Barc Developmental Services Incorporated

TO SERVE AND ADVOCATE FOR PEOPLE WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES AND AUTISM SINCE 1951.

THE RESIDENTIAL SERVICES PROGRAM OFFERED BY BARC DEVELOPMENTAL SERVICES PROVIDES CARE AND SUPPORT TO OVER ONE HUNDRED INDIVIDUALS IN OVER THIRTY HOMES LOCATED THROUGHOUT THE AREAS SURROUNDING UPPER AND CENTRAL BUCKS COUNTY. THERE ARE A VARIETY OF PROGRAMS AVAILABLE TO MEET THE NEEDS OF EACH INDIVIDUAL ON A PERSONAL LEVEL. INTERMEDIATE CARE FACILITIES (ICF/ID) PROVIDE STRUCTURED 24-HOUR DAILY SUPERVISED PROGRAMS WHERE ACTIVE TREATMENT IS THE FOCUS. THIS CONCEPT INVOLVES THE IDEA THAT EVERY PERSON IS ABLE TO TAKE PART IN EVERY ASPECT OF THEIR DAILY ROUTINE. DIRECT SUPPORT PROFESSIONALS ENSURE THIS OCCURS BY PROVIDING THE LEVEL OF PROMPTING THAT EACH INDIVIDUAL NEEDS. THIS CAN BE AS LITTLE AS A FEW WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT OR A MUCH AS TAKING A PERSON'S HAND IN THEIRS AND FULLY DOING THE TASK WITH THEM. THE INVOLVEMENT IN ACTIVE TREATMENT OCCURS FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL DURING DRESSING, BATHING, EATING, TAKING MEDICATIONS, COMMUNICATING, WORKING, HOUSEHOLD CHORES, LEISURE TIME, AND COMMUNITY OUTINGS. IT IS SOMETIMES THE CASE THAT INDIVIDUALS IN AN ICF HOME HAVE COMPLEX MEDICAL DIAGNOSES AND IN THESE CIRCUMSTANCES THE NURSING TEAM, IN CONJUNCTION WITH DIRECT SUPPORT PROFESSIONALS, WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT EACH INDIVIDUAL HAS A FULL AND ENJOYABLE LIFE WITH AS MANY OPPORTUNITIES AS THEIR HOUSEMATES WHO DO NOT HAVE THESE DIAGNOSES. COMMUNITY LIVING ARRANGEMENTS (CLA) PROVIDE STRUCTURED PROGRAMS WITH VARYING LEVELS OF SUPERVISION. AS WITH ICF HOMES, THE FOCUS IN BARC'S CLA HOMES IS ON THE INDIVIDUAL AND THEIR STRENGTHS WHILE DEVELOPING STRATEGIES TO WORK ON THE AREAS THE INDIVIDUAL WANTS TO IMPROVE UPON. THE TEAM PROCESS IS USED TO DEVELOP ACTION PLANS THAT ARE AS DETAILED AS NECESSARY BASED ON THE INDIVIDUAL. EACH MEMBER OF THE TEAM HAS A VOICE, WITH THE INDIVIDUALS BEING THE GUIDING INFLUENCE. SUPERVISION LEVELS ARE MORE VARIED WITHIN CLA HOMES, WITH SOME INDIVIDUALS HAVING PERIODS OF TIME WHERE NO DIRECT SUPPORT PROFESSIONALS ARE IN THE HOME. WHILE SOME INDIVIDUALS RESIDING IN CLA HOMES WITHIN BARC DEVELOPMENTAL SERVICES REQUIRE ASSISTANCE WITH ACTIVITIES OF DAILY LIVING, SUCH AS SHOWERING AND CLEANING, OFTEN THE ASSISTANCE NEEDED IS IN SOCIAL SITUATIONS SUCH AS DURING COMMUNITY OUTINGS TO DEVELOP THE SKILLS TO INTERACT WITH OTHERS OR DURING A MOVIE OR CONCERT TO LEARN SOCIETAL NORMS. TWO ADDITIONAL RESIDENTIAL SERVICES AVAILABLE ARE SUPPORTED LIVING, WHERE AN INDIVIDUAL LIVES ALONE, OR WITH A ROOMMATE, AND A DIRECT SUPPORT PROFESSIONAL ASSISTS THEM FOR LESS THAN 30 HOURS PER WEEK WITH TASKS SUCH AS SHOPPING, CLEANING, MEDICATION MANAGEMENT, BANKING AND BUDGETING. LIFE SHARING ARRANGEMENTS PROVIDE SERVICES TO INDIVIDUALS LIVING WITH A FAMILY IN THE FAMILY'S HOME. THE NAME OF THIS SERVICE IS WHAT THE GOAL IS, FOR THE INDIVIDUAL AND THE FAMILY TO TRULY SHARE ALL ASPECTS OF THEIR LIVES TOGETHER. BARC DEVELOPMENTAL SERVICES RESIDENTIAL DEPARTMENT IS MORE THAN THE FOUR PROGRAMS IT OFFERS. THERE ARE MANY 'EXTRAS' THAT DEDICATED ASSOCIATES HAVE DEVELOPED AS A RESULT OF YEARS OF CARING AND STRIVING FOR THE BEST. EXAMPLES INCLUDE WEEKLY AND BIWEEKLY EVENTS FOR INDIVIDUALS THAT INCLUDE MOVIE NIGHT, BOWLING, INDOOR AND OUTDOOR SWIMMING, PETTING ZOOS, BINGO, HOLIDAY THEMED CRAFTS, AND BARBEQUES. THE INDIVIDUALS ENJOY AN ANNUAL SPRING FORMAL DANCE, AN ANNUAL TRACK AND FIELD EVENT, AND AN ANNUAL WINTER HOLIDAY DANCE. EACH YEAR MANY INDIVIDUALS GO ON BUS TRIPS AND VACATIONS IN OTHER STATES AND COUNTRIES. MANY INDIVIDUALS ARE INVITED TO THE HOMES OF DIRECT SUPPORT PROFESSIONAL FOR HOLIDAY MEALS.

EARLY INTERVENTION SERVICES SUPPORT APPROXIMATELY 400 CHILDREN WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DELAYS AND/OR INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES FROM BIRTH TO 3 YEARS OF AGE IN BOTH HOME AND COMMUNITY-BASED SETTINGS. DRIVEN BY THE INDIVIDUALIZED FAMILY SERVICE PLAN (IFSP), SERVICES ARE FAMILY FOCUSED. THE IFSP IS DRIVEN BY THE PRIORITIES, DREAMS, AND NEEDS OF EACH FAMILY. INDIVIDUALIZED SERVICES ARE PROVIDED WITHIN A FLEXIBLE RANGE OF OPTIONS TO BEST FIT THE UNIQUE NEEDS OF FAMILY AND CHILD AND PREDICATED ON THE DEVELOPMENTAL NEEDS OF EACH CHILD. A COACHING MODEL, INTENDED TO EMPOWER FAMILIES TO FACILITATE THEIR CHILD'S GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT THROUGH THEIR DAILY ROUTINES IS FOLLOWED. THERAPEUTIC SUPPORT MAY INCLUDE SPEECH THERAPY, PHYSICAL THERAPY, OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY AND/OR SPECIAL INSTRUCTION AND TAKES PLACE IN NATURAL LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS. FAMILIES ARE ACTIVE MEMBERS OF THE PLANNING TEAM AND ARE INSTRUMENTAL IN WORKING TO ENSURE THAT THE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES SET FORTH IN THE IFSP ARE MET. THE PROGRAM IS MONITORED BY THE OFFICE OF CHILD DEVELOPMENT AND EARLY LEARNING.

PROGRAMS OFFERED BY THE VOCATIONAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT OF BARC DEVELOPMENTAL SERVICES, INC. INCLUDE VOCATIONAL ASSESSMENT, TRAINING, WORK EXPERIENCE, HABILITATIVE SUPPORTS, JOB PLACEMENT, ADULT DAY PROGRAMS, AND RETIREMENT ACTIVITIES FOR 225 ADULTS WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES AND AUTISM AT TWO CENTERS LOCATED IN QUAKERTOWN AND WARMINSTER. AN INITIAL ASSESSMENT IS COMPLETED FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL UPON THEIR ADMISSION TO THE PROGRAM THAT IDENTIFIES INTERESTS, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES. THIS ASSESSMENT IS THE CORNERSTONE OF AN INDIVIDUAL SUPPORT PLAN (ISP) THAT IS THEN DEVELOPED BY EACH PERSON, AND THEIR TEAM, BASED ON THE PRINCIPLES OF SELF-DETERMINATION AND PERSON CENTERED PLANNING. THE ISP INCLUDES GOALS AND OBJECTIVES THEY WISH TO ACHIEVE DURING THE FOLLOWING YEAR. FOLKS IN THE WORKSHOP PROGRAM RECEIVE TRAINING TO PERFORM A VARIETY OF JOBS, OUTSOURCED FROM LOCAL BUSINESSES, INCLUDING SIMPLE ASSEMBLY, LIGHT MANUFACTURING, PACKAGING, LABELING AND COLLATING, MAILINGS, AND SHRINK WRAPPING. WORKERS ARE PAID FOR ALL WORK PERFORMED ON A PIECE RATE BASIS, IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE WAGE AND HOUR DIVISION OF THE US DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND INDUSTRY. TRAINING AND PRACTICAL WORK EXPERIENCE IS ALSO THROUGH THE FOOD SERVICES PROGRAM. THE SENIORS PROGRAM, PROVIDES THERAPEUTIC, SOCIAL, AND RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES FOR OLDER ADULTS WHO NO LONGER WANT TO WORK, BUT WISH TO REMAIN ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN A MEANINGFUL DAY PROGRAM. THE ADULT TRAINING FACILITY (ATF) PROVIDES A THERAPEUTIC PROGRAM, BASED ON INDIVIDUAL INTERESTS, FOR ADULTS WHO CANNOT OR DO NOT WANT TO WORK IN OTHER PROGRAMS, AND FOCUSES ON THE ACQUISITION AND ENHANCEMENT OF ACTIVITIES OF DAILY LIVING (ADL) SKILLS. MANY FOLKS GO ON COMMUNITY OUTINGS TO PLACES OF INTEREST DURING THE DAY, OR VOLUNTEER AT THE HOLY REDEEMER THRIFT STORE IN WARMINSTER, AS AN USHER AT THE RENOWNED BUCKS COUNTY PLAYHOUSE IN NEW HOPE, AND CARING FOR ANIMALS AT THE UPPER BUCKS BRANCH OF THE SPCA. COMPETITIVE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES ARE ALSO AVAILABLE FOR WORKERS WHO WISH TO SECURE A JOB IN THE COMMUNITY THROUGH THE JOBS PROGRAM, JOINT OPPORTUNITIES FOR BUSINESS AND SOCIETY, A BRANCH OF THE VOCATIONAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT. FINALLY, THE AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER PROGRAM (ASD) PROVIDES AN ARRAY OF ACTIVITIES AND WORK OPPORTUNITIES IN SETTINGS DESIGNED TO MEET THE UNIQUE AND INDIVIDUAL NEEDS OF FOLKS ON THE SPECTRUM AT THE WARMINSTER FACILITY.