diana Simonson

Typical government bureaucracy. They serve everyone from felons to disabled people, and treat them all like felons. If you can qualify for help from them, you likely don't need help. If you really need help, they likely won't take you, and if you have a developmental disability, they will refer you to OPWDD which is even more of a mess than AccessVR. There's no help available for disabled people in New York. It's all a charade by government employees who are spending your tax dollars and enjoying benefits better than any you will probably ever have. There is one supervisor there that seemed to genuinely want to help people which is why they're getting two stars instead of one. If there were more people like that, they might actually be helpful, but there are gatekeepers in this organization that would just as soon see you sleeping under a bridge than having a decent job no matter what your background. As long as they get their paid vacations, that's all they care about. If you have been referred to AccessVR, don't get your hopes up. You will likely wind up fending for yourself.

Kaliff Seabrooks

Ben helped me get a great trade and work right away im greatful for this program it helped me out in so many ways with my future

Deana O’Keeffe

I was referred to ACCES-VR by my therapist, filled out the application and was accepted. I eventually met with someone from ACCES-VR in person twice and was promised help with finding a job. As the months went on my therapist and I reached out numerous times and never once heard back from anybody at ACCES-VR. It has been over a year since I was accepted and still crickets. I do not recommend this program.

Zach

I was ignored for months until I finally complained enough that the woman with no medical background whatsoever decided to recommend that I go on medication for my "angry outbursts". I said this is only an angry outburst because I've wasted a year and a half of my life patiently waiting for you and not getting any kind of response for weeks at a time.

G Palmatier

I just called to get some very simple information on applying , and the man who answered continually, kept trying to rush to get me off the phone, so much so that he wasn’t even listening to the questions I was asking or providing answers. I finally had to say “look I feel like you’re trying to rush me off the phone, and I’m just trying to get some very basic answers to my questions”.
For a New York State agency, that’s some of the worst customer service ever. Someone who is less assertive than me would’ve never have gotten their questions answered at all. I was trying to tell him I had submitted my application, but somehow had accidentally left out a page, so I wanted to know if I could email it so that the application would be complete, and he couldn’t even answer that. Really disappointing

ACCES-VR Albany District Office

Adult Career and Continuing Education Services - Vocational Rehabilitation (ACCES-VR) offers access to a full range of employment and independent living services that may be needed by persons with disabilities through their lives. Through its administration of vocational rehabilitation and independent living programs, VR coordinates policy and services relating to:

- Transition services for students with disabilities from school to adult services.
- Vocational rehabilitation services for working age individuals with disabilities.
- Independent living services for people with disabilities of all ages.
- Business services for a hiring a qualified, diverse workforce.

The seeds of adult success are sown during the school years. The system established by the Board of Regents to administer education and vocational services for people with disabilities fosters this and has evolved into a national model, designed to focus on our customers and produce results.

Erin Scott

Ben has went above and beyond to help my children with learning curves succeed in furthering there education and getting them into the work force. I am grateful for the services they provide.