program descriptions
Supported Living
Supported Living provides training and support services to persons with developmental disabilities who live in or who are targeted to move into their own home. These services are designed to be flexible, individualized, and participant driven in order to meet the quality of life needs of adults with developmental disabilities who have some degree of economic self-sufficiency, are capable of directing their own support in all but limited areas, rely increasingly upon non-paid supports, and who have elected to live in integrated community settings. These services include:
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Support in areas where the individual cannot function independently,
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Training in areas where the individual can learn to function independently,
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Facilitation of relationships that can provide support to the individual in an independent manner, and
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Exploration of all available options so that participants can make informed choices.
Support counseling and twenty-four hour emergency services are also provided. Supported Living services are provided in Jackson, Calhoun, Liberty, Washington, Holmes, and Bay counties.
Family Intervention Program
Family Intervention provides in-home services to families known to the Florida Protective Services System. The purpose of these services is to strengthen and improve relationships, skills, and the family's living environment to prevent the removal of children from the custody and care of their parents or to strengthen adoptive placements in an effort to prevent disruptions.
The Family Intervention Program was developed as a tool to assist families in developing skills to ensure the safety and well being of their children. This program was specifically developed to provide a holistic, therapeutic evaluation and treatment of families, so that the needs of family members could be identified and resources could be provided or located to assist them in meeting those needs. Our goal is to make significant and long lasting changes in both individual dynamics and the ways that family members interact. It was not developed as a crisis intervention program, to put band-aids on bleeding arteries. It is a professional, intensive, therapeutic change program, to prevent recidivism of abuse and neglect from both individuals and families already served within the Children and Families system. Through this effort, we hope to provide a break in the chain of intergenerational abuse and neglect. Family Intervention services may be provided in Jackson, Washington, Holmes, and Calhoun counties.
Healthy Families
Healthy Families is a family support program that offers families of newborns home visiting services that are delivered by trained family support workers. The family support worker visits the family to offer support, promote positive parent-child relationships, promote healthy child development, enhance family functioning through the development of a trusting relationship, enhance problem solving skills and provide linkages to health and support services families may need. Services may begin at the birth of the baby or prenatally and are offered to families for up to five years. The intensity and duration of services is based on the family's needs. These services are offered in Jackson, Washington, Calhoun, Liberty, and Holmes counties and participation in services is strictly voluntary.
Residential Services - Licensed Group Homes
Habilitative Services operates small homes for adults with developmental disabilities who require more assistance, teaching and supervision than can be provided by the supported living program. Residents are offered a home like environment where they have as much control as possible and where they are respected as adults and individuals. Group homes are operated in Liberty and Jackson counties.
Life Skills Development I (Companion)
Life Skills Development I (Companion) consist of non-medical care, supervision and socialization activities provided to an adult with developmental disabilities on a one-on-one, one-on-two, or one to three basis. This service must be provided in direct relation to the achievement of the individual's goal per his or her support plan. Staff may also assist the individual with such tasks as meal preparation, laundry and shopping; however, these activities cannot be performed as discrete services and only when there is no one else available to perform them. This service does not entail hands-on medical care. Staff may also perform light housekeeping tasks, which are incidental to the care and supervision of the individual. Companion services are not merely diversional in nature but are related to a specific outcome or goal of the individual. Diversional activities include fishing, going to the movies, the beach, or a play, or walking around the mall. An acceptable companion activity could include going to the library, getting a library card, learning how to use the library and checking out books or videos for personal use or going to an animal shelter to learn about animals or perhaps volunteering. The object of a companion is to work themselves out of a job as the individual develops community connections. Companion services can be provided in Jackson, Calhoun, Liberty, Washington, Holmes and Bay counties.
Personal Supports
Personal Supports are services that provide an individual, either singularly or with on to two roommates, in a supported living setting with up to 24 hour a day assistance from a personal (in home) support worker(s). The personal support worker provides companionship and personal care and may assist with or perform activities of daily living and other duties necessary to maintain the individual in supported living. The personal support may perform grocery shopping, housekeeping, and cooking responsibilities or may conduct training programs designed to teach these and other daily living skills. Personal supports are provoded in Jackson, Bay, and Liberty counties.