WORK COMMUNITY INDEPENDENCE INC

RESIDENTIAL SOCIAL SUPPORTS THE SOCIAL SUPPORTS RESIDENTIAL DIVISION PRIMARILY PROVIDES SUPPORTS TO 47 INDIVIDUALS WITH CLINICAL AND BEHAVIORAL CHALLENGES IN TEN (10), 24-HOUR SINGLE FAMILY HOMES AND ONE (1) INDIVIDUAL SUPPORTS (1) LESS THAN 24 HOUR STAFFED APARTMENT. INDIVIDUALS ARE SUPPORTED IN A VARIETY OF AREAS IN THEIR APARTMENT INCLUDING, PERSONAL CARE AND APPEARANCE, CHORES/HOUSEHOLD TASKS, MEAL PREPARATION, DIET, NUTRITION AND EXERCISE, SHOPPING, SELF-MEDICATION AND MEDICATION ADMINISTRATION, HEALTH CARE MANAGEMENT, MONEY MANAGEMENT, TRAVEL SKILLS, HOME ALONE AND OTHER EMERGENCY SKILLS, COMMUNITY INTEGRATION, LEISURE ACTIVITIES AND HOBBIES, RELATIONSHIP BUILDING AND MANY OTHERS. THE PRIMARY FOCUS OF THIS DIVISION IS TO FACILITATE APPROPRIATE SOCIAL INTERACTIONS IN MANY DIFFERENT SITUATIONS. A CLINICAL TEAM WORKS CLOSELY WITH THE DIVISION AS WELL AS OTHERS TO PROVIDE STRATEGIES TO PROMOTE COMMUNITY INTEGRATION AND APPROPRIATE SOCIAL BEHAVIOR. COORDINATION WITH PSYCHIATRISTS AND THERAPISTS IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE PROGRAM. MOST OF THE INDIVIDUALS REQUIRE ASLEEP OVERNIGHT STAFF, OTHERS REQUIRE AWAKE OVERNIGHT STAFF. STAFF TO INDIVIDUAL RATIOS RANGE FROM 1:4 TO 2-3:4, 1:3, 2:3 AND 2:4. TWO OF THE HOMES ARE ALSO MEDICAL HOMES WITH HIGH INTENSITY STAFFING, A 2-3:4 STAFFING RATIO WITH AWAKE AND ASLEEP OVERNIGHTS. THE HOMES HAVE TWO RAMPS AND RENOVATED ACCESSIBLE BATHROOMS, WIDENED HALLWAYS AND DOORWAYS. OUR NURSING STAFF WORK CLOSELY WITH THESE HOMES AS WELL. THE SHARED LIVING PROGRAM IS UNDER THE SOCIAL SUPPORTS DIVISION, WHICH BEGAN IN 2016 AND NOW PROVIDES SUPPORTS TO FOUR (4) INDIVIDUALS. TWO SHARED LIVING PROVIDERS SUPPORT AN INDIVIDUAL WITHIN THEIR FAMILY SETTING, WHILE THE OTHER TWO INDIVIDUALS LIVE WITH A HOUSEMATE IN AN APARTMENT SETTING. CORONAVIRUS PANDEMICIN MID-MARCH THROUGH JUNE 30, 2020, THE CORONAVIRUS BEGAN AND THE INDIVIDUALS LIVED AT HOME 24 HOURS/DAY, 7 DAYS A WEEK AS OUR DAY PROGRAM AND OTHER AGENCIES' DAY PROGRAMS WERE CLOSED DURING THIS TIME AND CONTINUED INTO FY'21. DURING FY'22, MORE PEOPLE RETURNED TO THEIR EMPLOYMENT & DAY PROGRAM BUT NOT ALL OF THEM. WCI IS CURRENT AT 72% CAPACITY. THERE IS CURRENTLY A WORKFORCE SHORTAGE WHICH DOESN'T ALLOW WCI TO RETURN ALL OF THE INDIVIDUALS THAT ONCE WERE IN OUR EMPLOYMENT & DAY PROGRAMS. THEREFORE, THERE STILL REMAINS MANY INDIVIDUALS THAT CONTINUE TO RESIDE IN THEIR HOMES AND ARE NOT RETURNING TO THEIR DAY PROGRAMS.

RESIDENTIAL DEAF, HARD OF HEARING AND DEAF/BLIND SUPPORTS INDIVIDUALS IN THE DEAF SUPPORTS RESIDENTIAL DIVISION ARE ALL DEAF, HARD OF HEARING OR DEAF BLIND. THERE ARE 48 INDIVIDUALS IN 15 HOMES PROVIDING 24 HOUR DEAF RESIDENTIAL SUPPORTS AND THE DIVISION ALSO INCLUDES SIX (6) APARTMENTS WITH EIGHT (8) INDIVIDUALS IN INDIVIDUAL (IN HOME) SUPPORTS, RECEIVING LESS THAN 24 HOUR SUPPORTS. TWO (2) INDIVIDUALS LIVE IN THEIR OWN CONDOMINIUM. ONE 24 HOUR DEAF HOME CLOSED IN MARCH OF FY'22 IN BELMONT & THE INDIVIDUALS MOVED TO A DIFFERENT HOME IN WALTHAM. THERE WAS A REORGANIZATION WHERE INDIVIDUALS MOVED INTO OTHER AVAILABLE VACANCIES. THESE SUPPORTS ARE LINKED TO SERVICES AND PROGRAMS THAT PROMOTE GROWTH AND INDEPENDENCE. STAFF SUPPORT PEOPLE IN PERSONAL CARE, APPEARANCE, MEAL PREPARATION, SHOPPING, DIET, NUTRITION AND EXERCISE, CHORES/HOUSEKEEPING, HEALTHCARE, MANAGEMENT OF MEDICAL CONDITIONS, MEDICATION ADMINISTRATION, MONEY MANAGEMENT INCLUDING BUDGETING, BANKING, PERSONAL SPENDING, PAYING BILLS, PLANNING LEISURE TIME AND VACATIONS, COMMUNITY INTEGRATION, UNDERSTANDING IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS, ENSURING PEOPLE HAVE INTERPRETERS FOR APPOINTMENTS AND IMPORTANT MEETINGS. STAFF ARE PRIMARILY FLUENT IN AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE FOR THOSE WHO NEED IT OR DEAF OR HARD OF HEARING THEMSELVES. THE LEVEL OF SUPPORT AND SUPERVISION VARIES GREATLY DEPENDING ON THE NEEDS OF EACH PERSON. THE PEOPLE IN THIS DIVISION HAVE VARYING COMMUNICATION NEEDS AS WELL FROM OBJECT COMMUNICATION AND BASIC SIGN LANGUAGE, USE OF AN IPAD TO FLUENCY IN ASL. ADAPTIVE EQUIPMENT IS ESSENTIAL TO THE SERVICES PROVIDED TO PEOPLE WITH SENSORY NEEDS. WCI FACILITATES AND PROVIDES THE NECESSARY ADAPTIVE EQUIPMENT TO ASSIST THEM WITH MORE INDEPENDENT LIVING. WCI PROVIDES INTERPRETERS FOR INDIVIDUALS AND STAFF TO FACILITATE COMMUNICATION IN VARIOUS MEETINGS AND ACTIVITIES. STAFF TO INDIVIDUAL RATIOS RANGE FROM 1:4, 2:3 TO 3:5. SOME OF THE INDIVIDUALS IN THIS DIVISION USE THE SERVICES OF THE CLINICAL TEAM AND OUR NURSING STAFF, GIVEN THEIR DIAGNOSES AND THEIR NEEDS. INDIVIDUALS MAY HAVE SIGNIFICANT PSYCHIATRIC AND BEHAVIORAL ISSUES OR SIGNIFICANT MEDICAL NEEDS. CORONAVIRUS PANDEMICIN MID-MARCH THROUGH JUNE 30, 2020, THE CORONAVIRUS BEGAN AND THE INDIVIDUALS LIVED AT HOME 24 HOURS/DAY, 7 DAYS A WEEK AS OUR DAY PROGRAM AND OTHER AGENCIES' DAY PROGRAMS WERE CLOSED DURING THIS TIME AND CONTINUED INTO FY'21. DURING FY'22, SEVERAL INDIVIDUALS CONTINUE TO REMAIN AT HOME AND DO NOT ATTEND THEIR DAY PROGRAM GIVEN THE WORKFORCE STAFFING SHORTAGES AND OUR INABILITY TO HIRE STAFF. WCI'S DAY PROGRAMS ARE AT 72% CAPACITY.