NADAP was founded in 1971 by a group of New York City business leaders concerned about the impact of unemployment and other social issues on the City. These leaders sought to specifically address the employment needs of individuals with barriers to employment and the impact on businesses of vacancies and lack of qualified employees. NADAP’s founders created a progressive and responsive organization that engaged members of the business community and government to address and solve these issues. One strategy was to assist minimally skilled job seekers affected by chronic unemployment to overcome their challenges by moving them to a new level—participation in unsubsidized, competitive employment.

Since that time, NADAP has provided customized employment services featuring job preparation workshops, direct placement assistance, retention support and career advancement services through our Comprehensive Employment Services program (CES). Additionally, NADAP has provided training to vocational professionals throughout New York State on strategies for delivering effective workforce development services.

More recently, NADAP expanded its services to varied job seeking populations and workforce professionals. In 1997, responding to Federal welfare reform legislation (Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996), NADAP began operating a work assessment program, the Substance Abuse Centralized Assessment Program (SACAP) for the New York City Human Resources Administration. NADAP, in collaboration with the Westchester-Putnam Counties Consortium for Worker Education developed a Pre-Apprenticeship Program in 1999 which provides pre-apprenticeship training to enter the building and construction trades, skills upgrading classes to journey workers and trades career exploration opportunities for high school students. In 2001, NADAP developed and began operating Project ACE (Assessment-Case Management-Employment) providing employment-focused case management services in Brooklyn to individuals with multiple barriers to employment. In 2004, NADAP started a 16-month program—Moving Forward, which provided outreach in various New York City Communities to address unemployment and other issues resulting from 9/11. NADAP assumed operations of the Yonkers Employment Center in March 2005 and provides one-stop employment services to Yonkers residents.

Over the years, NADAP developed into a leading organization with expertise in assessment, case management, vocational rehabilitation, training and workforce development. We have committed to providing the services that are needed to help individuals obtain employment and economic independence, and businesses meet their staffing needs.