Independence Day Program (IDP):
In essence, our flagship program, the Independence Day Program, is a pre-employment program to help individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) create goals and achieve them in a fun and social environment. The focus of these goals is to teach independence skills and a growth mentality while promoting virtuous character traits, healthy living, and positive social connections. It is designed for people with all intellectual and developmental disabilities, regardless of whether or not their goals include living on their own or becoming employed.
The program is centered around setting specific and realistic goals with the experts: the individual and their family. Through assessment, reassessment, accountability, and an individualized plan, we work as a team to maximize this person’s potential for independence.
The initial assessments will take place in the office as new clients get integrated with the current group of clients. Most days our clients will work on skills and character in the office and in the community.
Upon launch, the weekly schedule of this program will roughly look like 9am-4pm, Tues-Fri with transportation provided to and from our main office either by DCEDH, the regional center, or a third-party transportation company. Fridays will involve opportunities for recreation, as well as volunteer work and community-building activities during some weeks.
Skill Set A: Household tasks (cooking, laundry, cleaning, household chores)
Skill Set B: Safety and Hygiene
Skill Set C: Socialization, Communication, and Behavior
Skill Set D (optional): Finance, Employment, Formal Education (college and trade school), Transportation (help with safe public transportation and/or obtaining driver’s license)
Our philosophy is to set SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Timely) that, when accomplished, offer our clients a sense of pride, self-confidence, and positive momentum that propels them forward in all aspects of life. Goal-creation involves an initial assessment, daily accountability, and monthly reassessment. During our assessments, we aim to identify the major motivator(s) specific to that individual, and use them in the implementation of a long-term plan. All progress and relevant information will be contained in a “long-term goals” document, created by DCEDH. This goal plan will be work toward in addition to the individual’s “Individual Program Plan” (IPP), which is developed with the regional center.
Long-term goals will include but are not limited to:
- Home independence goals such as independently doing laundry, dishes, cooking, cleaning, spending significant time while home alone, maintaining a chore schedule with electronic help, etc.
- Social/behavioral goals such as conversational skills, maintaining friendships, making new friends, no aberrant behaviors (or reduction of aberrant behaviors), phone skills, interview skills, etc.
- Fitness/Health goals such as consistently spending around 4 hours per week doing moderate exercise, meditating for 15 minutes per day, reducing consumption of low-nutrient foods, losing weight at a healthy and sustainable pace, building specific muscle groups, reducing or increasing body fat %, etc.
- Personal goals such as finding employment at a local supermarket, obtaining driver’s license, learning math calculations for cash register work, reading one book per month, waking up at least 1 hour before leaving for work/school, maintaining personal hygiene, spending playtime with sibling, etc.
Other aspects of the IDP involve safe, simple, and nutritious cooking. Clients will become familiar with safe cooking practices, healthy eating, budgeting for food, shopping for food, etc.
Another aspect of this program will be organic gardening, depending on the office space we secure.
This program will primarily operate in 5 locations: (1) DCEDH’s headquarters; (2) Folsom California Family Fitness; (3) EDH Town Center; (4) state parks/nature areas; (5) various locations within the community