What is Life Skills (previously Specialized Habilitation):

Life Skills services are member driven classes/ sessions around topics like healthy relationships, adapting to challenges, and improving overall quality-of-life across these five core skill development areas…

Trial Period (lasts one quarter) - if you are on the fence about Life Skills:

• If you are not sure about Life Skills then you can go through a trial period for one quarter (3 months).
• During this trial period, you can pick non Life Skills class(es) that are similar to the goal(s) you provided during the intake meeting. You can take those classes to see if your goal(s) can be targeted without Life Skills.
• If you find the class(es) interesting and want to continue working on your goal(s) in a more personalized way, we can work on setting you up with a provider. If you decide that non-Life Skills class(es) are targeting your goal(s) enough to find it helpful then you can wait to take Life Skills until you are ready. It’s definitely okay to decide that Life Skills might not be the best fit for you.

Process w/ DDA:

• After deciding on goal(s) and what kind of setting (group or individual) you want, I will send a pre-authorization to DDA with your goal(s) and justification for why you should receive services (I can go over this document if you want). I will be sending a pre-authorization during the middle of the quarter before your starting quarter (Ex: if you want to start services in Summer, I will send pre-authorization during Spring).
• DDA usually takes 3-5 weeks to approve services, I will make sure services are approved before the quarter starts and if not, be sending an email about private pay options.
• If you do not want to do private pay, you can opt out of doing sessions until DDA approval.
• After DDA approval and you start sessions/classes, your provider will write 2 reports on your progress during the quarter. First report will be written after 30 days of the quarter starting, second report will be written 90 days at the end of the quarter (I can go over these documents if you want).
• 30 Day Report: an outline of the goal you want to work on during the quarter, what strategies and tools provider will be using to work on this goal, and an estimate of goal progress or completion by end of quarter.
• 90 Day Report: an outline of the goal you worked on during the quarter, what strategies and tools provider used to work on the goal, and update on the progress or completion of goal with additional plan on what to do if goal is not completed (it is very common to not complete your goal in one quarter and usually takes multiple quarters of working on the same goal or a variation of the same goal, progress and learning take time!).
• Authorization of Signature on Report Writing: If you would like, you can authorize the provider and I to sign reports on your behalf so we can send them to DDA faster and then I will send the signed report for record keeping through email. This is not mandatory at all, just an option we are starting to give families to make things easier for everyone.

Examples of Goals in each Area:

Self Empowerment:

• Making decisions for myself
• Identifying goals for my future
• Figuring out how to reach my goals
• Develop healthy habits

•  Identify strengths and weaknesses

Safety Awareness and Self-Advocacy:

• Identify risky situations
• Emergency preparedness
• Knowing how to ask for help when I need it
• Knowing who to ask for help
• Identifying what I need to help me

Interpersonal Effectiveness and Effective Social Communication:

• Conversation skills
• Asking questions
• Staying on topic
• Identifying and appropriately expressing emotions
• Healthy and unhealthy friendships
• Building friendships
• Healthy and unhealthy relationships
• Building healthy dating relationships
• Setting boundaries
• Knowing how to respect people’s boundaries
• Safe internet communication
• Understanding and practicing consent
• Identifying abuse
•  Conflict resolution
• Understand other people’s feelings
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Coping Strategies for Everyday Life Challenges:

• Emotional awareness
• Problem solving
• Stress management
• Regulation skills
• Coping skills
• Anger management
• Identify triggers
• Make a plan for what to do when you are triggered
• Communicating sensory or emotional needs
•  Developing strengths and understanding weaknesses to handle daily life problems
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Managing Daily Tasks and Acquiring Adaptive Skills:

• Practice public transportation
• Practice ordering at restaurants
• Self care skills
• Independent living skills
• Cooking skills
• Creating schedules
• Managing transitions
• Household chores
• Being independent in the community
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