Ashby Community Support Services (ACSS) is
designed to provide flexible levels and types of
supports to individuals with acquired brain injury who
are living in the community. Facilitators with a range
of educational backgrounds, in-house specialists and
consultants staff the ACSS program.
community. From the assessment process,
recommendations, and a plan for specific service
needs and goals are developed. Further assessments
may be conducted on an as-needed basis.
Staff support is provided to clients on a one-to-one or
a group basis. ACSS staff work with clients, their
families and many other community partners.
Assistance is provided in the areas of home
management, personal management, education and
employment. Our staff work with clients and their
families to build positive every day routines and tailor
the staff support to maximize the client's
opportunities for success. The staff recognize the
importance of natural community supports and
always focus on building community networks, which
will complement them.
ACSS assessment services are highly individualized
and flexible. All assessments are conducted in
collaboration with the client, their family, existing
community partners and monitored by CHIRS'
Neuropsychologist.
Assessments are conducted through interviews and
direct observations, both in the home and the
community. From the assessment process,
recommendations, and a plan for specific service
needs and goals are developed. Further assessments
may be conducted on an as-needed basis.
The majority of teaching and training occurs in the
environment where it is needed and issues of
cognition are addressed at every level of
participation. Individual specific strategies are
developed using the processes of the Clinical Model,
including positive daily routines and errorless
learning, thus fading of support is designed for
success. ACSS staff work with clients in their
environment to teach skills such as:
- money management and budgeting;
- medical management and ensuring follow-up to wherever the individual is referred;
- activities of household management, such as grocery shopping and meal planning;
- community orientation, travel training and access to community resources;
- time management and scheduling;
- counselling regarding substance use including support to address alcohol and/or drug use.
Education and Employment
The ACSS program provides highly specialized
Employment and Education Services that assist
individuals to participate in a variety of meaningful
work and learning opportunities that challenge their
unique abilities.
CHIRS provides a range of Education Support
Services for individuals interested in participating in a
variety of academic and training programs. All
supports are established by working with individuals
and the community education/training program of
their choice to ensure that the facility and its faculty
are knowledgeable regarding the challenges that
affect people with brain injuries and the strategies
that will assist them in achieving their goals in that
setting.
Education supports may include working with
individuals to research education resources in the
community, interviewing potential instructors,
providing information and education regarding
acquired brain injury, conducting in-class
assessments and recommendations for
accommodations, and providing both in-class and
tutorial support.
CHIRS offers a comprehensive Employment
Services program to ensure that a variety of
supported, vocational opportunities are provided to
individuals with a range of abilities and employment-
related goals.
The Employment Preparation Workshop is offered to
individuals interested in exploring job readiness skills
and competitive employment potential in an
interactive, group setting. The workshop focuses on
educating individuals on CHIRS' supported
employment model, practical interviewing
techniques, resume preparation, presentation skills,
work site behaviours and compensation strategies.
The Supported Employment Program is designed to
assist individuals re-entering the job market. CHIRS'
Job Developer works with individuals to determine
their areas of interest and to design individualized
work assessments that enable the person and
CHIRS to evaluate their vocational skills. When
individuals are work ready, the Job Developer
provides an extensive job search and partners with
interested community employers.
Positions are individually designed to ensure a match
between a person's strengths and the employer's
needs. Once individuals obtain a placement, a trained
Job Coach provides a variety of work site supports to
assist the person to learn their job and maintain
employment. Work site supports can include travel
training, job-site and task analyses, ongoing
assessment, the development of individualized
strategies, employer education and social skills training.
Fading of supervision at the job site is done when
individuals, employers and CHIRS agree that a person
has demonstrated the ability to perform the job over a
consistent period of time.
"The CHIRS Job Developer saw my
potential and collaborated with IKEA to
provide me with the opportunity to prove
myself. I worked with a CHIRS Job Coach
for two weeks before working
independently. Getting up and going to
work gives meaning to my life. I look
forward to the weekends now because
working at IKEA makes me feel that I'm
contributing and gives me a sense of worthiness." -- Rosalphie, CHIRS Client
Family-Centered Services
 |
DIANA BROUWER, B.Sc.N., M.S.W., RSW
Social Worker
Individual and Family Services
|
CHIRS strives to provide family-centered services to
the individuals and families whom we support. We
value the collaborative partnerships that we have with
families.
CHIRS also recognizes that acquired brain injury
impacts on the entire family. Families often require
support and assistance to understand the effects of
the brain injury, to grieve the associated losses, and
to cope with the day-to-day challenges of supporting
their family member. In order to facilitate this
process, CHIRS offers the following family services:
Individual and Family Counselling
Social Work counselling and support are available for
clients of CHIRS and their families to assist them in
coping with the individual and family adjustments
related to the brain injury.
Family Support Group
The CHIRS Family Support Group is an informal
group for family members of individuals who are
currently receiving services from CHIRS or who are
on the waiting list. The group provides an opportunity
for family members to share experiences and
resources, problem solve together, and give and
receive support. Guest speakers occasionally join
the group to facilitate discussion of topics relevant to
family members. A variety of topics are discussed
including grieving the losses, adjusting to role
changes, understanding the cognitive changes of
brain injury, balancing your needs with the needs of
the individual with the acquired brain injury. The
CHIRS Family Support Group meets monthly.
Intake Services
CHIRS endeavours to ensure fair and equitable
access to service for all eligible applicants.
A referral can be made by contacting the Intake
Department at CHIRS. The initial phone call can be
helpful to determine basic eligibility and to ensure
that CHIRS has the appropriate services. In
addition, the Intake Team is knowledgeable about
brain injury services in Toronto and is available to
provide information about other possible resources.
An application to CHIRS can also be made through
the Toronto Acquired Brain Injury Network (TABIN).
TABIN offers a single point referral service to publicly
funded member agencies including hospital-based
brain injury rehabilitation, long-term care facilities,
and community-based services in Toronto.
A recent neuropsychological assessment and/or
rehabilitation team report such as occupational
therapy, physiotherapy, and speech pathology are
required as part of the intake process. Any other
reports relevant to the service requested are also
valued in order to help determine support needs.
Once the completed application and supporting
documentation have been returned to CHIRS, an
Intake staff will arrange a meeting with the individual
requesting service and their support network
(professionals and/or family members) depending on
the nature of the request .This meeting provides an
opportunity for information sharing and allows
CHIRS to get a better sense of the individual's goals
and support requirements.
The request is then presented to the Intake
Committee to determine if CHIRS has the
appropriate resources to meet the individual's needs.
The Committee may also suggest alternative
resources and/or make appropriate referrals if
necessary.
CHIRS offers subsidized services, funded through
the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, to
eligible individuals. Given CHIRS' limited resources,
there may be a waiting period depending on the
service requested.
CHIRS also offers services on a Fee for Service
basis to individuals with access to private funding. A
proposal outlining services and cost is submitted to
the payer for authorization prior to services
commencing.