Community Connections

Community Connections' Community Based Training provides skill building in the community per the person centered plan. Community training experiences are related to work, such as volunteer training sites and observational non-paid vocational exploration. Also includes non-vocational skill building, socialization, development of self-care, and personal skills.

Community Connections also provides skill building training inside MMI's buildings per the person centered plan and according to specialized needs of the individual. Therapeutic activities as specified in the person centered plan will be carried out. Services include activities supporting community inclusion, such as learning about an environment prior to or after experiencing it. For example, if visiting an apple orchard a portion of might be to eat an apple, prepare apple sauce, or to prepare and drink hot apple cider. The exact nature depends on the person centered plan of the individual, and reflects their interests and needs. By grouping individuals with like needs, effective training can be provided.

Community Connections can provide one to one skill building in either a community or MMI facility. This service provides very intense staffing to meet the unique issues of individuals with very specialized needs, with the services determined by the person centered plan. The main difference in this service from the other Community Connections services is the enhanced staffing configuration, so other activities as indicated in the service description may also be used in special circumstances where one to one support is essential to maintain employment in the community.

MMI's Community Connections program currently includes the following group activities.

• Gardening Group
• Cooking Group
• Shopping Group
• Walking Group
• Bowling Group
• Tai Chi Group
• Movie Appreciation Group
• Music Appreciation Group
• Volenteer Group
• Scrap Booking Group
• Crafts Group
• Sensory Group
• Commmunity Awareness
• Goodwill
• Red Cross Food Pantry
• Image Group
• Parks Group
• Recreation Group
• Sports Group
• Comedy Clips Group

Additionally Community Connections can provide Sensory Integration Training in a specially equipped environment addressing sensory integration needs identified through person centered plans. Also, includes implementation of programs developed by an occupational therapist and/or physical therapist. This will include therapeutic positioning, range of motion exercises and other sensory input activities. This service is provided in an environment with a staff to person served ratio not to exceed one to six.