The ARC Habilitation Day program management team currently is Rickie Merritt, Maddie Rosenblatt, Jody Ellis, and Natalie Lodes. Pictured at the right are Karen Linforth, Coordinator of Community Living, Jody Ellis, Director of Habilitation Services, and Natalie Lodes, Coordinator of Habilitation Day Programs.

ARC Broward's Older Adult Program accommodates seniors with disabilities who are seeking residential and/or day programs that offer them opportunities for community participation, recreation, and socialization that is not labor intensive. ARC Broward provides specialized supports to individuals with developmental disabilities who are over the age of 55 or who are experiencing precocious aging. The program operates from 8:30am to 3:30pm Monday through Friday. On site support staff includes nurses, social service specialists and behavior specialists, as needed.

The purpose of the Older Adults Program is to provide individuals with retirement choices/options so that they will have an opportunity to enjoy a rich, satisfying and meaningful quality of life as they are aging. Supports are also provided in community-integrated settings that support individuals in valued roles in the community, are age and culturally appropriate, increase the individuals' ability to control their environment, encourage the development of friendships and emphasize community inclusion.

Supports are person-centered based upon individual choices, preferences, interests, abilities and needs. Each individual receives an initial and subsequent annual assessment of his/her preferences, interests, abilities and needs. The individual participates as a key member of his/her interdisciplinary team to develop yearly Person Centered Plans that include goals and objectives for the upcoming year. Individualized active treatment plans are developed and implemented to optimize adaptive functioning and maintenance of skills. Psychiatric care plans are implemented, as necessary, to promote safety, comfort and stability of individuals' mental health. Additionally, assistance is provided as needed for self-care activities (e.g. toileting, feeding, and medication administration). Individuals are presented with a "menu" of service alternatives and are assisted by their support teams to "design" their supports by selecting desired services/activities. Several activities are offered concurrently to allow for individual choice.

This program provides opportunities for individuals with disabilities to experience community inclusion and to identify occupational options through community activities. ARC Broward provides specialized supports to individuals who display deficits in basic personal hygiene skills and who lack the ability or interest to prepare for integrated community employment. The purpose of this program is to provide the participants with needed assistance and support and greater skills and competencies in order to optimize adaptive functioning and enhance opportunities for social integration. Supports are provided at ARC Broward's premises and in community-integrated settings. These supports are designed so that individuals develop valued roles in the community. They are also age and culturally appropriate and increase the individuals' ability to control their environment, encourage the development of friendships and emphasize community inclusion.

The program operates during the weekdays between the hours of 8:30am and 3:30pm. On site support staff includes nursing, social service specialists, behavior specialists and a Certified Behavior Analyst. Treatment is provided within the context of structured and meaningful daytime activity aimed at maximization of optimal social and behavioral functioning. Within the first thirty days of enrollment, each individual receives an initial comprehensive functional assessment of skills and behaviors and participates as a key member of the Support Team in the development of a Person-Centered Plan that includes the identification of goals and objectives. Every year thereafter, assessments are conducted and Individual Program Plans are reviewed. Treatment Plans addressing the formal objectives are reviewed, analyzed and modified, if needed, at least monthly. Individuals are presented with a "menu" of service alternatives and are assisted by their support teams to "design" their supports by selecting desired services/activities. Several activities are offered concurrently to allow for individual choice.

Provides opportunities for individuals with behavioral challenges to work on pre-vocational skills and training as well as participate in various activities in a classroom setting. The purpose of this program is to provide the participants with greater skills and competencies and control or eliminate problem behaviors in order to optimize adaptive functioning and enhance opportunities for social and vocational integration.

The program provides day treatment during the weekdays between the hours of 8:30am and 3:30pm. Support staff includes on-site nursing, social service specialists, behavior specialists and certified behavior analysts. Treatment is provided within the context of structured and meaningful daytime activities aimed at maximization of optimal social, behavioral and mental functioning.

Within the first thirty days of enrollment in the program, each individual receives an initial comprehensive functional assessment of skills and behaviors and participates as a key member of the Interdisciplinary Treatment Team in the development of a Person-Centered Program Plan that includes the identification of goals and objectives. Each objective is addressed through formal behavior programs utilizing behavior analysis techniques and procedures. Every year thereafter, assessments are conducted and Person-Centered Plans are reviewed. Short-term treatment programs addressing formal objectives are reviewed, analyzed and modified, if needed, at least monthly.

ARC Broward offers a variety of residential opportunities for adults with disabilities. These range from group home living in the community to situations where men and women live on their own in their own home or apartment. ARC Broward also operates an Intermediate Care Facility (BARC Housing). The varying degrees of supports and services allows individuals to select the type and intensity of services and supports that meet their unique needs.

Supported Independent Living provides individualized supports to assist adults to live in their own homes in communities of their choice throughout Broward County. Staff members provide training, assistance or support coordination in all areas of independent living, including but not limited to home and community safety, medical/health care, personal care, homemaking, financial management, community mobility, social, recreation and leisure and case management. Staff members also provide emergency on-call services 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. Habilitation Services support staff includes nursing, social service specialists, behavior specialists and a Certified Behavior Analyst, as needed. Within the first thirty days of enrollment, each individual receives an initial comprehensive functional assessment of skills and behaviors and participates as a key member of the Support Team in the development of a Person-Centered Plan that includes the identification of goals and objectives. Every year thereafter, assessments are conducted and Individual Program Plans are reviewed. Treatment Plans addressing the formal objectives are reviewed, analyzed and modified, if needed, at least monthly.

Small group homes for three to six individuals are located in single-family neighborhoods throughout the Broward County area. Individuals are provided with room and board and residential habilitation (training and education). ARC Broward provides constant supervision to the residents of the homes 24 hours per day, 7 day per week. Examples of the services, training, assistance and supervision provided to the individuals who reside at the group homes include active treatment/residential habilitation, social/recreation/leisure, financial management, transportation, personal care, homemaking, case management/social services and accessing medical/health care.

Intermediate Care Facility BARC Housing, is located in Davie, Florida. It provides a comprehensive array of intensive specialized services, including but not limited to nursing, dietary, pharmacological, psychiatric, psychological, behavioral therapy, physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy to thirty-six (36) individuals with developmental disabilities who also have severe behavioral challenges, psychiatric disorders and/or significant functional skill impairments. Additionally, individuals receive training, assistance, supervision or support in areas such as health, social, leisure, recreation, personal care, transportation, finances and homemaking to ensure that all of their needs are met 24 hours per day seven days per week.

Presently, a collaborative effort between ARC with the Humane Society has pet therapy sessions for the consumers in the Habilitation Day Programs. Consumers spend time with Cody, the therapy dog. Therapeutic use of pets provide comfort and bring out our nurturing instinct. They make us feel safe and unconditionally accepted. We can just be ourselves.