Community-Based Disability Services

“Music Therapy is an established health profession in which music is used within a therapeutic relationship to address physical, emotional, cognitive, and social needs of individuals. After assessing the strengths and needs of each client, the qualified music therapist provides the indicated treatment including creating, singing, moving to, and/or listening to music.

Through musical involvement in the therapeutic context, clients’ abilities are strengthened and transferred to other areas of their lives. Music therapy also provides avenues for communication that can be helpful to those who find it difficult to express themselves in words.” – American Music Therapy Association

Music therapy is an accessible and motivational service that helps individuals reach their desired therapeutic goals. Music therapy at St. David’s Center focuses on growing social, emotional, and cognitive skills. Our program works alongside the participant’s whole family and team to empower and transform their lives through music and music creation, providing skills to build relationships, reduce isolation, and embrace health and wellness.

Music therapy sessions will be client-led and can look different each week. Most of the therapeutic work happens in the music itself. Goals can be reached by listening to music, playing instruments, improvisation, writing and recording songs, discussing music, creating music-based coping skills, interacting via instruments, or singing, and the list goes on! There are many ways to work towards socio-emotional goals and we will work together to find the approaches that are most successful for your loved one.

Participant Criteria:

1. Diagnosis such as Autism Spectrum Disorders, Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, Behavioral Disorder, Anxiety & Depression.
2. Participant’s needs for behavior management must be able to be provided safely within the scope of the music therapist’s responsibilities. Participants must be able to safely participate in music therapy. While music therapy is an individual service, participants should be able to receive care at a 1:2 or 1:3 ratio in other group programs.

Payment/Funding:

Music Therapy at St. David’s Center can be funded through DD/CADI Waivered Services, grants, and private pay options such as:

• Traditional Waivered Funding – ILS Individual Therapy
• Consumer Directed Community Support (CDCS)
• Consumer Support Grant (CSG)
• Private Pay
• Community First Services and Supports (CFSS)

St. David’s Center’s In-Home Support Services, provided by direct support professionals  (DSPs), supports people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. These services help a person live as independently as possible in their home and in the community, and help to promote optimal health, independence, safety, and community integration.

In-Home Support Services consists of three licensed service options:

• Individualized Home Support with Training: DSP staff provide training (skill development) to the person in the community living service categories listed below.
• Individualized Home Support without Training: DSP staff provide cueing, skill maintenance, guidance, instruction, assistance with activities of daily living, assistance with coordination of community living activities (listed below), or direct supervision.
• In-Home Hourly Respite: Staff provide short-term care services to a person when the person’s primary caregiver is absent or needs relief. Respite is provided in the person’s home. Respite provides the level of supervision and care necessary to ensure the person is healthy and safe.

Our Individualized home support services cover community living services in four categories:

• Community Participation
• Health, Safety, and Wellness
• Household Management
• Adaptive Skills

Community Participation

This category may include:

• Community mobility and pedestrian safety
• Community resource use and access
• Community safety and awareness
• Informal support and network development
• Interpersonal communications skills
• Leisure, recreation, and socialization planning
• Skill-building to meet transportation needs

Health, Safety, and Wellness

This category may include:

• Collaborating with the person to arrange healthcare, meaningful activities, social services, meetings, and appointments
• Cueing, guiding, supervising, training, or providing instructional support to complete self-cares
• Health services support
• Supporting the person in activating and building resiliency factors
• Supporting the person in designing and meeting individualized strategies to reach their health, safety, and wellness goals

Household Management

This category may include:

• Cueing, guiding, supervising, training, or providing instructional support to complete routine household care and maintenance
• Supporting household safety knowledge and skills
• Tenancy support and advocacy
• Training, assisting, supporting and/or providing guidance with:
  • Budgeting and money management
  • Cooking, meal-planning, and nutrition
  • Healthy lifestyle skills and practices
  • Household chores, including minor household maintenance activities
  • Purchasing items for personal needs

Adaptive Skills

This category may include supporting:

• Crisis prevention skills
• The implementation of positive support strategies
• Problem-solving
• The sensory/motor development involved in acquiring functional skills
• Strategies for self-sufficiency
• Training to increase positive behaviors, resulting in the reduction or elimination of challenging behaviors

Therapeutic Recreation interns are a critical part of our TR team and are actively involved in all programing. Working alongside Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialists, interns learn to support, then plan and facilitate therapeutic interventions that target social and emotional development. Interns learn to create individualized goals and plan of cares. Interns also assist in refining program procedures and administrative duties to enhance the quality of services for clients, families, and staff.

Successful interns are proactive learners, poses the ability to take direction and work as a team member. Interns must be able to thrive in a fast-paced, physically active community setting. This Internship is developed to meet the standards and expectations of Therapeutic Recreation Majors and the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC). Therapeutic Recreation majors are preferred; however, we will consider other degrees pending availability (I.e. Psychology, Special Education, etc.).

See more information and apply to our internship here.

Required Materials: Resume and Cover Letter

*2 letters of recommendation are required upon interview.