The Arc of Centre County

The Arc of Centre County protects the human rights and promotes the full community participation of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities throughout Centre County and surrounding central Pennsylvania communities. Founded in 1953 by local parents, the Boalsburg-based agency provides comprehensive lifelong supports spanning licensed residential living, person-centered vocational training, home habilitation, and inclusive community engagement.

The organization's vocational division, Nittany Employment Services, assists adults in discovering fulfilling career paths and achieving economic self-sufficiency. Through the Career Discovery initiative, certified facilitators conduct comprehensive, person-centered vocational assessments that match participants' unique skills and passions with competitive job opportunities. Employment specialists collaborate with regional businesses to implement customized job duties, provide on-site coaching, and ensure long-term workplace retention across diverse industrial, commercial, and food service sectors.

Residential and community services offer safe, supportive environments where individuals can develop daily living skills and pursue personal goals. The chapter operates multiple community group homes and specialized medical residential facilities, including the Forever Home, an innovative licensed residence tailored for individuals living with intellectual disabilities and Alzheimer's disease. Complemented by home habilitation, community participation supports, supported apartment living programs, and the AL-CAN emergency fund for unfunded family needs such as medical adaptations and camp tuitions, the agency ensures lifelong stability and community belonging.