The Arc Indian River County
More group homes for special needs adults
That The Arc of Indian River County is enriching the lives of special needs adults through its multi-faceted programs and residential homes is easily confirmed by just one visit to either of their two campuses.
The Arc has undergone a number of modifications over more than 50 years, including the 2012 merger of the Sun Up Center with the Abilities Resource Center and several name changes. In brief, the organization provides comprehensive programs and services to adults, ages 18 and up, affected by intellectual, developmental, emotional or traumatic brain disabilities. But more importantly, The Arc affords them the opportunity to develop their full potential as productive members of the community.
Their bustling facilities are beehives of activity, with 130 of their current 180 clients kept engaged through the Adult Day Training program, which offers everything from arts and music to computer labs and job training.
“This is a social opportunity for them as opposed to sitting in front of the TV and watching reruns,” says executive director Chuck Bradley. “And it allows a parent or caregiver to actually go to work.”
As a result of advances in medicine, individuals with developmental disabilities are living longer lives and now often outlive their family caregivers. Appreciating the need for senior living facilities for these vulnerable adults, they are in the process of building additional supervised residential group homes, thanks to generous financial support from the community.
“The footprint is to build six homes; three for six people and three for 12,” said board chairman Dick Pippert. The first is scheduled to be completed by December. The need is so great, all six homes – and then some – could be filled tomorrow.
Higher functioning individuals who can live more independently are assisted through the Supported Living program, which helps with essentials such as banking and finances, and making sure they’re eating properly and taking medications.
“I’m in love with our education world. It teaches people to look forward to getting a job; getting them trained up to get a job,” says Pippert of the Supported Employment program, which teaches base level job, communication and social skills, and offers guidance on job applications, how to dress and what to expect during the interview process.
“It drives them to the direction of being self-sufficient,” says Pippert. “Getting a job is very important; doing all the things that make them part of the community. And that’s just one of my own private things that I love about what we do here. I see it work.”
One young woman works 25 hours a week at a Kentucky Fried Chicken franchise and Pippert says, “She’s absolutely over the moon about her job.”
He said when her mother wanted her to quit the job, thinking it might be taxing her energy, the girl resisted, saying, “Mom, this job is my life. I’ve got to have this job. It gives me a reason to get up in the morning. I do important stuff.”
“Here’s something she did on her own,” says Pickkert. “We provided some of the mechanisms, but she couldn’t have been prouder of what she was doing – to the point where she had to tell her mom to back off.”
They collaborate with several employers and would like to establish additional working relationships.
“Another important element the community doesn’t understand, especially the small business owner, is our guys are perfect for jobs that maybe they’re too busy to do,” adds Bradley. “They’re looking for a job; they’re not looking for a big paycheck. They’re looking for a sense of belonging and a sense of pride.”
Those who can’t work on their own, are working through an oyster mat project in conjunction with the Vero Beach Power Squadron, Sunrise Rotary and the Coastal Conservation Association.
“They got us started, learning how to do this. We secured a small grant from Arc Florida, and in May and June were able to pay them minimal wage and put together 575 of these mats,” explains Bradley. “We have enough to do 1,000 and will continue to do that. We’re going to continue to do this afterward. This is right in the wheelhouse of these individuals.”
Even more than the paycheck, their clients are enthusiastic about doing their part to help save the Indian River Lagoon.
“The lagoon is 156 miles long; there’s a need for oyster mats everywhere,” adds Pippert. “It’s a proven way to help the environment. Hopefully this becomes the centerpiece of what we call our incubator program.”
They invite other businesses to work with them, outsourcing simple, repetitive fulfillment jobs, such as stuffing envelopes, assembling kits, wrapping utensils or packages, etc.
“Pay our people a little bit of money, keep them employed, and have us do your piecework,” says Bradley, noting that their facilities have ample space. “We have a sustainable work force. There are 759 Arc chapters in the U.S. This could be everywhere. It would be wonderful if this could go viral.”
To reach out to the next generation of clients, their Youth Outreach program is a way to provide a few hours of respite to caregivers and acclimate youth, 15 to 22, to the facility. It’s also an opportunity to inform families about Florida’s Medicaid Waiver Program (Medwaiver), which offsets the cost of Arc services.
“People need to get their child signed up early in life, because you can literally wait for decades. We try to reach out to the school system for those folks who are destined to come to us when they’re 22 years of age,” Bradley says, adding that there are about 8,000 people on the Medwaiver wait list. “If you don’t sign them up for Medwaiver when they’re 10 or 12 and get on that waiting list, when you reach 22 now you have a 10-year wait.”
They estimate that there are roughly 550 students enrolled in the Indian River County school system who are eligible for special-needs education until they matriculate out at age 22.
“What’s heartbreaking is that when they get out of school they think they can come here and it’s free,” says Noreen Davis, marketing director.
“Two years ago we did a program at the Freshman Learning Center and there were 18 families I hadn’t seen before. Fifty percent of those parents had no idea about Medwaiver. It’s a systemic failure of the system,” adds Bradley. “It’s out there and it’s available but they have to sign up for it.”
The Arc has also chartered a Special Scouts Troup 550, and the five enthusiastic young adults of the Advocacy Committee have become the face of the organization in the community and in Tallahassee. A November Hoedown is being organized to fund a trip to Washington, DC for them to meet with Congress. And a PEER Group of parents meets monthly, educating others facing the same challenges and giving them an outlet to discuss concerns.
“If you look back where we were three years ago, I’m amazed at what we’ve accomplished,” says Pippert, adding that the 2012 merger has helped eliminate donor confusion. “We live on contributions and fund development so that’s important. The event at Rock City [Starlight and Sneakers last March] really gave us high visibility. There’s an involvement we’ve never had a few years ago. Now we just have to make sure we don’t let any of that momentum go away.”
