Alternatives Inc

RESIDENTIAL SERVICES - Alternatives, Inc. provides residential services and support to adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) to enable them to direct their own lives and to ultimately attain the highest possible quality of life. IN ADDITION, THE AGENCY PROVIDES HOUSING AND SERVICES TO HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES TO TRANSITION THEM INTO A PERMANENT HOUSING SITUATION. STAFF PROVIDES AN ARRAY OF SERVICES AND SUPPORTS IN AREAS SUCH AS DAILY LIVING, EMPLOYMENT, HEALTH MANAGEMENT, RECREATION AND SOCIALIZATION, BEHAVIORAL ASSESSMENT AND INTERVENTION, TRANSPORTATION AND MONEY MANAGEMENT. 1.GROUP HOMES, SUPERVISED APARTMENTS AND SUPPORTIVE LIVING PROGRAMS: IN THESE PROGRAMS, SERVICES ARE PROVIDED IN A VARIETY OF SETTINGS, UP TO 24 HOURS A DAY/7 DAYS PER WEEK, DEPENDING ON THE NEEDS OF THE CLIENT. ADDITIONAL SUPPORT IS AVAILABLE THROUGH A 24-HOUR ON-CALL SYSTEM. THE AGENCY PROVIDES FUNCTIONAL BEHAVIORAL ASSESSMENTS, BEHAVIOR INTERVENTION PLANS, ENVIRONMENTAL MODIFICATIONS, STAFF TRAINING AND OTHER ESSENTIAL SERVICES PERTAINING TO CLINICAL/BEHAVIORAL NEEDS. THE COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH COINCIDES WITH THE PERSON'S GOALS AND THE AGENCY'S PERSON-CENTERED PHILOSOPHY. THE AGENCY ALSO PROVIDES NURSING SERVICES. THE GOAL OF THESE SERVICES IS TO ENSURE THAT ALTERNATIVES ' CLIENTS RECEIVE THE QUALITY MEDICAL CARE AND THE TREATMENT SUPPORT THAT THEY MAY REQUIRE. THIS IS ACCOMPLISHED THROUGH A VARIETY OF METHODS INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO DIRECT ADVOCACY EFFORTS BY THE NURSING STAFF WITH THE CLIENT'S PRIMARY CARE OR SPECIALIST PHYSICIANS, AND THROUGH SPECIALIZED STAFF TRAINING ON TOPICS RELEVANT TO CLIENTS HEALTH NEEDS. INDIVIDUALS ARE REFERRED TO ALTERNATIVES, INC. BY THE NJ DIVISION OF DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES (DDD). 2.THE FRANKLIN HOUSE (FH) PROGRAM SERVES HOMELESS SINGLE MOTHERS AND THEIR CHILDREN IN A SIMILAR ENVIRONMENT AS THE TRANSITIONAL HOUSING PROGRAM. THE FRANKLIN HOUSE ASSISTS THE WOMEN IN GAINING EMPLOYMENT AND IMPROVING PARENTING SKILLS IN ORDER TO ENABLE THEM TO LIVE INDEPENDENTLY WITH THEIR CHILDREN. THE AGENCY SERVED VARIOUS FAMILIES THROUGH THE FH PROGRAM. INDIVIDUALS ARE REFERRED TO THE AGENCY BY THE COUNTY BOARD OF SOCIAL SERVICES, FAMILIES, AND CONSUMERS THEMSELVES.

Community Services - consists of programs dedicated to servicing individuals who struggle with mental health needs as well as individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. 1. THE COMMUNITY SUPPORT PROGRAM (CSP) SERVES ADULTS WITH MENTAL ILLNESS AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE ISSUES WHO LIVE INDEPENDENTLY IN THE COMMUNITY. CSP SERVE INDIVIDUALS SOMERSET AND WARREN COUNTIES, NJ ON AN OUTREACH BASIS; THE CLIENTS LIVE IN EITHER THEIR OWN HOUSING OR RESIDENCES OWNED BY THE AGENCY. ALL CLIENTS ARE OFFERED OUTREACH CASE MANAGEMENT AND CLINICAL SERVICES SUCH AS SKILL BUILDING, MONEY MANAGEMENT, LINKAGES TO COMMUNITY AND MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES, ASSISTANCE WITH DAILY LIVING SKILLS, ETC. STAFF WORKS WITH THESE CLIENTS ON SPECIFIC STRATEGIES TO HELP THEM RECOVER FROM MENTAL HEALTH SYMPTOMS, GAIN EMPLOYMENT, MAINTAIN THEIR HOUSING AND FINANCES, MAINTAIN A SAFE AND STABLE RESIDENCE, AND IMPROVE THEIR OVERALL QUALITY OF LIFE. DURING FY20, THE COMMUNITY SUPPORT PROGRAMS SERVED INDIVIDUALS WITHIN THOSE TWO (2) COUNTIES. IN ADDITION, SLOTS IN THIS PROGRAM ARE SET-ASIDE FOR SOME OF THE MOST CHALLENGING INDIVIDUALS, INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE CHRONICALLY HOMELESS PRIOR TO PLACEMENT. THE AGENCY ALSO PROVIDES AFFORDABLE HOUSING AS PART OF THE COMMUNITY SUPPORT PROGRAMS. INDIVIDUALS ARE REFERRED TO THE AGENCY BY THE DIVISION OF MENTAL HEALTH AND ADDITION SERVICES (DMHAS), COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH CENTERS, HOSPITALS, FAMILIES, AND CONSUMERS THEMSELVES. 2. THE COMMUNITY SUPPORTIVE LIVING PROGRAMS IN WARREN AND SOMERSET COUNTIES, NJ ARE FUNDED BY THE NJ -DIVISION OF MENTAL HEALTH AND ADDICTION SERVICES (DMHAS) OUT OF AN INITIATIVE PUT FORTH UNDER THE OLMSTEAD ACT, WHICH AIMS TO MOVE HOUSING SERVICES TO INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE EITHER DISCHARGED DIRECTLY FROM A STATE PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL, OR COMING FROM AN AT-RISK SITUATION IN THE COMMUNITY. THESE CLIENTS ARE TYPICALLY SEEN MORE FREQUENTLY THAN THE CSP CLIENTS. THE CLIENTS LIVE IN EITHER THEIR OWN 1-BEDROOM OR 2-BEDROOM APARTMENT WITH A ROOMMATE. STAFF IS LOCATED ON SITE. SERVICES ARE ORIENTED TOWARDS AS S IS TING THE INDIVIDUALS IN TRANSITIONING FROM A HOSPITAL OR HOMELESS SETTING AND INTEGRATING THEM INTO THE COMMUNITY. STAFF PROVIDE SUCH SERVICES AS SKILL BUILDING, MONEY MANAGEMENT, MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING, MEDICATION EDUCATION, DAILY LIVING SKILLS TRAINING, ADVOCACY, LINKAGES TO COMMUNITY RESOURCES /ENTITLEMENTS AND VOCATIONAL ASSISTANCE. THE OVERALL PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAM IS TO PROVIDE A SAFE AND STABLE ENVIRONMENT FOR INDIVIDUALS TO LEARN THE SKILLS NECESSARY TO LIVE INDEPENDENTLY, RECOVER FROM THEIR MENTAL HEALTH SYMPTOMS AND BE FULLY INTEGRATED INTO THE COMMUNITY. INDIVIDUALS ARE REFERRED TO THE AGENCY BY THE DIVISION OF MENTAL HEALTH AND ADDITION SERVICES (DMHAS), COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH CENTERS, HOSPITALS, FAMILIES, AND CONSUMERS THEMSELVES. 3. THE SUPPORT COORDINATION PROGRAM IS DEDICATED TO PROVIDING SERVICES TO ADULTS WITH INTELLECTUAL/DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES RESIDING IN MORRIS AND UNION COUNTIES. SUPPORT COORDINATORS UTILIZE PERSON CENTERED PLANNING TO DEVELOP AN INDIVIDUALIZED SERVICE PLAN (ISP) AND UTILIZE AN INDIVIDUALIZED BUDGET TO LOCATE APPROPRIATE SERVICES. ONCE LINKED TO SERVICES, THE AGENCY MONITORS THESE SERVICES TO ASSURE THAT THE CLIENTS NEEDS ARE MET AND THAT THEY ARE SATISFIED WITH THE SERVICE PROVIDER(S) THAT HAVE BEEN WRITTEN INTO THE ISP. 4. ABILITIES IN MOTION (AIM) DAY PROGRAM WAS OPENED BY ALTERNATIVES, INC. IN 2014. CLIENTS COME TOGETHER TO WORK ON LIFE SKILLS, VOCATIONAL SKILLS AND SOCIAL SKILLS. ENGAGING IN ACTIVITIES INCLUDING ARTS AND CRAFTS, LIGHT EXERCISE AND COOKING PARTICIPANTS LEARN AND PRACTICE SKILLS WHILE HAVING FUN. WEEKLY OUTINGS PROVIDE A SENSE OF COMMUNITY FOR PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS. AT THE CENTER, WE OFFER TEACHING MODALITIES INDIVIDUALIZED TO EACH PARTICIPANT ENSURING THE GREATEST OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN. A STRUCTURED DAILY SCHEDULE, THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY (IPAD, WII FITNESS), ARTS AND CRAFTS, AND MUSIC PROVIDE A MEANINGFUL EXPERIENCE FOR PARTICIPANTS.