For information regarding CHILDREN'S SERVICES, click on Children under Our Services
ADULT SERVICES
COMMUNITY-BASED EMPLOYMENT SUPPORTED EMPLOYMENT
ENROLLMENT PROCESS
1. What does this mean for an individual with special needs?
Supported Employment is a service description which encompasses the supports necessary to work in a community employment situation:
a) Getting to know the individual and their support structure.
b) Gathering and reviewing documentation and evaluations which may assist in the enrollment process.
c) Assisting the individual in finding a job of their choice and interest.
Completing employment applications and attending any employment interviews requested by the individual.
d) Assist with establishing the transportation for the job.
e) A Placement Specialist will accompany the individual onto the jobsite and provide training for the individual to complete the essential functions of the job as detailed by the management.
f) Gradually fade from the jobsite as the individual masters the work responsibilities.
g) Provide the structure at the employment site. The family/provider and the individual to contact the Placement Specialist if there is an employment issue.
h) Provide long-term contact on a monthly basis or more often, depending on the specific needs of the client after the Placement Specialist leaves the jobsite.
2. Where do you find the jobs?
a) The program will search for a job to meet the individual’s skills and interests in any geographic area the individual can reach.
b) Most jobs are located in the northern counties of Boone, Campbell, and Kenton.
c) Transportation is a primary factor to consider for the job search.
3. Does the service have any collaborative business partners?
The Agency does have a collaborative employment program with St. Elizabeth Medical Center (SEMC). The program conducts workplace evaluations in many different departments at SEMC to determine skills, abilities, and interest in working in the healthcare field. The project does not guarantee employment at their site, but assists in their selection if a position becomes available. The information gathered at SEMC can be utilized to obtain employment in other healthcare settings such as nursing homes, adult daycare settings, and limited clerical positions at a doctor’s office. The program is currently developing another collaborative effort with the Kenton County Library System.
4. How does an individual access this service?
The access point for Supported Employment is the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR) which can be reached at 859-371-9450. The individual would request assistance with finding employment and a connection with a counselor closest to the individual’s home. The counselor would meet with the individual and family/representative to gather information and necessary evaluations to determine eligibility. If determined eligible, the individual and their counselor would select the program to assist in the process of finding employment. If New Perceptions, Inc. is selected, OVR will send a referral packet to the New Perceptions Supported Employment Program.
Some individuals from the Site-Based Program may access this service through their Plan of Care. An individual would be evaluated for community work through the Supported Employment Program and referred to OVR when this becomes an outcome for their Individual Plan.
5. Is there a waiting list for this service?
New Perceptions has no waiting list for this service, but the process cannot be initiated until the intake and eligibility have been completed.
6. Is there a cost to the individual for this service?
There is no cost to the individual or their family/provider.
7. What are the transportation options for this service?
a) A person is responsible for their transportation. Staff can assist the individual to learn to ride the regular bus system. (T.A.N.K.).
b) Some individuals may be eligible for the R.A.M.P. door-to-door service. Contact their office at 859-578-6949 for the application process.
c) If the individual is on a Medicaid Waiver, the Case Manager will coordinate the process for transportation.
8. How long will your staff stay with the individual at the jobsite?
The Placement Specialist will stay on the job until the individual is able to complete the essential functions of the job and continues to make progress toward this goal. The satisfaction of the employer and the comfort level of the individuals to be on their own are critical elements in the decision to have the Placement Specialist leave the jobsite. This process may take days or weeks or months, but cannot be indefinite.
9. How long will New Perceptions stay involved with the individual after employment is obtained?
New Perceptions will stay involved through periodic contacts for as long as the individual is employed. The individual can choose to end our contact if they feel our service is no longer necessary and the employer agrees with the decision. Instances have occurred where the employer wants our service to continue as a condition of continued employment of our client.
10. Do you serve individuals from other states?
No, the Supported Employment program from New Perceptions, Inc. is available only to residents of Kentucky.
11. Who would I contact for enrollment?
As stated in question 4, the process starts with Vocational Rehabilitation
(859-371-9450). If that process is successfully completed, the individual/family would contact Paul Meisenhelder at 859-344-9322, extension 37, to check their status for assignment to a Placement Specialist.
ADULT SERVICES
SITE-BASED PROGRAM ENROLLMENT PROCESS
1. What is the process for enrollment?
a) If the individual is in school and within two years of graduation, an application for Adult Services must be completed. The Senior High Special Education Teacher should have a copy of this application and they can assist the family in completing the form.
b) If the teacher does not have the application, contact can be made to NorthKey Community Care at 859-781-5586 and request the application. The application is then mailed back to NorthKey Community Care to be entered into a database for services. The family should keep a copy of this application and give a copy to the school for their records.
c) The application is then sent to the Chairperson of the Transition Panel for Adult Services to schedule a Transition Panel Meeting at the school. Meetings are coordinated by the teacher to ensure that anyone associated with this process is invited. The meetings are held in the fall of the year.
d) This process enters the name on the coordinated waiting list for all of the Adult Day Services in Northern Kentucky (New Perceptions, Inc., BAWAC, Redwood, The Point, Tri-Generations). The NorthKey Community Care Program and the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation are key gatekeepers for this entire process.
For an individual beyond school age, the process is the same, starting with item (b).
2. Is there a waiting list to enter New Perceptions? How long is the wait?
The Site-Based Program does have a waiting list. Unfortunately, there is not a simple answer to the second question, as the wait can be months to years, depending on the level of support required for New Perceptions to safely provide services. A Case Manager will assist the individual/family in the process to explore options.
3. Do I need a Case Manager and how do I get one?
a) A Case Manager is recommended to guide the individual/family through the documents required for enrollment.
b) The Case Manager will assist in the completion of any applications which would provide funding for the service.
c) Contact with NorthKey Community Care at 859-781-5586 will start this process. The access line is 859-331-3292 for an appointment.
4. Is there a cost for the service to the individual/family?
There is no cost to the family/individual.
5. How is New Perceptions funded for this service?
New Perceptions, Inc. has a variety of funding sources:
a) The United Way
b) Funding through the Boone, Campbell and Kenton County Fiscal Courts tax for Mental Retardation Services.
c) State of Kentucky General Funds monitored by the NorthKey Community Care Program.
d) Federal funding through special Medicaid Waivers referred to as The Supports for Community Living Waiver (SCL), and the Michelle P. Waiver (MPW).
e) Agency fund-raising events/grants/donations.
6. What kind of work is completed in the Site-Based Program?
The individuals enrolled in the program work on a variety of jobs that typically involve packaging and assembly of small items for small and large companies. A majority of the work can be completed while sitting at a work station with 1 to 3 other workers. Jobs which require standing and movement around the work floor would be assigned based on any workplace restrictions for lifting, ability to carry product, bending, stooping, and/or stamina concerns.
Many work tasks require counting skills to some degree. If an individual needs assistance with this skill, a number of adaptive devices have been made to ensure accuracy.
Some individuals work on an in-house janitorial crew under the supervision of the maintenance supervisor.
Being acutely aware of various medical conditions within the Site-Based Program, the program avoids any contract that would involve chemicals/ingredients that may pose a health and/or safety risk.
7. Do the individuals working in the Site-Based Program get paid, and how much is the pay?
Yes, all of the individuals enrolled in the program are paid for the work that is completed. Under a Special Wage Certificate through the Department of Labor, the individual is paid on a “piece rate” basis. Simply stated, each person gets paid the same unit rate, but will earn a different amount based on the number of units completed. This process is monitored by the Department of Labor based on time studies of the task and prevailing wages in this geographic area. Each job may have a different unit rate based on the number of steps and complexity of the steps.
The individual is trained to complete as many units as their skills will allow, while others may require the assistance of staff to complete each unit.
Pay may vary from under a hundred dollars to several hundred dollars a month. Payday is the last working day of the month.
8. Are there additional work options for the individual enrolled in the Site-Based Program?
There are other work options for the individuals enrolled in the program that may be completed on-site or off-site.
Some individuals are assigned on a rotating basis to a work crew within the building. Most of these tasks involve cleaning skills: sweeping, mopping, use of dishwasher, counter cleaning, stacking cafeteria chairs, and collecting and disposing of trash from the building.
Based on interest of the individual and the support of the family/care giver, an individual may want to experience work opportunities at a community worksite. Individuals are transported by a Job Coach to a variety of worksites to learn new work skills and/or experience all the facets of a particular job. The individual is supervised at all times by staff from New Perceptions.
While the individual is in this training work experience program, New Perceptions pays the individual on an hourly rate, not a piece rate. This training is typically 1 to 3 hours in duration and 1 or 2 times in a week. After the individual learns the skills, the site would end and another individual may be assigned. The goal would be to offer the individual the opportunity to experience different types of work environments while evaluating their skills in a particular career path. This may serve as a stepping stone to working full or part-time in a community job.
9. Does New Perceptions provide transportation to participate in the program?
No, the program does not provide transportation. Individuals arrive and depart by one of the following means:
a) T.A.N.K. bus that runs a special route to and from the program from the Transit Center. A reduced-cost monthly pass is available for purchase by the individual.
b) R.A.M.P. (door-to-door) bus system. This service requires an application process with an evaluation to determine eligibility. The application can be obtained by calling the Special Service Department at T.A.N.K. at
859-578-6949.
c) Family transportation arrangements.
d) Special vans and cabs for individuals enrolled in the Medicaid programs referenced above. The Medicaid programs pay for this service through a voucher system with the transportation entity.
e) Program hours are from 7:30 am to 3:45 pm, with the primary working time from 8:30 am to 3:00 pm. The individual would attend based on their transportation mode and may arrive between 7:30 am to 10:00 am, and may be departing anytime between 1:30 pm and 3:45 pm.
10. How often would an individual attend?
a) Full-time enrollment is five days per week on a year-round basis. The program distributes a fiscal year calendar listing any holiday or training days that the program may be closed.
b) Part-time enrollment based on the individual's need and preference is always possible, and would be established during the enrollment process.
c) Enrollment attendance may be based on available space.
d) Individuals/care givers are responsible to notify the program if they will not attend.
11. Will your agency serve me if I already attend another program?
Yes, we would serve the individual based on their request. New Perceptions fosters the concept of individual choice and works in collaboration with the other local agencies.
12. How do I arrange a tour for additional information?
Contact Bob Ryan, Director of Adult Services, at 859-344-9322, extension 13, to set up a tour.