A new IUP program for those with intellectual disabilities will aim to fill a “real need” in Indiana and Armstrong counties.

The Crimson Hawks Bridge program designed to help dozens of individuals gain skills and credentials to live independently and transition to the workforce will kick off in the new year, with backing from a $1.34 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education.

Though community services in the region support residents with intellectual disabilities, this new program will fill a need for a post-K-12 educational program, said Ali Kappel, a professor in the Indiana University of Pennsylvania’s Department of School Psychology, Special Education and Sociology.

Ms. Kappel will serve as director of Crimson Hawks Bridge.

“When students graduate from high school and age

See Full Page