Services

Community Living and Support Services may include the following services and supports: 

· Learn, practice, and improve skills related to interpersonal, independent living, community living, self-care, and self-determination, 

· Assist with day-to-day planning and problem-solving, 

· Help develop community involvement and relationships that promote full citizenship, 

· Coordinate education and assistance related to finances, healthcare, and other needs, 

· In conjunction with new skill acquisition, provides supervision and assistance for the individual to complete an activity to his/her level of independence: assistance in monitoring a health condition, nutrition, or physical condition, incidental supervision, and daily living skills.

Community Living and Support is designed to be a supportive therapeutic relationship between the provider and the individual, which addresses and/or implements interventions outlined in the individual’s support plan. 

Residential Support Services is a service to support individuals with successful living in a group home or alternative family living (AFL) settings that meet home and community-based characteristics, including but not limited to: 

• Increasing or maintaining life skills
• Providing supervision
• Increasing self-sufficiency and self-determination
• Ensuring full membership in the community
• Providing transportation to/from activities throughout the community 

Community Networking Services provides individualized day activities that support the participant’s definition of a meaningful day in an integrated community setting, with persons who are not disabled. This service is intended to offer the participant the opportunity to develop meaningful community relationships with non-disabled individuals. Services are designed to promote maximum participation in community life while developing natural supports within other settings. Community networking services enable the participant to increase or maintain their capacity for independence and develop social roles valued by non-disabled members of the community. As the participant gains skills and increases community connections, service hours should fade. 

Supported Employment Services (SE) assists with choosing, acquiring, and maintaining employment for individuals ages 16 and older for whom competitive employment has not been achieved.

The primary outcome of SE is competitive employment, which is defined as a job that pays at least minimum wage, for which anyone can apply, and is not specifically set aside for people with disabilities. SE services must be provided in integrated work settings where the individual works alongside people who do not have disabilities or in a business owned by the individual.

Supportive Employment Services include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Pre-job training/education
• Vocational assessment
• Career/educational counseling
• Job shadowing
• Assistance in the use of educational resources
• Resume development training
• Job interview skills training
• Assistance in learning skills necessary for job retention
• Monitoring, supervision, assistance in job tasks, work adjustment training, and counseling as needed to complete job training. 

Services may also include assisting the individual in the development and operation of a micro-enterprise or small business. This assistance may include, but not be limited to:

• Aiding individuals in identifying potential business opportunities
• Assisting in the development of a business plan, including potential sources of business financing
• Identification of the supports necessary for the individual to operate the business
• Coaching and employment support activities that enable an individual to maintain employment
• Ongoing assistance, counseling, and guidance for an individual who operates a micro- enterprise
• Monitoring, supervision, assistance in job tasks, work adjustment training, and counseling as needed to assist the individual in maintaining employment
• Consulting with the employer to identify work-related needs of the individual and proactively engaging in supportive activities to address the problem or need. SE includes transportation from the individual’s residence to the site of the SE service, among the SE sites if applicable, and back to the individual’s place of residence. 

Respite Care Services provides temporary relief for a primary caregiver, enabling you to take a much-needed break from the demands of caregiving for a disabled family member. Respite care can take place in your own home or in your community. Whether it is for just a few hours a week or an extended vacation, seeking respite care can help ease the burden of family caregiving and help to relieve stress, restore your energy, and promote balance in your life. It can also prevent you from becoming exhausted, isolated, or even burned out. Respite care can benefit the person you are caring for, too, providing them with variety, stimulation, and a welcome change of routine.

Seeking support and maintaining your own health are key to managing your role as a caregiver, so it is not selfish to need time to yourself. If you are overwhelmed by the duties of daily caregiving, your patience and compassion will wear thin, you will find it harder to connect with the person you are caring for, and you will probably both feel unfulfilled. After a break to recharge your batteries, though, you’ll feel more energetic, focused, and reinvigorated about your caregiving role. You may even be able to pick up tips on new ways to tackle common problems you face as a caregiver, helping to make the caregiving journey a more enjoyable and rewarding experience for both you and the loved one in your care.