Work Community Independence Inc

WCI'S MISSION IS TO EMPOWER AND SUPPORT INDIVIDUALS WITH INTELLECTUAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES, AUTISM, AND ACQUIRED BRAIN INJURY TO ACHIEVE RICH AND MEANINGFUL LIVES AT HOME, AT WORK AND IN THEIR COMMUNITIES.

RESIDENTIAL SOCIAL SUPPORTS THE SOCIAL SUPPORTS RESIDENTIAL DIVISION PRIMARILY PROVIDES SUPPORTS TO 44 INDIVIDUALS WITH CLINICAL AND BEHAVIORAL CHALLENGES IN TEN (10), 24-HOUR SINGLE FAMILY HOMES AND ONE (1) LESS THAN 24 HOUR STAFFED APARTMENT. INDIVIDUALS ARE SUPPORTED IN A VARIETY OF AREAS INCLUDING, PERSONAL CARE AND APPEARANCE, CHORES/HOUSEHOLD TASKS, MEAL PREPARATION, DIET, NUTRITION AND EXERCISE, SHOPPING, SELF-MEDICATION AND MEDICATION ADMINISTRATION, HEALTH CARE MANAGEMENT, MONEY MANAGEMENT, TRAVEL SKILLS, HOME ALONE AND OTHER EMERGENCY SKILLS, COMMUNITY INTEGRATION, LEISURE ACTIVITIES AND HOBBIES, RELATIONSHIP BUILDING AND MANY OTHERS. THE PRIMARY FOCUS OF THIS DIVISION IS TO FACILITATE APPROPRIATE SOCIAL INTERACTIONS IN MANY DIFFERENT SITUATIONS. A CLINICAL TEAM WORKS CLOSELY WITH THE DIVISION AS WELL AS OTHERS TO PROVIDE STRATEGIES TO PROMOTE COMMUNITY INTEGRATION AND APPROPRIATE SOCIAL BEHAVIOR. COORDINATION WITH PSYCHIATRISTS AND THERAPISTS IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE PROGRAM. MOST OF THE INDIVIDUALS REQUIRE ASLEEP OVERNIGHT STAFF, OTHERS REQUIRE AWAKE OVERNIGHT STAFF. STAFF TO INDIVIDUAL RATIOS RANGE FROM 1:4 TO 2-3:4, 1:3, 2:3 AND 2:4. TWO OF THE HOMES ARE ALSO MEDICAL HOMES WITH HIGH INTENSITY STAFFING, A 2-3:4 STAFFING RATIO WITH AWAKE AND ASLEEP OVERNIGHTS. THE HOMES HAVE TWO RAMPS AND RENOVATED ACCESSIBLE BATHROOMS, WIDENED HALLWAYS AND DOORWAYS. OUR NURSING STAFF WORK CLOSELY WITH THESE HOMES AS WELL. THE SHARED LIVING PROGRAM IS UNDER THE SOCIAL SUPPORTS DIVISION, WHICH BEGAN IN 2016 AND NOW PROVIDES SUPPORTS TO FOUR (4) INDIVIDUALS. TWO SHARED LIVING PROVIDERS SUPPORT AN INDIVIDUAL WITHIN THEIR FAMILY SETTING, WHILE THE OTHER TWO INDIVIDUALS LIVE WITH A ROOMMATE IN AN APARTMENT SETTING. CORONAVIRUS PANDEMICIN MID-MARCH THROUGH JUNE 30, 2020, THE CORONAVIRUS BEGAN AND THE INDIVIDUALS LIVED AT HOME 24 HOURS/DAY, 7 DAYS A WEEK AS OUR DAY PROGRAM AND OTHER AGENCIES' DAY PROGRAMS WERE CLOSED DURING THIS TIME AND CONTINUED INTO FY'21.

RESIDENTIAL DEAF, HARD OF HEARING AND DEAF/BLIND SUPPORTS INDIVIDUALS IN THE DEAF SUPPORTS RESIDENTIAL DIVISION ARE ALL DEAF, HARD OF HEARING OR DEAF BLIND. THERE ARE 48 INDIVIDUALS IN 15 HOMES PROVIDING 24 HOUR SUPPORTS AND INCLUDE TWO (2) APARTMENTS WITH 8 INDIVIDUALS IN INDIVIDUAL (IN HOME) SUPPORTS, RECEIVING LESS THAN 24 HOUR SUPPORTS. THEY ARE LINKED TO SERVICES AND PROGRAMS THAT PROMOTE GROWTH AND INDEPENDENCE. STAFF SUPPORT PEOPLE IN PERSONAL CARE, APPEARANCE, MEAL PREPARATION, SHOPPING, DIET, NUTRITION AND EXERCISE, CHORES/HOUSEKEEPING, HEALTHCARE, MANAGEMENT OF MEDICAL CONDITIONS, MEDICATION ADMINISTRATION, MONEY MANAGEMENT INCLUDING BUDGETING, BANKING, PERSONAL SPENDING, PAYING BILLS, PLANNING LEISURE TIME AND VACATIONS, COMMUNITY INTEGRATION, UNDERSTANDING IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS, ENSURING PEOPLE HAVE INTERPRETERS FOR APPOINTMENTS AND IMPORTANT MEETINGS. STAFF ARE PRIMARILY FLUENT IN AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE FOR THOSE WHO NEED IT OR DEAF OR HARD OF HEARING THEMSELVES. THE LEVEL OF SUPPORT AND SUPERVISION VARIES GREATLY DEPENDING ON THE NEEDS OF EACH PERSON. THE PEOPLE IN THIS DIVISION HAVE VARYING COMMUNICATION NEEDS AS WELL FROM OBJECT COMMUNICATION AND BASIC SIGN LANGUAGE, USE OF AN IPAD TO FLUENCY IN ASL. ADAPTIVE EQUIPMENT IS ESSENTIAL TO THE SERVICES PROVIDED TO PEOPLE WITH SENSORY NEEDS. WCI FACILITATES AND PROVIDES THE NECESSARY ADAPTIVE EQUIPMENT TO ASSIST THEM WITH MORE INDEPENDENT LIVING. WCI PROVIDES INTERPRETERS FOR INDIVIDUALS AND STAFF TO FACILITATE COMMUNICATION IN VARIOUS MEETINGS AND ACTIVITIES. STAFF TO INDIVIDUAL RATIOS RANGE FROM 1:4, 2:3 TO 3:5. SOME OF THE INDIVIDUALS IN THIS DIVISION USE THE SERVICES OF THE CLINICAL TEAM AND OUR NURSING STAFF, GIVEN THEIR DIAGNOSES AND THEIR NEEDS. INDIVIDUALS MAY HAVE SIGNIFICANT PSYCHIATRIC AND BEHAVIORAL ISSUES OR SIGNIFICANT MEDICAL NEEDS. CORONAVIRUS PANDEMICIN MID-MARCH THROUGH JUNE 30, 2020, THE CORONAVIRUS BEGAN AND THE INDIVIDUALS LIVED AT HOME 24 HOURS/DAY, 7 DAYS A WEEK AS OUR DAY PROGRAM AND OTHER AGENCIES' DAY PROGRAMS WERE CLOSED DURING THIS TIME AND CONTINUED INTO FY'21.

24 HOUR SUPPORTS THE 24 HOUR RESIDENTIAL SUPPORTS DIVISION PROVIDES SERVICES AND SUPPORTS TO 27 INDIVIDUALS IN 7 HOMES. THE SEVEN (7) HOMES PROVIDE STAFF SUPPORT 24 HOURS PER DAY. THROUGHOUT THEIR LIFETIME, INDIVIDUALS ARE ASSISTED IN THE AREAS OF PERSONAL CARE, SHOPPING, MEAL PREPARATION, DIET, NUTRITION AND EXERCISE, CHORES/HOUSEKEEPING, MONEY MANAGEMENT, COMMUNITY INTEGRATION, RELATIONSHIP BUILDING, ARRANGING MEDICAL CARE AND TREATMENT, MEDICATION MANAGEMENT, HUMAN RIGHTS, VACATION PLANNING AND OTHER INDIVIDUALIZED AREAS OF NEED. EACH INDIVIDUAL CHOOSES WHOM THEY LIVE WITH, WHERE THEY LIVE AND IDENTIFIES THEIR PERSONAL ISP GOALS THAT ARE MEANINGFUL AND BRING THEM A SENSE OF ACCOMPLISHMENT AND SELF-WORTH. INDIVIDUALS, TYPICALLY 4-5, LIVE IN SINGLE FAMILY HOMES MATCHED WITH HOUSEMATES AND RECEIVE STAFF SUPPORTS AROUND THE CLOCK. SOME REQUIRE AWAKE OVERNIGHT STAFF AND OTHERS HAVE ASLEEP OVERNIGHT STAFF. STAFF TO INDIVIDUAL RATIOS RANGE FROM 1:4 TO 2-3:4. THIS DIVISION HAS FOUR (4) HOMES WITH INDIVIDUALS WITH SIGNIFICANT MEDICAL CONDITIONS. OUR NURSING STAFF WORK CLOSELY WITH THESE HOMES AS WELL AS THE REST OF THE DIVISION.THE NEW ACCESSIBLE HOME FOR FIVE MEN WITH ACQUIRED BRAIN INJURY IS UNDER THIS DIVISION. IN FY'20, WCI WORKED WITH CIL AND THE DDS NORTHEAST REGION TO DEVELOP AND START UP THIS HOME WHICH OPENED IN FY'21, IN AUGUST 2020.CORONAVIRUS PANDEMICIN MID-MARCH THROUGH JUNE 30, 2020, THE CORONAVIRUS BEGAN AND THE INDIVIDUALS LIVED AT HOME 24 HOURS/DAY, 7 DAYS A WEEK AS OUR DAY PROGRAM AND OTHER AGENCIES' DAY PROGRAMS WERE CLOSED DURING THIS TIME AND CONTINUED INTO FY'21.