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Employment Readiness

Employment Readiness (also known as Prevocational supports) services are designed to assist persons in learning basic work-related skills necessary to acquire and retain competitive employment based on the person’s vocational preferences and abilities.

Services include teaching concepts, such as following and interpreting instructions; interpersonal skills, including building and maintaining relationships; communication skills for communicating with supervisors, co-workers, and customers; travel skills; respecting the rights of others and understanding personal rights and responsibilities; decision-making skills and strategies; support for self-determination and self-advocacy; and budgeting and money management.

It also includes developing work skills, which include, at a minimum, teaching the person the appropriate workplace attire, attitude, and conduct; work ethics; attendance and punctuality; task completion; job safety; attending to personal needs, such as personal hygiene or medication management; and interviewing skills. Services are expected to specifically involve strategies that enhance a person’s employability in integrated community settings. Competitive employment or supported employments are considered successful outcomes of Employment Readiness services.

Time limitations on use of Employment Readiness services:

For people who are not currently enrolled in Employment Readiness services, the service may only be authorized for up to one year, except that DDS may approve up to a one-year extension if there is documentation that the person is making progress towards competitive integrated employment and would benefit from extended services.

For people who are currently enrolled in Employment Readiness services, the service may only be reauthorized for up to one year from the person’s next ISP date, except that DDS may approve up to a one-year extension if there is documentation that the person is making progress towards competitive integrated employment and would benefit from extended services.

For people with an ISP meeting scheduled within 90 days of the waiver effective date, DDS may authorize Employment Readiness services for up to 90 days following the ISP meeting to ensure a smooth transition.

If a person has exhausted Employment Readiness services and: (1) has had at least one year since the end of that service; (2) expresses an interest in employment; and (3) the support team has identified specific goals around building employment skills that are reflected in the ISP, then DDS may authorize Employment Readiness services one time, for up to one year. (Total of up to three years of Employment Readiness services). Exception: At any time that a person loses his /her job or is employed and is seeking to learn new job skills, DDS may authorize Employment Readiness services for up to one year.

Day Habilitation Services

Day habilitation services are aimed at developing activities and skills acquisition to support or further integrate community opportunities outside of a person’s home and assist the person in developing a full life within the community. Day habilitation services are aimed at developing meaningful adult activities and skills acquisition to support or further community integration, inclusion, and exploration, improve communication skills; improve or maintain physical, occupational, and/or speech and language functional skills; foster independence, self-determination, and self-advocacy and autonomy; support people to build and maintain relationships; facilitate the exploration of employment and/or integrated retirement opportunities; help a person achieve valued social roles; and to foster and encourage people on their pathway to community integration, employment and the development of a full life in the person’s community. Day habilitation can be provided as a one-to-one service to persons with intense medical/ behavioral supports who require a behavioral support plan or require intensive staffing and supports. Day habilitation services may also be delivered in small group settings at a ratio of one to three for people with higher intensity support needs.

Small group day habilitation settings must include integrated skills building in the community and support access to the greater community.

Day Habilitation service may be offered 1:1 or in a small group.

Time limitations on use of Day Habilitation services:

(1) People who are 64 years old and younger and have a Level of Need Day Composite score of 2 or less would not be eligible to attend Day Habilitation services unless approved by DDS due to extenuating circumstances or barriers that are expected to be resolved within six months.

Exceptions may only be granted for 6 month periods and must be accompanied by an Individual Support Plan goal aimed at addressing the barrier to participation in other day or employment waiver supports. Alternative services, including Employment Readiness, Small Group Supported Employment, Individual Day Supports, and Companion services that are offered during regular day service hours would be available, in combination, for up to forty hours per week.

(2) People who are 64 and younger and have a Level of Need Day Composite score of 3 or higher would not be eligible to attend Day Habilitation programs unless they have tried other day and employment options for one year first unless approved by DDS due to extenuating circumstances or barriers that are expected to be resolved within six months.

Exceptions must be accompanied by an ISP goal aimed at addressing the barrier to participation in other day or employment waiver supports. This is not applicable to Small-Group Day Habilitation services. Alternative services including Supported Employment, Individual Day Supports, Employment Readiness, and Companion would be available in combination for up to forty hours per week. (3) Day Habilitation services may not be authorized for any waiver participant for more than 24 hours per week.

Wrap-around services are available, including Supported Employment, Individualized Day Supports, Employment Readiness, and Companion in combination for up to forty hours per week. This limitation is not applicable to Small Group Day Habilitation services.

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