Devereux CARES CAAPP Program

From Autism Transition Handbook

Devereux Community Adult Autism Partnership Program (CAAPP)

The Community Adult Autism Partnership Program is a program for adults 21 years or older, living with an autism spectrum disorder. The mission of Devereux CAAPP is to provide community-based state-of-the-art support to adults with autism spectrum disorders and their families. The primary goal is to provide instruction and support across work, community, and home environments that will facilitate consumers in becoming productive, socially connected, and personally fulfilled members of their communities. To apply for CAAPP, families may contact the Program Director, Maggie Haag, at Mhaag@devereux.org. A formal referral process is not required, but the individual must have an ASD diagnosis. The Adult Autism Waiver, P/FDS Waiver, Consolidated Waiver, OBRA, School District and private pay may be used to fund the cost of the program.

Guiding Principles

• Person-centered – services will be individualized and flexible to meet the unique needs of each consumer.
• Collaborative – the program will work closely with each consumer, family/caregiver, and various community members to maximize each consumer’s potential.
• Community-focused – services will be delivered in employment, community, and home settings.
• Skill building emphasis – the focus will be to build skills that will lead to greater independence and enhance each consumer’s quality of life.
• Accountable – objective data and social validity measures will be used to evaluate program effectiveness; modifications will be made when needed to ensure effectiveness.

Program Objectives include:

• Increase independence in employment skills
• Increase independence in community skills
• Increase functional communication and social skills
• Increase independence in completion of tasks of daily living (self-care, domestic, recreation, mobility)
• Increase self-determination abilities
• Address issues related to human sexuality and general health
• Reduce or eliminate challenging behaviors
• Provide appropriate educational opportunities and supports for families and caregivers

The components of the program include:

Vocational Training

• Ongoing Assessment
• Work-Readiness Skill Development
• Community-Based Employment Experiences
• Employer Relations

Community-Based Instruction (CBI)

• All consumers have the opportunity to participate in CBI
• Skills taught specific to community setting (waiting in line at the grocery store, ordering from a menu)
• Students are taught to maintain appropriate behavior in new and less structured settings

Service Learning and Volunteer Activities

• Interactions with typically developing individuals, practice learned skills in different settings
• Giving back to the community
• Activities supplement employment experiences

Family Inclusion, Support, and Educational Activities

• Individual and family preferences will drive the development of the
• individualized support plan
• Families will receive support and training to become effective instructors of skills across home and community settings
• CARES provides families with additional educational opportunities through meetings with the support team, routine home visits, and dissemination of written information
• All families are invited to participate on an advisory board that will help with program planning, special events and fundraising, and evaluation of program outcome indicators

Instruction in Meaningful and Critical Skills

• Communication Skills
• Social Skills
• Other Critical Skills – Self-care, Domestic, Functional Academics to include reading, written communication, money management,
• Community, Recreation/Leisure, and Gross and Fine Motor domains, establishing and maintaining healthy lifestyles
• Instruction provided in natural settings
• Focus placed upon independence, rate, accuracy and duration

Community Adult Autism Partnership Program (CAAPP)
85 Old Eagle School Road
Strafford, PA 19087
610-710-4026

www.devereuxcares.org