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The Developmental Disabilities Institute (DDI) is a nonprofit organization with a mission to provide special education for people with autism and other developmental disabilities. Their purpose is to help children and adults with these disabilities experience personal growth and fulfillment.
This institute was founded in 1961. Today, DDI is a dynamic, nonprofit, multi-site agency, each day serving hundreds of children and adults with autism and other developmental disabilities, providing educational, residential, habilitative, vocational, transportation, and self-direction support to the Long Island community, according to the organization’s website.
Kim Kubasek has recently been promoted to CEO of the nonprofit agency. She plans to continue to help those people in need and provide a wider variety of services.
“We want to make sure that we have a community connection and I was looking to do a lot of outreach to the local community and even the national community,” Kubasek said.
Before working at DDI, Kubasek attended Seton Hall University for her undergraduate studies. Later on she went to the Mount Sinai School of Medicine for her Masters in business administration with a concentration in health care administration. After her time in school she began her hospital administration career.
“I did hospital administration work for about half of my career,” she said. “Prior to joining organizations like DDI that specifically serve people with mental disabilities.”
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Kubasek started her career at DDI in January 2010 as their associate executive director. She was responsible for the operations of their programs that they provide to children and adults. Also, she was in charge of school programs, the adult residences and the adult day programs.
When asked what plans she has for the future of DDI, she stated that they have a strategic plan. “We hope to continue to grow our services at DDI and provide a wider variety of services,” she said. “We also want to make sure that we have an increased number of community connections and I was going to do some outreach to the local community and even the national community.”
The company consists of four schools, including one at 99 Hollywood Drive in Smithtown. They serve and support around 1500 people on a daily basis, run by around 1600 employees.
“I have always enjoyed in working in human services, I enjoyed the opportunity to work in a setting where there are health care settings or long term care settings and for me working for people with mental disabilities is really fulfilling,” she said. “I enjoy helping them fulfill their dreams and their goals.”
Kubasek plans to continue to help those residents in need of mental health treatment. To this end they also host fundraisers like the 2022 Walk in the Park & Picnic on Sept. 18. For more details, click here.
