Our programs for children, adults, and caregivers create opportunities to live, relax, connect, and thrive within their communities.
Community Education
We are committed to educating our community about disabilities. Our staff members educate first responders, law enforcement officers, school officials, businesses, corporations, and community members to raise awareness about disabilities and help people understand how to create a more inclusive community.
Community Education covers:
• Partnering with community businesses to provide job-sites for individuals with disabilities looking to gain real-world job experience and training
• Community group presentations during meetings, groups, clubs, etc. in order to help more people understand and identify behaviors associated with autism and other disabilities.
• First responder and public safety official training to familiarize first responders with how people with disabilities may act when encountered. This training helps responders understand how to better communicate and interact with people with disabilities.
• Professional training for teachers, therapists, administrators, pediatricians, and more to help people understand how to create a more inclusive community and better support people with disabilities.
Community Living
We are committed to helping people with disabilities build skills to live as independently as possible in a home of their own. We offer everything from just a few hours of support a month to 24/7 care. Our team works with each family to determine the best option for services, whether that means working in the family home or helping an individual establish their own home. Community Living Services may be lifelong and include various skill-building opportunities in areas such as safety, personal budgeting, housekeeping, personal care, and nutrition. Small staff-to-program-participant ratios are important to us and tend to be 1:1 to 1:3.
Self-Determination in Action Project
This project was designed to empower people with disabilities to become advocates for themselves and others.
Courses include:
• My Life, My Rights - This introductory course explores what it means to have freedom of choice and empowerment. It is designed to increase self-awareness and promote self-determination by covering topics like rights and responsibilities, circles of support, healthy living practices, safety and security, social living and spirituality, and advocacy and engagement.
• Self-Determination Leadership - This six-module course takes an in-depth look at how self-determination and advocacy empowered the Disability Rights Movement. Topics include the history of the movement; communication and problem-solving skills; rules, rights, and responsibilities; self-advocacy and self-determination; becoming a part of a self-advocacy group; and being a good leader.
• How to Become an Effective Committee/Board Member - This course empowers self-advocates to use their new-found skills to become involved in their community and make change. This course covers what it takes to participate on a committer or board, and what is expected of them in those roles.
