Independent Living Center
Ionia, Michigan

Contact

Julie Andrews
Teacher &
Matt Mahar
Work Study Coordinator
Ionia County Intermediate School District
2191 Harwood Road
Ionia, Michigan 48846
Phone: 616-527-9689
E-mail: jandrews@remc8.k12.mi.us

Mission

Our mission is to develop a process allowing students to become as independent as possible, and to provide for a seamless transition from school to adult life.

 Organization

Organization Type: Education Agency:  Regional or Intermediate

Geographical Area: County

Primary Setting: Community-based training site, independent living facility, competitive employment worksite, supported employment worksite

Funding: External funding source: Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA)

Consumers

Target Population: Adults with disabilities, postsecondary education students with disabilities

Disability Areas: Deaf, hearing impairment, mental retardation (mild, moderate, severe), orthopedic impairment, multi-disabled (more than two), severe emotional disturbance/emotional disability/behavior disorder, speech impairment, autism, traumatic brain injury, epilepsy

NTA Framework Categories

• Student-Focused Planning and Development
• Career Pathways and Contextual Learning

Description

The Independent Living Center is often referred to as "the House." Designed for adult students with moderate to severe disabilities between the ages of 21-26, staff work with students on home living skills, vocational programming, and becoming familiar with the surrounding community.

At the House, students are provided the opportunity to receive special training in home living skills. This includes daily home upkeep such as vacuuming, dusting, mopping floors and laundry. In addition, they are responsible for yard care and minor maintenance duties. Students have the opportunity to prepare lunches, assist in making menus, grocery shopping and meal preparation.

Speech, physical and occupational therapy, and mobility and orientation services are delivered directly at the House. Therapists go out into the community to work on skills that are necessary to increasing the students' independence, such as driving an Amigo, getting their wallet out of their pocket, etc. Self-advocacy is an important area that is also worked on. Students learn how to express their needs, wants, and desires.

Vocational programming is a significant component of the House program. Over a dozen worksites have been utilized to provide students with opportunities to improve their work habits and job skills both in small groups and individually. Some of these worksites include grocery stores, theaters, florists, and restaurants. As students progress in their work proficiency, individual work placements are made in coordination with local agencies. Job shadowing is also provided, allowing students to observe different jobs available at various worksites and to explore job preferences.

Evidence of Success

• At the "House’s" inception in January 1991, 19 students were enrolled in the program. The disabilities included SMI, SXI, TMI, EMI and AI. The evaluation summary for these students were as follows:
• No students were in competitive employment; 1 student on an individual work placement for competitive employment; 1 student not placed out on worksite; and 17 students on group job sites;
• No students could cook a meal independently;
• No students were able to do three household jobs independently;
• No students were able to shop in local stores without staff supervision.
• No students were able to access Dial-a-Ride independently; and
• No students were able to be mobile in downtown Ionia independently.
• As of the 1999/2000 school year:
• Eight students have graduated and been competitively employed;
• Eight students are in a sheltered work setting; and
• Of the 16 students currently in the program, 3 are competitively employed; 1 on volunteer status; eight on individual work training sites; 1 on medical restrictions; 1 on funding restrictions; and 1 is scheduled for a more sheltered work setting.
• Two students currently live in their own apartment; 1 lives in an apartment inside parents' house; 3 live in a group home; and 10 live at home.
• Seventy-five percent of the students can cook a simple meal, run a microwave, assist in shopping, and plan a balanced meal.
• Seventy-five percent of the students are able to do 3 to 4 household jobs with minimal assistance.
• Forty-five percent of the students can shop without staff supervision.
• Eighty percent can ride Dial-a-Ride independently, and 10% can call to make the connection.
• Forty-five percent of the students can walk in the downtown area with minimal supervision and they have all increased their ability to be mobile in their community.

Success Story

The Independent Living Center (nickname "The House") has had many success stories. Each of the students is able to reach his or her potential and beyond through this program. The success of these students is a group effort. From the House staff, vocational staff, itinerant staff, administration, school board, parents and students, we work as a team to provide support and experiences for our students. We are currently working on spreading the school calendar over a 12-month period instead of the usual nine months. Our hope is that the students will be able to try different job experiences, parents adjust to their young adults not following a regular school schedule after high school and to truly prepare our students for the real world, where things do not start and end with school.

One of our current students, "L," is one of our recent success stories. After being in the EMI programs until her junior year of high school, she began to attend the High School TMI program part-time for a year and then went full time for the last year of high school. When she transferred to the House program, she continued for a semester in the Heartlands Foods Class where she continued training in food service jobs. When she began to attend the House full-time she was very shy, afraid of anything new, unable to express her feelings in an adult manner, and had very little self-confidence. Those are typical traits of all students upon entering the program.

"L" has attended the House full-time for three years now. She is currently employed at Wray Foods in Saranac preparing deli sandwiches one day a week for four hours. She is also employed at the Ionia Wendy's two days a week for four hours each day doing a variety of food prep jobs. Her time in the Heartlands Foods class taught by Mr. Marvin Smith was very beneficial to her job success. Mr. Smith has supported having our TMI students in his class and is proud of the role he has played in their future successes.

"L’s" parents have also come a long way in the last four years. Last summer her father sectioned off their house and made a small one-bedroom apartment for "L." They equipped her kitchen with a small refrigerator, microwave, toaster oven, and electric frying pan. Her mother assisted her in making menus and shopping lists the first few months. "L" now does that independently. "L" has a budget to follow using a small file with compartments for each of her bills. When her SSI check comes and her paychecks are cashed, the money is put into each compartment for her bills; a very concrete way for "L" to understand how much money is needed for each section. "L" and her parents are talking about her next step in independent living, which will be a mobile home on her parents' property.

At the House, we are continuing to work with "L"on expressing her feelings and dealing with the issues of boyfriends, dating, marriage, and children. One of the ways we are working on this is called "A Life Wheel." We put the four transition areas on a large circle. Each of those areas is a different-colored puzzle piece. In each area we write down where the student is currently and then we write down where they want to be in the future. This is completed on an individual basis with no editing at that time. The students also put down things they like to do, successes they have had and picture cues. When they attend their Transition Life Planning Meeting they become active participants using this wheel. At that time the team discusses how we can reach their future goals. At the House, we focus not only on skills for the students, but self-determination as well. We have found that given many experiences, students can make choices of what they like and do not like. They are also given responsibilities and experience natural consequences on a daily basis. By looking at the student as a whole, we are able to provide the necessary supports and experiences for their success after school. We are very proud of all of our current students and graduates of ILC.

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Updated 10/30/00