Community integration is the ultimate goal of the Adult Services Department, and Community Employment is a significant focus. The Clermont County MRDD Employment Services Department is growing by leaps and bounds. This program finds jobs for individuals who want to work in the community, offers regular job coaching and support, and works consistently to break down barriers to employment that may exist in areas of physical accommodations and modifications and/or job carving. Persons are supported, as long as they need or want to be by Employment Services personnel.
For individuals who want a more intense work experience but who are not ready to leave a supportive environment, mobile work crews are available. On a mobile work crew, individuals are able to work in the community and earn substantial wages, but still receive transportation and on site supervision from program staff. Current crews consist of work enclaves to McDonald’s Restaurants, Sporty’s Distribution Center, various janitorial sites and a lawn crew which provides landscaping throughout the spring and summer months.
In addition to community employment, three Sheltered Workshops provide either day programming or vocational experiences to individuals who are not interested in seeking work or activities in the community at the Grissom Building, Krenning Center, and the Donald A. Collins Habilitation Center. If a person is of retirement age and is no longer interested in paid work or a more active day program, two senior programs are offered. The Adult Services program also practices and supports Self Determination which allows persons to choose the supports and programs they wish from either inside or outside the agency and allows them the freedom and option of an individualized budget. The Adult Services sheltered program also operates a deli-style café, which provides box lunches, soups, salads and grilled sandwiches for sale to clients, staff and the outside community. The café is staffed with and offers work experience to consumers in the Adult programs.
It is the belief of the Clermont County Adult Services Department that adults with disabilities should be included in their community as much as they want to be. Therefore, it is our mandate and goal to provide the supports, training and opportunities to make that possible. | |
