Developmental Disabilities Resource Center

DDRC provides extensive resource coordination services to children and families through Early Intervention (EI), Family Support Services Program (FSSP), and Child and Family Services (CFS) Fund. The EI Services offer educational and therapeutic supports to children birth to three with developmental disabilities (DD) or delays. FSSP is available to families who have a member with a DD or delay living at home. It reduces stress on families that occurs from supporting the individual with a DD and serves the families who are more fragile and in critical need for our services. DDRC established the CFS Fund to meet other needs and can serve more families.

DDRC offers day programs which encourage individuals with developmental disabilities to reach their highest potential of self-sufficiency and independence, give young adults opportunities to explore options through supervised activities in the community, and provide various work choices in community businesses or supervised settings. Individuals can also develop and strengthen their computer skills through our Computer Lab. Further, these programs provide our individuals with independent living skills, recreation and social skills.

Our Residential Living program provides 24-hour supervision with comprehensive funding for adult individuals with developmental disabilities in a variety of residential settings. Individuals may live in fully staffed group homes, apartments with staff readily available when needed, independently in the community with only intermittent support or in homes they have purchased. Living with a host family is another option, as Host Home Providers offer a family-like environment and allow for individuals from the community to accept one or two adults into their homes and provide residential services to them. QLO offers services that range from minimum supports and supervision to 24-hour on-site supervision with hands-on care. The range of services through this program aim to address individual needs and potential, and individuals participate in day programming with approved day providers or QLO residential staff.

Supported Living Services (SLS) provides funding for a wide variety of supports and services for adults but unlike QLO, it does not provide 24-hour supervision or a place to live. Service Plans are based on the needs and preferences of the individual. Key concepts of SLS include individual choice, involvement and the availability of supports to assist individuals to access and participate in typical activities and functions of community life. Supported Living Services can provide supports to an individual in the family home and can also provide opportunities for adults to move into their own homes. SLS offers an array of supports to choose from that assist individuals to be as independent as possible. SLS is designed to use a variety of natural non-paid supports and generic community services which augment the paid supports. Supported Living is not able to provide all of the supports a person necessarily needs, but is able to assist and supplement some of those needs.

Early Intervention (EI) is a support and educational system for the families of infants, toddlers and young children ages zero to three who have developmental delays or disabilities. EI services promote development and learning and enhance the capacity of families to support a child’s well-being, growth, and community participation. The EI process is a key to ensuring that supports are provided when the developing brain is most capable of change. DDRC’s EI team includes speech therapists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, and developmental interventionists who collaborate to provide quality, family-centered, evidence-based, and integrated services to families. Services offered include assistive technology, audiology services, developmental intervention, health services, nutrition services, occupational therapy, physical therapy, psychological services, social/emotional intervention, speech-language therapy, vision services, and support for transition out of Early Intervention at age 3.

DDRC’s Behavioral Health Team provides behavioral health support to individuals of all ages who have been determined eligible for DDRC services and reside in Jefferson County, and helps support and train family caregivers to understand the behavioral support process. Individuals and families who request services complete an intake interview and behavior analyst observation to determine what behavioral health intervention would be the most beneficial. Services offered include behavioral and/or psychiatric assessment and interventions, medical and medication review, care coordination, and training for providers, family, and staff. Additionally, the DDRC Behavioral Health Team collaborates with other community agencies in the treatment of individuals with developmental disabilities who experience behavioral health and/or mental health issues.

Recreation and leisure are essential to everyone’s life and provide endless benefits. Therapeutic Learning Connections (TLC) at DDRC offers and coordinates a wide range of safe, therapeutic recreation opportunities and get-togethers for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including sports, the arts, community outings, Special Olympics activities and more. We welcome individuals of all ages and offer supervised therapeutic activities during the days, evenings, and weekends. Goals are set to meet each individual’s needs such as: decrease stress and inappropriate behaviors while increasing physical fitness, mobility, self-esteem, and socialization. TLC gives individuals the opportunity to learn new skills, improve current skills, and develop friendships and build community along the way.
DDRC offers a variety of Online Recreation activities, including Zoom cooking, wellness and exercise classes, activity bags, game times, socializing activities and craft projects.