Arc Of Harrisonburg And Rockingham Inc

Programs: The simon-edmonson center (formerly the op shop) is a year-round mon-fri, day support program located in the lucy f. Simms continuing education center which serves 47 adults with developmental disabilities. The simon-edmonson provides meaningful opportunities for participants to learn independent living skills, self-direction and pre-employment skills in a safe, supported environment. Over 20,000 hours of services were provided in 2017.

sparc is a community engagement program which supports and fosters individuals' abilities to acquire, retain, or improve skills necessary to build positive social behavior, interpersonal competence, greater independence, employability, and personal choices necessary to access typical activities and functions of community life such as those chosen by the general population. These may include community education or training and volunteer activities. Community engagement provides a wide variety of opportunities to facilitate and build relationships and natural supports in the community, while utilizing the community as a learning environment. Sparc's "arc angels" volunteer for meals on wheels, salvation army, sentara rmh, asbury united methodist church, hope distributed, elkton area community center to name only a few. 46 persons are enrolled in sparc and participate on teams which consist of 3 team members and a direct support professional. Community engagement takes place when events and activities occur naturally: days and evenings, weekdays and weekends. Over 16,500 hours of community engagement services were provided in 2017.

supported in-home and respite care are one-on- one day, evening, and weekend programs which work with individuals on person-centered plan goals and outcomes in their own home and in the community. This type of care provides families with the opportunity to take a much-needed moment for themselves while their loved one is in the care of a trained professional. 1,600 hours of in-home and respite care supports were provided in 2017.

transportation services are provided because mobility and intellectual difficulties prevent consumers from driving or using other forms of transportation. The great majority of the arc participants live in rockingham county. The arc vehicles provide daily to/from transportation as well trips for daily community and volunteer activities for 47 of individuals. In 2017, the arc provided 12,438 rides and covered 25,259 miles on behalf of our consumers. Canteens offer a variety of evening and weekend social events for persons with dd. In collaboration with harrisonburg parks and recreation, nearly 700 individuals participated in supervised activities such as cookouts, game nights and holiday dances. Information and referral services include the development of a series of booklets to walk families and guardians through the lifespan of a person with dd. The six booklets provide information, resources and referrals for all matters relating to each life stage of the individual. A community resource guide is a living document and companion to the guides. The showing of including samuel, the first of an annual topical film night, included an expert panel and discussion on inclusion in schools. 94 school administrators, teachers, local government officials and parents attended. Our advocacy platform included: 1) urging the virginia department of education to develop a long- range, statewide plan for inclusion implementation in schools, 2) supporting recommendations to ensure that students with developmental disabilities have appropriate services and supports in neighborhood schools, and 3) reducing the 11,000+ person medicaid waiver waitlist. The arc staff, board president and parents of children with dd traveled to richmond to meet with legislators. Additionally, the arc staff and board president met with federal legislators and the arc consumers and direct support professionals attended a rally at the capital to protest caps and cuts to medicaid.