Family Support Services
D.A. Blodgett – St. John’s provides Family Support Services to families of children under the age of 18 with a developmental disability, in Kent County. Support coordinators respond to the expressed needs and desires of the family and provide concrete assistance in coordinating a family support system and resources. Support coordinators provide linking, monitoring, and coordinating with services within the community.
Support coordinators work with the families and youth to develop a person-centered plan (PCP) to assist them in achieving goals in the areas of activities of daily living, improving the child’s ability to communicate and interact with his/her environment and promoting inclusion and participation in the community. These services are primarily provided within the home at least one time per month and include providing a 24-hour per day crisis response.
Support Coordinators respond to the expressed needs and desires of the family and provide concrete assistance in coordinating a family support system and resources.
The following services are offered:
Supports Coordination
Support Coordinators respond to the expressed needs and desires of the family and provide concrete assistance in coordinating a family support system and resources.
Community Living Support Services
CLS aides provide 1:1 assistance with the child. CLS provides necessary supports to children by teaching and training them to live as independently as they can and to promote community inclusion and participation.
Enhanced Health Care Services
Available to those that are authorized for supports coordination services including, but not limited to psychiatric services and medication reviews.
Respite Services
Provide temporary assistance to the unpaid primary caregiver in order to support the ability of the individual to live in his/her natural community home. The child must have Medicaid to be eligible for respite services.
Family Support Subsidy
The Family Support Subsidy (FSS) Program provides financial assistance to families that include a child with severe developmental disabilities. The intent is to help make it possible for children with developmental disabilities to remain with or return to their birth or adoptive families. The program provides a monthly payment of $222.11. Families are able to use this money for special expenses incurred while caring for their child.
Applied Behavior Analysis
Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is a therapy used to help those on the autism spectrum by changing challenging behaviors. The therapy can help with social, verbal and motor skills, as well as managing challenging behavior and developing reasoning skills thru positive reinforcement.
View the flyer on our ABA program here. (140 KB, PDF)
Haga clic aquí (131 KB, PDF) para descargar el folleto.
How does ABA help?
- Increases positive behaviors such as teeth-brushing, eating with utensils or completing homework, using positive reinforcement techniques
- Establishes or improves life skills, communication skills, or social skills
- Teaches self-control so a person can be stable at home, in school, or social settings
- Changes situations that may trigger negative behavior, such as removing a game during homework time
- Reduces self-injury behavior such as hitting one's head on the wall out of frustration, damaging items in the home, or other physical/emotional outbursts