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 services can 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.
Community Based Supports
Individualized Day Supports services provide crucial habilitation supports in the community to ensure that a person’s community integration is increased and the skills necessary for independence and community involvement outside the home are developed and maintained in ways that enhance community integration outcomes. These services and activities operate totally in the community and are focused on opportunities to increase a person’s abilities. All Individualized Day Supports activities must be structured learning-based events. Individualized Day Supports can be provided to people who choose to participate in structured activities in community settings; are transitioning into retirement activities; are interested in volunteerism and community services; or for those who previously participated in a day habilitation service setting and now wish to participate in a smaller and more individualized setting. Individualized Day Supports are available both as a one-to-one service for a person, and in small group settings not to exceed 1:2 based upon the person’s assessed needs; and for limited times, as approved by DDD, based on the ability to match the participant with an appropriate peer to participate with for small group IDS.
Community Inclusion Services
People who live in an ICF/IID can participate in different activities on different days of the week – or, based on the person’s interests and ability, on different parts of a day. For example, a person can explore the community and perhaps participate in a class through DDD one or two days per week, attend a senior wellness center on another day, have art or recreational therapy at home one day, and spend time at a more traditional day habilitation program, where he or she may have long time friends and relationships. The activities a person wants to participate in should reflect what he or she finds interesting, important, and enjoyable. This should also be used as time to explore new things a person has expressed interest in learning more about.