Learn the skills and knowledge necessary to be a valuable member of today’s health care team as you work under the direction of nurses, doctors or other authorized health care provider. The School of Practical Nursing at Western Suffolk BOCES is approved by the New York State Education Department and accredited by the Council on Occupational Education. BOCES’ program offers a low student-to-teacher ratio that allows many opportunities for highly personalized, hands-on instruction. The School prepares students to work with patients and medical staff in medical facilities including nursing homes. Students are then assigned to a clinical site at one of Long Island’s excellent health care facilities where they work under the guidance of an experienced health care professional. Classes are held at Wilson Technological Center’s Northport campus. Those who successfully complete the New York State-approved Practical Nursing program at BOCES meet the qualifications for admission to the National Council Licensure Examination for Practical Nursing (NCLEX-PN). Call for more detailed information regarding admission requirements and program details.

Provides information and registration for state licensing and testing for home nursing aides.

Issues work permits for anyone needing to work, but may not fulfill the necessary requirements such as citizen status or age criteria, etc. Also issues licenses, permits, certifications, registration, and notices that relate to particular working establishments, working conditions, and projects.

Provides information about child care options, how to evaluate care, referrals to programs that may meet individual needs, other parent education materials and other financial options. Offers small business start-up assistance, training and technical assistance, mini grants, reimbursement for food costs and home and center visitations to child care providers. Also provides demographic information, child care supply and demand, policy planning and development. Parents in Steuben County may take advantage of a subsidy program to help with the cost of child care.

Offers information and referral to individuals looking to become child care providers, including help with licensing. Also provides customized referrals to parents about child care providers that are licensed in the area.

Oversees filing, recording and storing official documents and acts as agent for state and federal governments for passports, pistol permits, sporting licenses and motor vehicle related transactions. The County Clerk is the County Registrar and Clerk of the Supreme and County Courts.

Offers referrals to parents seeking registered child care provider information. Also provides information regarding regulated child care and child care subsidy funds to parents. Provides regulatory over site of registered day care/child care programs, support and guidance of registration and application process and assisting child care providers with training and technical assistance. Administers the CACFP program which provides nutrition and meal planning education services and meal reimbursement to family day care providers.

The Division is responsible for the licensure, registration and/or regulation of the following: real estate brokers and salespersons, barber shops and practitioners, appearance enhancement businesses and practitioners cosmetology, esthetics, natural hair styling, nail specialty, waxing, private investigators, watch guard or patrol agencies, security guards, security and fire alarm installers, hearing aid dispensers, apartment information vendors, apartment sharing agents, real estate appraisers, notaries public, bedding manufacturers and used bedding sellers, armored car carriers and guards, coin processors, home inspectors, telemarketers, athlete agents and central dispatch facilities.

Approved to offer the new Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor CASAC 350-Hour Standardized Curriculum. If you are seeking your CASAC certification, you must now take the 350 educational hours with one provider or school, and there are no longer elective courses. Upon completion of the 350-Hour program, students will be issued the OASAS CASAC 350-Hour Standardized Certificate of Completion. Students will be required to submit this document to the Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services' (OASAS) Credentialing Unit when submitting your application for your credential. Please note that completion of the 350-hour program does not provide you with CASAC Trainee status. Students must complete and submit the OASAS Credentialing application and required fee to OASAS' Credentialing Unit staff to achieve this status. Upon receipt of the application, a review will be conducted to determine eligibility for the CASAC Trainee and CASAC Examination. Those students who are already CASAC's and must renew their credential with NYS-OASAS must document 60 clock hours (40 hours must be related to addictions). Renewal of your CASAC credential is done every three years. All courses listed may be used for recredentialing purposes. Call for detailed information.

The Division is responsible for the licensure, registration and/or regulation of the following: real estate brokers and salespersons, barber shops and practitioners, appearance enhancement businesses and practitioners cosmetology, esthetics, natural hair styling, nail specialty, waxing, private investigators, watch guard or patrol agencies, security guards, security and fire alarm installers, hearing aid dispensers, apartment information vendors, apartment sharing agents, real estate appraisers, notaries public, bedding manufacturers and used bedding sellers, armored car carriers and guards, coin processors, home inspectors, telemarketers, athlete agents and central dispatch facilities.

Helps parents find day care providers by name, type of facility, county or zip code online or by phone. Also helps parents who have complaints about a child care facility.

Offers a graduate-level advanced certificate program that prepares students to sit for the Registration Examination for Dietitians (RD Exam), administered by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) (https://www.cdrnet.org/certifications/registered-dietitian-rd-certification). Through coursework and supervised clinical experiences, students are equipped with the skills and knowledge to serve communities through the promotion of optimal nutrition, health and well-being. The need for dietetics practitioners is expected to increase as the health care community places a greater emphasis on the benefits of healthy eating, disease prevention and medical nutrition therapy. Upon successful completion of the Dietetic Internship, a Certificate of Advanced Studies is awarded, and students are eligible to sit for the (RD Exam). Upon passing the (RD Exam), a student will become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN). Call for more detailed information.

Offers this 1200-hour program for you to prepare to take the National Certifying Examination as a Surgical Technologist. A Surgical Technologist works closely with the surgeon, anesthesiologist and registered nurse to set up and assist in all type of surgical procedures. You will learn how to perform many duties that help keep the operating room functioning safely before, during and after operations. Practice the skillful handling and passing of surgical instruments and supplies, sterilizing operating room equipment and maintaining inventory in BOCES’ simulated Operating Room. BOCES’ program offers a low student-to-teacher ratio for highly personalized instruction. Students are assigned to a clinical site at one of Long Island’s excellent health care facilities and spend 590 hours working under the guidance of an experienced health care professional. Western Suffolk BOCES is accredited by the Council on Occupational Education (COE). Call for more detailed information regarding admission requirements and program details.

Provides training courses for people interested in taking Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor (CASAC) and Credentialed Prevention Professional (CPP) courses.

Responsible for licensing and certification of locally operated nonprofit residential facilities for youth, foster care and adoption agencies, and day care providers.

Licenses over 800,000 individuals including real estate brokers, notaries, private investigators, and appearance enhancement professionals. Through its licensing and business filing capacities the division promotes business growth while protecting the health, safety, and welfare of all New Yorkers.

Units recruit, train, study, approve/certify, develop, retain, and re-approve/re-certify foster and adoptive families. To inquire about becoming a foster and/or adoptive parent, please call 516–227-7613. Call Foster and Adoptive Resource Development at 516-227-8291 and Homefinding at 516-227-8284 for more detailed information.

Assists plumbers and electricians who are applying for professional licenses, as well as consumers wanting to check the status of a plumber or electrician they wish to hire.

Offers courses in Cosmetology, Barbering, Nail Technician, Waxing and Esthetician. Additional course offerings include: Cosmetology Class Make-up Hours; Preparation for the New York State Licensing Cosmetology Exam; Barbering for the Licensed Cosmetologist; Eyelash Extensions; Laser Hair Removal and Skin Care and Make-Up Academy. BOCES also offers Salon Services, Inner Beauty Salon & Spa: all hair, skin, facial, waxing, manicure and Barber shop at reasonable prices (Oct-Jun). Call for appointments

Offers many different computer courses including Microsoft Office, programming, web design, page layout, and database administration. Students are required to bring their own USB flash drive with a minimum of 1GB of storage to all computer classes. Sample course offerings include: 75-Hour Real Estate Salesperson Course; Advanced Word; Basic Keyboarding and Computer Skills; Computer Orientation and Windows; Computer Fundamentals with Microsoft; Intermediate Adobe Photoshop; Intermediate Excel; Intermediate Microsoft Access; Intermediate Microsoft PowerPoint; Intermediate Quickbooks; Introduction to Adobe Indesign CS; Introduction to Adobe Photoshop; Introduction to Computing; Introduction to Microsoft Access; Introduction to Microsoft Excel; Introduction to Microsoft Office for Windows; Introduction to Microsoft Word; Introduction to Powerpoint; Introduction to Quickbooks; Intermediate Quickbooks and Microsoft Excel Advanced. Courses vary each semester and are held at various locations. Call for details.

Offers programs that will help you launch your professional aviation career at Western Suffolk BOCES whose school of Aviation Maintenance Technology is approved by the Federal Aviation Administration. BOCES has helped prepare students to become FAA certified Airframe and Powerplant technicians. This 1,910-hour AMT program is located at Wilson Tech’s Republic Airport campus in Farmingdale, NY. BOCES offers small classes, state-of-the-art equipment and highly skilled and experienced instructors. Those who satisfactorily complete this AMT school are eligible to take the FAA exams that lead to FAA licenses in Airframe and Powerplant. Western Suffolk BOCES is accredited by the Council on Occupational Education (COE) and an FAA approved Federal Aviation Regulation School (FAR147). Call for more detailed information.

Offers a 350-hour accreditation program to train anyone who is interested in becoming an alcohol/substance abuse counselor.

* Assists eligible Veteran business owners in getting certified as a New York State Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Business (SDVOB) to support eligible SDVOBs to play a greater role in the state's economy by increasing their participation in New York State's contracting opportunities.

* Provides online verification of licensees by profession.