Dan O'Brien
Founder & CEO
Special Needs Services, LLC was formed in October of 2007 by Karen and Dan O'Brien. The company started with one client referral from the Division of Developmental Disabilities, which was Karen's niece, who has William's Syndrome. By the end of 2008 SNS was providing HCBS services to 20 Division Members with 20 Qualified Care Providers. In November 2014, SNS expanded into Employment Services for Division Members 16 years of age and older. Our goal is to integrate our members into the community through gainful employment in the hopes of facilitating a more independent lifestyle. In December 2019, we moved into our multi-activity workspace called "Studio Works", which gives individuals with developmental disabilities a place to work and have fun!
Demar Douglas
Art Director
Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go to font for titles, paragraphs & more.
Lisa Hunemuller
Home and Community Based Services Manager
Lisa started on a new career path as an Office Manager in a Center Based Program in 2006, and quickly discovered her passion for helping people with disabilities and never looked back. Lisa joined the SNS team in 2008. She became a certified Article 9 Instructor in 2010 and started the Special Needs Services DTS Summer Program in 2013. Lisa is a compassionate and wonderful person to be around and is great at understanding the needs of our members.
Pathy Widner Xi
Office Manager
Pathy joined the SNS team in 2014 as a Care Provider. In 2019 she became the Office Manager while also leading HCBS in an administration capacity. She aspires to play a role in helping individuals with special needs develop the skills to succeed in all phases of life. Anyone who comes in contact with Pathy could immediately feel her joy for life, deep empathy, and affinity for excellence. She always contributes her competitive nature to her tenure as a professional swimmer for her home country Peru. During her spare time, she loves to spend quality time with family, travel to new places, and watching animated movies.
.jpg)
Belinda Johnson
Adult Transition to Employment Program Director
Avenir Light is a clean and stylish font favored by designers. It's easy on the eyes and a great go to font for titles, paragraphs & more.
Nick Demott
GSE Program Manager and Adult Program Supervisor
Nick considers helping others succeed in life to be a passion of his. With a background in college access, Nick joined Special Needs Services in 2019 looking to expand his work to people with developmental disabilities. Nick sees the potential in everyone he works with and specializes the training that he gives them to cater to their individual needs and talents. He believes that every day is a fresh opportunity to make a difference in someone else’s life, and he carries that attitude with him to work every day.
Adult Program
A group setting service that provides a Division member with individualized instruction, training, and support to promote skill development for integrated and competitive employment.
Transition to Employment
This group service provides individuals with an on-site supervised work environment in a community employment setting. Members are paid by Special Needs Services or the employer for work performed in accordance with State and Federal law.
Group Supported Employment
Used for those clients who require extensive preparation for employment. We train in basic skills that individuals must possess to be successful at work.
Work Adjusrment Training
To assist the client in finding a job placement that is individualized to the client's work preferences and strengths, and insures a good employer/employee match.
Job development and placement
Provides instructions and assistance to clients in researching various career fields, qualifications and skill requirements for various jobs for which clients are interested, and job outlook and current employment opportunities with local employers throughout Arizona.
Career Exploration
To assist the client who has been placed in employment in order to stabilize the placement and enhance job retention.
Job Retention
In addition to TTE, DTA and GSE programs, Special Needs Services offers various one-on-one services funded by Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) to support our members who are willing and able to work in a competitive workforce. We provide the following VR services: Work Adjustment Training, Trial Work Experience, Career Exploration, and Supported Education.
Vocational Rehabilitation
A service that provides specialized sensory-motor, cognitive, communicative, social interaction and behavioral training to promote skill development for some portion of a
24-hour day.