Client Services
Watauga Opportunities, Inc. offers services to adults, 16 years of age or older, with physical, mental, and emotional disabilities, from Ashe, Avery, and Watauga counties of North Carolina. Supported Employment, Evaluation and Work Adjustment as services are also provided in Yancey and Mitchell counties. These services are provided at no cost to those people who have been determined eligible by the sponsoring agencies: Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, Division of Mental Health, Watauga County school system, and Tennessee Department of Human Services.
General Admission Criteria
Admission is based on fee sponsorship from any of the sponsoring agencies or other funding agencies. In order to be accepted, the individual must possess basic self-help skills (feeding, continence, etc.), be of no physical threat to self or others (recognize dangers), and be cooperative concerning his/her habilitation/rehabilitation. Individuals are referred in order to seek assistance in overcoming barriers to employment. The vocational barriers addressed include lack of good work skills, low speed and productivity, lack of self-confidence or self-esteem, inability to problem solve, poor social skills, poor communication skills, inability to present oneself in an interview, overdependence on others, low motivation, health/physical problems which prevent consistent work performance, low academic skills, and lack of self-help or independent living skills. It is not a policy of the facility to provide daycare or custodial services.
Vocational Evaluation
Trainees sponsored by the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation or other agency usually enter an initial, three-week evaluation period. Through the utilization of various testing techniques, real work assignments, interviews, and observations by facility personnel, assessments are made of the individual's social maturity, academic ability, physical capacity, manual dexterity, ability to follow direction, independent problem solving, vocational interests, knowledge of employer expectations, and job seeking skills. Recommendations for educational training, job training, or job placement are given at this time.
Vocational Evaluation Admission Criteria:
- There must be a need for information concerning the individual's ability to work in sheltered or competitive employment.
- The individual must be sponsored by the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, private rehabilitation, Watauga County school system, or other agency.
- The individual must have a recent physical and/or psychological examination.
- The individual should have a disability that interferes with employment.
Work Adjustment
If the results of Vocational Evaluation indicate a need for additional training toward competitive employment, trainees may enter the Work Adjustment Program. This program offers actual work experience with goals to meet the individual needs of each trainee. Special emphasis is placed on developing good work habits and increasing productivity. Classroom instruction and counseling in job related skills, academic skills, and independent living skills are offered where needed. Preparing the trainee for employment is the ultimate goal of the program.
Work Adjustment Criteria:
- There must be a need for vocational and related training in preparing for employment.
- There must be a reasonable expectation that the individual will benefit from formal instruction in job seeking skills, job keeping skills, consumer education, etc.
- The ultimate goal is job placement.
Consumer Services
Residential Services
Watauga Opportunities operates two group homes. Each home provides a family atmosphere for six to seven adults with developmental and a live-in manager. Learning is provided in the social, daily living, consumer skills, and recreational areas.
Watauga Opportunities also operates an 8-unit apartment complex. Appropriate consumers who are employed through Watauga Opportunities job coaches are offered an opportunity to expand their new vocational independence into the daily living realm. Training in independent living is provided by department managers and follow-along personnel.
Transportation
Watauga Opportunities presently purchases the services of the Watauga County Transportation Authority which provides vans and drivers to transport trainees in Watauga County to and from the facility each day and to special activities away from the facility. Additional facility vehicles provide transportation in Ashe, Avery, and Mitchel counties.
Other Services
Adult Developmental Vocational Program
The Adult Developmental Vocational Program (ADVP) provides an organized program of developmental activities for adults 16 years of age or older, who have mental retardation and/or physical disabilities. Included are services and activities designed to establish and/or maintain behaviors which are as culturally normative as possible. This is accomplished through a structured program adaptable to each person's individual needs. Based on a formal evaluation of each consumer, an individual habilitation plan is developed with trainee involvement. Training in self-help skills, communication, social adjustment, vocational adjustment, and functional community skills may be included as appropriate for each consumer. Small group (3-4) community involvement trips are made on a daily basis.
For admission, an individual must be certified as having a developmental disability. This is defined as a disability which leads to functional limitations in 4 of 7 major life functioning areas: self care, self direction, learning, language, vocational self sufficiency, independent living, or mobility. All individuals must be referred through the Division of New River Mental Health single portal of entry committee.
Compensatory Education
Compensatory Education classes, taught by instructors on site from Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute, are available to all consumers not holding a high school diploma. The level of instruction for each individual is based upon needs and abilities. Areas of concentration range from functional reading and mathematical skills to consumer education, health survival skills, and vocational education and exploration. These classes seek to enhance independent living and community involvement skills through time specific goals written for each individual. An integral part of most classes involves small group community involvement trips allowing real life functional learning opportunities.
Sheltered Employment
Sheltered employment is a program of work within the facility that helps to meet the vocational objectives of individuals whose disabilities are chronic and/or severe. Due to the limitations caused by their disabilities, they are unable to effectively move into the competitive labor market. This program offers a sheltered work environment and access to counseling.
Sheltered Employment Admission Criteria is as follows:
- Applicants for sheltered employment must have a completed vocational evaluation and have spent an intensive period in work adjustment training.
- Must have displayed an ability to produce at least 50% of the industrial norm.
- No longer eligible for sponsorship but needs additional time and training before moving effectively into competitive employment.
