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Abilities First is a private special education school serving Poughkeepsie NY and Dutchess County. 

Our journey started in 1962 with a handful of visionaries who believed that people with disabilities need not be placed in institutions (the widely accepted practice at the time), but rather cared for, educated and given a well-deserved chance to enjoy rewarding, fulfilling lives. Thus, Rehabilitation Programs, Inc. was born making its first home at The Little Red Schoolhouse, located in the heart of beautiful Poughkeepsie, New York. Though initially designed to meet the educational needs of a very small number of individuals, the enormous popularity of Rehabilitation Programs was evident and our outreach grew by leaps and bounds, eventually including people of all ages and levels of disability.