Unity House

09/03/2026

For many people with disabilities and older adults, living at home and staying connected to their community depends on having the right support at the right time.

That support looks different for everyone. It may mean transportation, personal care, behavioral supports, community activities or help with everyday life.

At Unity House, many of those supports are made possible through Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services, or HCBS. Through New York’s OPWDD system, HCBS funding helps support many Unity House programs, including Day Habilitation, Self-Direction and residential services in our IRA homes.

You may have heard about proposed federal legislation designed to make home and community-based services (HCBS) a mandatory Medicaid benefit.

We believe these services are not extras. For many people, they are what make community living possible. Yet access to HCBS is not guaranteed in the same way as some forms of institutional care. Across the country, more than 600,000 people are waiting for services, sometimes for years.

The recently reintroduced HCBS Access Act seeks to change that. It also recognizes that access depends on a strong direct support workforce and meaningful support for families and caregivers.

Behind the policy are very human questions: Can someone live where they want to live? Make choices about their own life? Participate in their community? Can families get help before they reach a crisis?

HCBS is about more than “care at home.” It is about choice, independence and belonging. That is why the HCBS Access Act matters to Unity House and to the people and families who rely on these supports every day.

If you support our mission, we encourage you to contact your members of Congress. Tell them to support the Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Access Act to expand access to Medicaid home care, invest in the direct care workforce, and support family caregivers.

The HCBS Access Act (H.R. 8540) will eliminate HCBS waiting lists and provide increased funding for HCBS, expanding access and giving people with I/DD and their families a meaningful choice between community-based care or institutional care.

09/02/2026

Unity House employees deliver on the mission you support. In September, we go all out to make sure our staff knows how much you appreciate their dedication and how grateful we are for their talents.

A highlight of the month is Direct Support Professional (DSP) Appreciation Week. We present gifts, snacks and other tokens of appreciation to each of the 290 DSPs who provide compassionate, person-centered support every day.

The month also features:

Longevity Awards, where we recognize employees celebrating 3, 5, 10, 15 and more years of service. At gatherings in both Ithaca and Auburn, awardees get a special gift and peer recognition.

Unity Games. Dozens of employees have formed teams to participate in this month-long series of friendly competitions. This year’s challenges involve cooking, dancing, a step challenge, chalk art, Spirit Week dress-up and more. The winning teams will be announced following a Unity Family Feud showdown at the end of the month.

Chair Massages. We'll be offering relief for staff members throughout the month.

We're thankful to all Unity House employees for everything they do to make our mission possible — and thank you to our loyal friends and donors for helping us support our valued staff.

09/02/2026

Help people build confidence, independence, and meaningful careers.

Unity House is seeking a PROS Employment Specialist to support individuals in with mental health needs as they explore, obtain, and maintain competitive employment. This community-based role includes job coaching, resume and interview support, employer outreach, job development, and helping individuals overcome barriers to employment.

Qualifications include:
✅ High school diploma/GED and 6 months of mental health experience required
✅ Associate degree in Human Services or a related field preferred
✅ Valid NYS Driver’s License and vehicle required
✅ Experience working with individuals with disabilities preferred

Based out of our North St. program offices in Auburn, a significant portion of this position is spent out in the community working directly with individuals and employers in Cayuga County.

APPLY NOW:

A career with a cause At Unity House, we're dedicated to supporting people with disabilities. That's why we're dedicated to our employees. At Unity House, you'll empower people to learn, grow and thrive. In turn, Unity House will empower you with: Great pay!!Full-time benefits - health insurance and...

09/02/2026

With support from Senator Lea Webb (right), Unity House will soon be able to complete $248,000 worth of accessibility improvements at four group homes in Tompkins County. This grant is part of a larger effort to improve accessibility at all Unity House residential locations, ensuring that the people with developmental disabilities we support are able to live in the homes they love for as long as they wish.

09/01/2026

08/31/2026

Tomorrow kicks off Staff Appreciation Month at Unity House!

In honor of the return of Unity Games, we’re taking a little trip down memory lane with some photos from years past. Who do you recognize?

Throughout September, we’ll be celebrating 290 Direct Support Professionals among our workforce of more than 400 employees. Our DSPs are at the heart of our mission, providing compassionate, high-quality care and support every day. We’re incredibly grateful for all they do. is September 14–18.

This month will be packed with opportunities to celebrate, connect and have a little fun. Dozens of staff members will compete in our Unity Games, featuring virtual and in-person corporate-challenge-style activities like a dance-off, cookoff, Spirit Week dress-up days and more.

We’ll also honor employees celebrating 3, 5, 10 and 15 years of service — and beyond during our Longevity Awards in Ithaca and Auburn, recognizing their dedication with gifts and kind words.

And throughout the month? We’ve got snacks, DSP gifts, chair massages and a few other surprises all leading up to a Unity Feud showdown for our top Unity Games teams at the end of September.

Here’s to a month of celebrating the people who make Unity House what it is.

08/31/2026

Today, August 31, is International Overdose Awareness Day.

Today, we remember those whose lives have been lost to overdose and take time to honor the families, friends and communities affected by those losses.

Together, we can continue to challenge stigma, lead with compassion, and strengthen education, prevention and support in our communities.

Break the silence. Lift each other up. Create meaningful change.

08/28/2026

Introducing our newest featured Story of Hope: Eric O'Brien of Auburn.

A decade ago, Eric O’Brien felt like he had nothing to live for.

“I felt asleep everywhere I went,” he said. “My body was there, but my mind wasn’t. I was nothing more than a routine.”

Today, Eric is eight years sober, living independently, working full time and building a life he once believed was out of reach. With support from Unity House’s PROSperity program for mental health (PROS), Eric is rediscovering what he is capable of.

“All the resources are here if you’re willing to put in the work,” he said. “PROS gave me that support system. I’m back to who I was: a ‘nothing can stop me,’ confident kind of guy. I’m so grateful.”

Check out our Stories of Hope page, located here: unityhouse.org/stories-of-hope

Read Eric's full story here: unityhouse.org/erics-story

Photo caption: Eric O'Brien (middle) stands with PROS Practitioner Erika Van Tassell (right) and fellow participant Cliff Bond III outside the program's location in Auburn.

08/24/2026

Please join us on the evening of Thursday, September 3 for our Market Street Park Carnival, hosted by Auburn Day Hab.

Questions? Contact Program Manager Ryan VanDoren. See below for details.

08/20/2026

We have great news to share, and you are part of the reason why.

Every day, your generosity helps transform the lives of more than 700 people across Central New York. You help support people with disabilities, coping with mental illness, or on a journey of recovery.

These are the stories your generosity makes possible. Join us as we share the lives you've touched and the difference you make every day.

unityhouse.org/stories-of-hope

Our mission is to empower and enrich the lives of people in recovery, coping with a mental illness, and/or diagnosed with a developmental disability.