Kelberman Center rebrands as independent organization

UTICA, N.Y. — The Kelberman Center has rebranded and developed into its own independent organization. The autism-services provider got its start more than 15 years ago with help from Upstate Cerebral Palsy and was an affiliate organization of Upstate Caring Partners, Inc.

Kelberman Executive Director Tara Costello and Board of Directors VP Frank Behlmer announced the news to staff and the community on Nov. 7.

“We are thrilled to announce our new brand today,” Costello said in a statement. “Kelberman is rapidly expanding and now, with over 300 staff members and locations in Utica, Rome, and Syracuse, we are an entirely self-sufficient and thriving organization ready to meet the needs of the community in an even bigger and more impactful way.”

Dr. Michael Kelberman, board president, founded the organization, which provides autism programming and services for people through all stages of life.

“Our new brand symbolizes a new and exciting phase for us as an agency,” Costello said. “We thank Upstate Cerebral Palsy for providing leadership and resources to our organization in its infancy, as it did to many other new and growing agencies over the years. Now, as a completely independent organization, we are fully positioned to realize Dr. Kelberman’s dream of a center of excellence for autism here in our community; a dream that began decades ago as he searched for a place for his son to receive autism services locally.”

The services provided today include home and community-based educational, clinical, residential, and recreation and camp with support and wrap-around services. Kelberman opened The Promise Preschool in 1997 to support the youngest learners with autism.

The organization incorporated as its own 501(c)(3) nonprofit in 2005 and opened the LINK apartments in Utica in 2021. LINK is an inclusive living community for people of all abilities.

With more than 300 employees, Kelberman, headquartered at 2608 Genesee St. in Utica, provides services to about 1,000 people in Oneida, Herkimer, Madison, Lewis, Cayuga, and Onondaga counties annually.