Helping Special Needs Teens Transition Toward Independence

Benni Versaci is the founder and President of Spectrum Care Management and Counseling, LLC. She has been caring for older adults, developmentally disabled and mentally ill children and adults since she was 17 years old. Her skills in care management, counseling, and mediation have been applied in various ways, from care planning meetings and family mediation in care facilities, to one-on-one counseling with older adults in their homes or assisted living communities. The ability to understand the dynamics of a family and identify the needs of their loved one comes naturally to Benni. She believes in the importance of empathy – understanding the point-of-view of the individual she is serving, allowing them to be where they are in life. She enjoys the opportunity to be with them in that place and guide them through it. Benni holds Master’s degrees in Industrial Psychology from Brooklyn College and in Social Work from New York University. Benni gained crucial experience in serving the needs of seniors, developmentally disabled children and adults along with their family caregivers through her work in long term care facilities throughout New York and New Jersey. She has been a Social Worker, Director of Social Work, Assisted Living Administrator and Director of Respite Services in long term care facilities and other settings throughout New York and New Jersey. She has also developed Alzheimer’s educational seminars and programs. Benni has been providing Care Management services since 1999; clinical counseling since 2007; and support coordination since the program inception in July 2013. She has also provided case management to a variety of other Medicaid Waiver Programs such as the TBI waiver and Global Options which are currently known as MLTSS. Additionally, she has practiced as a court-appointed mediator and has taught classes in Elder and Family Mediation.