Community Inclusion
- Am I eligible for services?
- Community Inclusion services are available to clients of the Developmental Disabilities Administration who are 62 and older or have received supported employment support for at least nine months.
- What will my Community Inclusion services look like?
- Community Inclusion includes multiple stages that will collect information about your interests, develop opportunities in the community, and support you to successfully engage in community activities. You will get to choose a contracted Community Inclusion Provider to support you through the entire process and will have as much ongoing support as you need to stay successful at your community activity.
- Discovery includes activities to learn about your skills, interests, preferences, and factors important to your success. This may also include assessment activities where you sample different activities and environments.
- Development includes support to research and develop community opportunities. Your Community Inclusion Provider will work with you and on your behalf to research activities in the community that align with your interests and allow you the opportunity to contribute to your community and build relationships with other community members. Development may also include preparation like practicing ways to communicate your interests, taking videos and pictures to help people get to know you, and visiting locations in the community to gather feedback. As opportunities are identified, your Community Inclusion Provider will support you to learn more about these activities and decide if they are the right fit for you.
- Community Support is support you receive in the community to help you participate in your activity and connect with people around you. This can mean building accommodations, helping you advocate for yourself, creating tools to help you better engage in the activity, and helping coordinate transportation. As you become comfortable at your activity, your Community Inclusion Provider will spend less time with you there or allow your community connections to offer needed support. You can receive as much support as you need to be successful, but it is the goal for you to ne as independent as possible. As additional advocacy needs arise, your Community Inclusion Provider can step back in to offer extra support.
- Community Inclusion includes multiple stages that will collect information about your interests, develop opportunities in the community, and support you to successfully engage in community activities. You will get to choose a contracted Community Inclusion Provider to support you through the entire process and will have as much ongoing support as you need to stay successful at your community activity.
- I’m interested! How do I get started?
- If you are a client of the Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA), call your case manager and tell them you are interested in Community Inclusion and ask if you are eligible. They will give you information about the Community Inclusion Providers you can select from to support you.
- Call and interview different Community Inclusion Providers to determine who you think can best support you.
- If you are not a client of DDA, start by applying for services, start by applying for services here. (Eligibility | DSHS (wa.gov))
Click here to view the Community Inclusion service providers.