What is CANS?

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About Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths (CANS)

OPWDD uses CANS as the person-centered, consensus-based functional needs assessment for people with developmental disabilities ages 17 and younger and their families.

The CANS is designed to give a profile of the specific current needs and strengths of the child or adolescent and caregivers. The CANS provides important information to the child’s or adolescent’s Care Manager, Qualified Disabilities Professional (QIDP), and those responsible for maintaining the care plan.

CANS process

The CANS is a 3-part process designed to provide the story of a child’s or adolescent’s life. A certified CANS assessor conducts the assessments each year. The process includes: 

1. Review of supporting documentation like medical evaluations, clinical assessments, Individualized Educational Plan (IEP), Life Plan, and other care plans
2. Interview the child’s or adolescent’s caregivers
3. Interview or observe the child or adolescent

Note: While it is best practice to include an observation or interview of the child or adolescent, child participation is at the discretion of the caregiver.

CANS scheduling details

Once a child is identified for an assessment, the Care Manager is responsible for notifying the child's parent, guardian, or primary caregiver. Maximus will also begin outreach to schedule the appointment.

To schedule an assessment, you can contact us at 212-908-6671 or use the chat.

Appointments are offered 7 days a week, including evenings and weekends. Assessments can be completed by HIPAA-compliant Zoom for Healthcare Providers or in person at a place of choice.

The caregiver who scheduled the appointment will get a confirmation email with appointment details. If a telehealth appointment was scheduled, the assessor will email a Zoom link to join the meeting before the appointment.

Depending on the preference selected at the time of scheduling, an appointment reminder will be sent by phone call, text message, or email.

More information

For more information on the CANS, go to OPWDD CANS website.

After the CANS assessment

For people who already receive OPWDD services, the summary will be available to the Care Manager or Qualified Intellectual Disabilities Professional (QIDP) for review and to help create a care plan that is right for the person. The Care Manager will meet with the person to share the CANS report. 

For people newly eligible for OPWDD Services, contact the Front Door or Eligibility Coordinator for next steps in the process. 

If the person or the people who support them have questions or concerns about a CANS report or CAS summary, contact the Care Manager.