Overview of Services
Griffin Area Resource Center, Inc.
The GARC provides a full array of services and supports to people with developmental disabilities. Services are person centered and are designed and planned by the person receiving them, their families or people who know them best. The types and intensity of services are specific to the individual participant and are detailed in his or her Individual Service Plan.
Services offered by the GARC include Community Access Services, Pre-Vocational Services, Supported Employment Services and Community Living Support (CLS) Services.
The definition and scope of each service is detailed below:
Community Access Services
Community Access Services are designed to assist the participant in acquiring, retaining or improving self-help, socialization, and adaptive skills required for active community participation and independent functioning outside the participant’s home or family home. These services are interventions in the areas of social, emotional, physical, and intellectual development and may include training in the areas of daily living skills (including leisure/recreation skills); communication training; mobility training; programming to reduce inappropriate and/or maladaptive behaviors; and training in the use of common community resources.
The emphasis of training will be on assisting the individual in increasing self help, socialization skills, daily living and adaptive skills required for active community participation. These activities may include accompanying individuals to the grocery store, or eating establishments; teaching an individual how to participate in appropriate social and recreational activities; and assessing other activities of community living.
These services typically occur during the day but may also take place in the evenings and weekends. Community Access services are individually planned to meet the participant’s needs and preferences for active community participation. These services may be provided in either community-based or facility-based settings but not in the participant’s home, family home or any other residential setting.
The intended outcome of these services is to improve the participant’s access to the community through increased skills and /or less paid supports.
Community Access Group services are provided to individual participants or to groups of participants. Community Access Group services are provided to groups of participants, with a staff to participant ratio of one to two or more, but not to exceed ten. Community Access Individual Services are provided to an individual participant, with a one to one staff to participant ratio.
Pre-Vocational Services
Prevocational Services prepare a participant for paid or unpaid employment. These services are for the participant who is not expected to join the general work force within one year. These services include teaching participants individual concepts necessary to perform effectively in a job in the community. Activities included in these services are directed at teaching concepts such as rule compliance, attendance, task completion, problem solving, endurance, work speed, work accuracy, increased attention span, motor skills safety, and appropriate social skills. These services are provided either facility-based or in the community.
Supported Employment Services
Supported Employment Services are ongoing supports that enable participants to work in a regular work setting and for whom competitive employment is at or above the minimum wage. The scope and intensity of Supported Employment supports may change over time, based on the needs of the participant. Supported Employment Services must require long-term, direct or indirect job-related support in job supervision, adapting equipment, adapting behaviors, transportation assistance, peer support, and/or personal care assistance during the work day. Supported Employment services consist of activities needed to obtain and sustain paid work by participants, including job location, job development, supervision, training and service and support that assist participants in achieving self-employment through the operation of a business
The planned outcomes of these services are to increase the hours worked by each participant toward the goal of forty hours per week and to increase the wages of each participant toward the goal of increased financial independence. Supported Employment services are based on the individual participant’s needs, preferences, and informed choice.
Community Living Support (CLS) Services
Community Living Support Services are individually tailored supports that assist with the acquisition, retention, or improvement in skills related to a participant and their continued residence in his or her own or family home. Only participants who live in their own or family home may be offered CLS services. CLS services include training and assistance with activities of daily living, such as bathing, dressing, toileting, and transferring. Other activities of daily living may include personal hygiene, light housework, laundry, meal preparation, grocery shopping, using the telephone, and medication and money management.
These services include transportation to facilitate the individual’s participation in grocery or personal shopping, banking and other community activities that support continued residence in his or her own or family home. Social, leisure, and adaptive skill development may also be provided that assists the participant to continue home living. CLS services may include medically related services, such as basic first aid, arranging and transporting participants to medical appointments, accompanying participants on medical appointments, documenting a participant food and/or liquid intake or output, reminding participants to take medication, and assisting with self administration of medication. The types and intensity of services provided are specific to the individual participant and detailed in his or her Individual Service Plan.
Transportation Services
Our participants have unique transportation needs. Transportation trips are provided by Transitions Commute Solutions, a private company contracted with the state of Georgia. The GARC is allocated a certain number of trips each year. The system is responsive to the travel needs of our population. In addition to Transitions Commute Solutions, the Griffin Area Resource Center, Inc. has 4 additional vehicles to help provide additional transportation to meet the needs of our participants.
Work Evaluation
Work evaluation is a 10-30 day program and involves an assessment of one’s work habits and behaviors while working the GCW’s production area. Participants are paid a piece rate. At the end of the 10-30 days an evaluation is made of the participant’s vocational strengths and weaknesses.
Community Based Work Adjustment Training
Community Based Work Adjustment Training provides an opportunity to experience and perform meaningful vocational practices in a business environment. The training assists in developing appropriate work habits such as punctuality, dependability, and orientation to task.
Employment Services
Employment Services provides assistance in several areas related to preparation, job development and placement in a community work environment. Direct Placement is an example of service in this category.