Founded in 1963 to help developmentally dis-abled youth achieve independence, Occupations has become a major community-based rehabil-itation agency reaching across eight New York counties, to providing care, treatment, housing and vocational opportunities to more than 10,000 children, adults and families suffering mental health issues and physical disabilities.

Known as one of the largest providers of mental health clinical services to children in the Hudson Valley, Occupations also creates adult employ-ment opportunities through partnerships with employers such as The U.S. Military Academy at West Point, plus product manufacturing that includes a contract to provide the Department of Defense with Occupations’ patented ear plugs.

According to Occupations’ president Jim DeStefano, the growing need for treatment and vocational services has propelled rapid growth. In fact, over the last 10 years Occupations tripled in size to an $80 million system of care with a

staff of more than 1,250. Occupation’s IT infra-structure has grown rapidly, too, supporting the organization’s expanding programs and services. One such program is group homes—Occupations operates these homes for people with severe developmental disabilities or those that are recovering from mental illness.

Using “triple play” to individualize group homesIn Occupations’ group homes, staff members are available 24/7 to monitor and support residents in developing the skills and resources to live independently. DeStefano notes that these homes—like all of Occupations’ programs and services—are highly individualized. For each, the Internet, phone and TV services must be customized for the number of staff and residents as well as the location’s specific needs for com-munications, distance learning, entertainment, the exchange of medical information and case files, as well as fire and security systems.

Company: Occupations, Inc. System provides services, housing, and vocational op-portunities for individuals with physical disabilities and mental health issues

Industry: Community-based rehabilitation

Services: Business Internet, Business Class Phone and Television (TV)

• Ease in meeting business needs and regulatory requirements with highly reliable Internet and phone communications

• Ability to create individualized group homes by “right-sizing” Internet, phone and TV services for each location

• Freedom to extend special housing opportunities throughout the Hudson River Valley based on availability of telecommunications services in both metropolitan and rural areas of the state

Jim DeStefano, President, Occupations, Inc. Systems

Measures of Success: Customer Profile:

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Right-Sizing Internet, Voice and TV Solutions Helps Occupations Turn Old Homes Into New Hope

“Many of our residential locations serve individuals who need 24/7 monitoring. Technology from Time Warner Cable Business Class is critical in supporting communica-tions, exchanging technical and medical information, and for emergency evacuation.”

—Jim DeStefano

INTERNET | VOICE | TELEVISION | ETHERNET | CLOUD

Since 2004, Time Warner Cable Business Class (TWCBC) has customized its “triple play” Internet, phone and TV solutions to help Occupations respond to the unique needs at each location. At present, TWCBC provides more than 35 Business Internet connections (with speeds ranging from 5 Mbps up to 10 Mbps) plus over 90 Business Class Phone lines and TV connections.

Customizing technology so old homes can meet new missions Many Occupations’ residences start as private homes that must be adapted to meet the physical, safety and security requirements of group homes. DeStefano cites two examples: a vintage Victorian and a 1860s farm house. As the homes were remodeled, TWCBC customized solutions to deliver the right configuration of Internet, phone and TV services for the number of residents, intensity of monitoring needed, the level of data-intensive diagnostic information to be exchanged plus the communications aspects of fire protection rules and other health and safety regulations. This enables Occupations to meet evolving regulations on privacy, security and safety to operate in a healthcare environ-ment where Internet connectivity has become critical.

DeStefano is pleased with how well TWCBC has tailored numerous installations to support the diverse communication and content needs of residents, staff and functional missions at each home. This individualization, he believes, “is the wave of the future.”

Solutions that measure up when service can’t go downIn addition, DeStefano explains that Occupations needs technology that runs on a rock-solid net-work. “Many of the homes we operate are not in metropolitan areas. We can’t risk communica-tions getting knocked out.” So, the reliability of the Time Warner Cable Business Class network has become a key asset for Occupations.

Business Class technology keeps help and hope at work In addition to providing triple play solutions for group homes, TWCBC also supports several of Occupations’ business locations. At one of its day program centers, for example, Business Class Internet and phone service keeps staff accessible while bandwidth supports the Web-based applications staff members use to help people with developmental and intellectual disabilities learn life-safety skills.

In addition, at Occupations’ mental health crisis center, another TWCBC customized Internet and phone solution enables staff to locate and leverage resources without delays.

DeStefano values the flexibility and commit-ment from the Time Warner Cable Business Class account support and management teams. “The relationship runs very deep,” he says. And as the need for Occupations’ services continues to grow, so will the value of that relationship.

About Time Warner Cable Business ServicesTime Warner Cable Business Services, a division of Time Warner Cable, offers a full complement of business communications tools to small, medium and enterprise-sized companies under its Time Warner Cable Business Class brand. Its Internet, voice, television, network and cloud services are enhanced by award-winning customer service and local support teams. Through its NaviSite subsidiary, Time Warner Cable Business Services also offers scalable managed services, including application services, enterprise hosting, and managed cloud services primarily in the U.S. and U.K. Time Warner Cable Business Services, founded in 1998, serves approximately 625,000 business customers through- out Time Warner Cable’s service areas. For more information, visit http://business.twc.com.

With TWCBC Internet, phone and TV solutions, Occupations meets needs across the region, 24/7.

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“[As] Occupations has grown from a $25 million system of care to over $80 million… Time Warner Cable Business Class has been a business partner and a friend.”

—Jim DeStefano