Lifesteps Inc

Programs: Direct residential servicesresidential community homes are provided and staffed to support individuals with intellectual disabilities in residential neighborhoods. Lifesteps' 51 homes are staffed to meet the needs of each individual and to support their independence as outlined in the individual's supports plan. Lifesharing/family living is a program for individuals with intellectual disabilities to reside in the private home of a host family. The host family provides food, shelter, personal care, transportation, and comprehensive supports for one or two individuals.

direct children & family serviceschild care (integrated) for children with and without special needs ages six weeks to school-age. Child check is a free developmental screening for children from birth to 5 years old that evaluates a child's development including talking, seeing, hearing, moving, thinking, and living skills. An autism screening is also available for children 18 months to 5 years of age along with hearing, social/emotional, speech and language by request or referral. Crisis child care is provided at no charge to eligible families to help alleviate stress thus reducing the potential for child abuse and neglect. Developmental learning is a developmental program for preschoolers or school-age children to identify strengths and weaknesses in the fine motor, gross motor, and cognitive areas. Therapy is individualized. Early care and education council (ecec) is a county-wide collaboration of organizations and individuals who are united to increase the quality of early care and education in our community and administered locally by lifesteps. Early head start provides services to low-income pregnant women and families with children birth to age 3. Services are conducted through home-based visits to help meet the needs of parent involvement, education, health/nutrition, disabilities/mental health, and social services. Early identification/crisis intervention program (eicip) provides developmental screenings for children three months to 6 years of age with evaluations in hearing, speech, behavioral, and development to identify possible delays and who may be at-risk for abuse or neglect. Additionally, crisis child care helps to provide a safe environment for children to 6 years of age who are at-risk, along with providing home-based family support for families who may be experiencing stressors that impact their ability to parent effectively. Families forever is a program for adults struggling with the family changes brought about by divorce, separation, or living in a divided family situation and the pain, frustration, and stress resulting from custody issues. Family care mobile resource center is a mobile resource library that offers resources to families on topics including self-help, parenting, behavioral health issues, adult literacy, disabilities information, child development, advocacy, and moreto those in impoverished or rural areas. Home-based family resource and referral program helps families find the resources and support they need to work through life's challenges. Services can be provided for more intensive case management within the home. Home-based family support program provides in-home support and assisting parents or guardians to gain access to necessary medical, educational, rehabilitative, and social services, along with connecting families with community resources and supports. Leap preschool (learning experiences: an alternative program for preschoolers and parents) model has been developed to combine an early childhood curriculum with applied behavior analysis approach to teaching in an integrated classroom setting. The model is for children developing typically as well as children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders. Pre-k counts is a free, quality preschool for children age 3 and the time they are ready to enter kindergarten. Children must be eligible based on potential risk of school failure, either because of living in low-income, language or cultural barriers, or having special needs. Pre-kindergarten scholarship program provides scholarships to assist eligible families in providing a high quality early education experience. Families may apply to receive partial scholarships for either part-time or full-time preschool services at lifesteps. Preschool (integrated developmental) for children with and without special needs from 3 to 5 years of age. Each child is assessed in the following areas of development: 1) communication, 2) cognition/thinking, 3) visual motor, 4) physical, and 5) social emotional. Preschool readiness is tailored toward families who would like their child(ren) ages 18-36 months to benefit from socialization with peers their own age. It supports child development and prepares children and parents for a preschool setting. The program is 3 hours per day, 2 or 3 days-per-week options. Summer (camp) discovery program is a six-week program offered to children with and without special needs to improve and maintain developmental, communicative, and social skills, and encourages interaction with peers in a structured social program. Summer kindergarten readiness program is a two-week summer program offered to children entering kindergarten who are eligible for pre-k counts based on income eligibility by providing specially designed transition activities so children enter kindergarten ready for success.

direct intellectual and developmental disability day program servicesadult training facility-basic education & socialization training (best) provides learning opportunities for people with intellectual disabilities, and medical challenges to help them become more active members of their community. The program provides social interactions that build natural supports. Individuals participate in large and small group community based vocational, recreational, and social activities with a goal of every individual participating in a community integrated setting at least 25% of the time. Adult training facility-community outreach center (cor) focuses on assisting people with intellectual disabilities to become more active members of their community through vocational exploration and assessment, volunteerism, participation in community events, and social interaction within the community that builds natural supports. Individuals participatae in large and small group community based activities with a goal of every individual participating in a community integrated setting at least 25% of the time. Transitions the next step is designed for high school students and young adults with intellectual/ developmental disabilities, including autism, to assist in reaching their personal potential in independent living, employment, and secondary education. Every individual participates in a community integrated setting at least 25% of the time to assess job skills, and readiness as well as conduct career exploration and planning. Direct speech/language/hearing servicesspeech and language evaluations serves individuals of all ages and includes caregiver interview, observation and interaction, and standardized testing by a speech pathologist to complete a profile of the individual's communicative strengths and needs in the areas of speech, language, hearing, and social skills. Results and recommendations are shared with the individual and/or caregivers with additional resources identified as needed. Speech and language therapy provides individualized treatment for a variety of communication needs including childhood apraxia, articulation and phonological disorders, language delays, pragmatic/social communication disorders, voice, and fluency. Therapy is designed to incorporate personal interests and daily activities. Hearing screenings are puretone and typanometry screenings conducted in both ears for children and adults. Children under the age of 3 are screened using a hear kit consisting of a variety of sounds and pitches.

adult day health services is a medically-monitored day program serving clients who are medically fragile and/or socially isolated or have a functional impairment who are 60 years of age or older. The program provides daily activities, socialization, nutritious meals and snacks, medication management, and daily exercise. Alzheimer's caregivers support group is a social group for families as they attempt to handle the challenges presented them after a diagnosis and provides opportunities for education and information sharing. Behavioral support services provides specialized trainings and supports for families and professionals who care for children and adults with challenging behaviors to implement positive support strategies that will help them achieve their fullest potential. Employment skills training offers post-secondary training in preparation for competitive employment for people with disabilities, focusing on skill development and education in specific employment sectors including retail, hospitality, and food service . Job coaching is provided for individuals who have the capacity to work in a competitive, community integrated setting, but whose disability limits independent functioning. Supports can include job coaching, job development, social skill development, behavior training, and other work site interventions designed for an individual to secure and maintain employment. Pre-employment training services is provided to youth ages 14 to 21in school settings. Lifesteps instructors teach youth who qualify for office of vocational rehabilitation services career exploration, assessment, and self-advocacy skills to prepare them for competitive integrated employment. Supported employment: individuals with intellectual/developmental disabilities receive employment skills guidance and job coaching in unlicensed settings. Job coaches support individuals in locating positions consistent with their long-term career interests, practice interviewing and resume development and provide guidance in retaining competitive integrated employment once employment has been secured.