Specialized Habilitation

Gain skills for independence in the community and home

Self-Empowerment, which means taking control of one’s own life, setting goals, and making positive choices to promote self-determination. Services under this category include:

a.       Increasing a client’s control of their life by facilitating positive internal dialogue

b.      Building self-esteem and confidence

c.       Reflecting on personal values, skills, and goals and adjusting behavior in order to achieve those goals

d.      Becoming more self-aware of one’s own strengths and weaknesses to be better equipped to deal with problems as they arise

Safety Awareness and Self-Advocacy, which means recognizing, analyzing, and controlling hazards in order to make informed choices. Services under this category may include:

a.       Learning and developing skills for safety awareness, such as how to recognize and report abuse, neglect or exploitation

b.      Safely navigating social media and the internet

c.       Learning and developing skills for street safety and transportation awareness

d.      Receiving sexual education to promote healthy relationships

e.       Promoting appropriate and safe advocacy for one’s self and others through methods of assertiveness and negotiation, learning to say   “no,” or stating needs or preferences

Interpersonal Effectiveness and Effective Social Communication, which means the development of social and emotional learning and development skills that help a person attend to their relationships, balance priorities versus demands, and build a sense of mastery and self-respect. Services under this category may include:

a.       Developing or enhancing verbal or nonverbal social communication

b.      Developing listening skills

c.       Balancing immediate goals with the concepts of “wants” and “shoulds”

d.      Learning and demonstrating how to uphold and maintain values

e.       Avoiding or mitigating inappropriate peer pressure

f.        Developing other social skills necessary to maximize integration into the community or home environment

Coping Strategies Regarding Everyday Life Challenges, which means the development of problem solving and other stress reduction strategies to deal with unexpected or unavoidable situations, such as:

a.       Missing the bus

b.      Acclimating to a new caregiver or medical professional

c.       Moving to a new residence

d.      Acclimating to a new family member or roommate

e.       Adjusting to a loss, such as employment, lost relationship, activity, caregiver, etc. (does not include grief counseling)

f.        Transition planning

Managing Daily Tasks and Acquiring Adaptive Skills, which means the development of skills necessary to reside successfully in the home and community. Examples may include:

a.       Learning how to use a vending machine or other nontraditional shopping method

b.      Ordering food in a restaurant

c.       Paying for items at a store

d.      Managing bills

e.       Selecting clothing for various work and social occasions.

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f.        Selecting clothing for various work and social occasions​