The changes were evident the moment Jennifer Iannuzzi saw her daughter weeks after she joined one of the few full-time residential programs for children with special needs in the state.

“She’s adapted to the routine, bonded with the staff, and is actively engaging with the other kids in the program,” Iannuzzi said of her daughter, Sydney Iannuzzi.

Sydney Iannuzzi, 19, has a rare genetic disorder known as Smith Magenis Syndrome, a non-familial chromosomal disorder that is the result of a missing piece of genetic material within the 17th chromosome. The disorder results in global development delays, and cognitive behavioral issues similar to severe autism.

Sydney Iannuzzi with her brother Cole and her father Christopher at the Hubbard Day Residential Program for students with special

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