Hunter College’s School of Education — a national leader in special education for individuals of all ages — has won a grant for a project to help developmentally disabled adults.
The $800,000 grant was awarded to Hunter Associate Professor Gina Riley by the New York State Council on Developmental Disabilities. The goal is to create a phased, four-year initiative providing peer support for adults with dual intellectual and developmental disabilities and mental health diagnoses. The initiative will serve adults of all ages but especially young adults navigating the critical transition from high school to the next phase of their lives, whether that’s employment, college, or community-based paths.
“The new peer mentoring program will create structured, trauma-informed, and culturally responsive peer-based support to promote independence, belonging, and long-term well-being among this population,” said Associate Professor of Special Education Riley, the principal investigator on the grant. “Such peer mentors are especially important for young adults, who confront a world in which meaningful support is often lacking. The program will emphasize autonomy, informed choices, and relational supports.”
Professors Michelle Lask and Jen Yung Chen-Chui from Hunter’s Educational Foundations Department will bring clinical, supervisory, and mentorship expertise, strengthening the interdisciplinary nature of the new program.
The initiative positions Hunter College as a national leader at the intersection of educational research, disability studies, and transition-age support, demonstrating how universities can partner with communities to build research-informed mentoring models that expand autonomy and opportunity for young adults with disabilities across the state.
The project reflects Hunter School of Education’s decades-long leadership in disability rights, inclusive practice, and community-engaged research. Hunter directs the statewide, multilingual, and fully accessible New York State Council on Developmental Disabilities Decision-Making Project and collaborates closely with schools and community agencies across the state.
Julie Gorlewski, Klara and Larry Silverstein Dean of the School of Education, noted: “This investment from the New York State Council on Developmental Disabilities underscores Hunter College’s commitment to advancing equity and opportunity for adults with developmental disabilities through innovative, community-centered support.”
The school also has helped advance rights-based alternatives to guardianship and strengthen autonomy for adults with developmental disorders in decisions related to health, education, employment, and daily life.
