The DHHS has several initiatives in motion in Nebraska to assess and improve the state’s level of care assessments for people with developmental disabilities. Among these is the DHHS-DD and DHHS-MLTC driven Level of Care Redesign program, an initiative Hands of Heartland and other IDD providers in Omaha and across the state are working hard to support. Reform in this area is important because consultative assessments play a vital role in how people with IDD are supported in our facilities and help to determine the right path for development.
What is a Consultative Assessment?
It’s necessary when a person with a developmental disability comes to Hands of Heartland that we have a good sense of what their limitations and capabilities are, what they might need assistance with on a regular basis, and ultimately what their goals and aspirations might be. Accomplished through a combination of functional behavioral assessments and behavioral support programs, the assessment process also helps to determine how the individual might fit into various residential settings, and what aspects of their individual behaviors could become a challenge in a shared living situation.
Who Performs Consultative Assessments?
Mental health practitioners working at Hands of Heartland, especially those working in the newly created role of Licensed Independent Mental Health Practitioner, are tasked with conducting these assessments. Our mental health consultants work together with our residential team members to administer assessments in compliance with federal and state regulations and ensure the assessments remain comprehensive and transparent.
How Are Consultative Assessments Used?
Having identified behaviors that might need to be addressed or mitigated in a residential setting, our team of mental health practitioners work hard to use this information as a baseline for our behavioral support programs. Used to train our team of direct support providers, BSP’s give our teams the opportunity to properly support individuals with IDD safely and consistently throughout our facilities.
Assessments Keep People Safe
At Hands of Heartland, we truly believe in our mission of enabling people with disabilities to achieve independence at home and throughout the community in which they live. In order to accomplish this, they have to be provided with the supports made possible by consultative assessments and the resulting behavioral support programs that provide the path forward. By mitigating behaviors that might cause stress or even harm to others in a residential setting, individuals with IDD can grow within their surroundings and learn how to better interact with family or friends with whom they reside. This sense of independence can carry beyond their life at home and help them with the process of community integration, whether they decide that they want to participate in creative endeavors, explore volunteering opportunities, or even joining the workforce.
To learn more about the consultative assessment process or to help schedule a family member or friend for the process, reach out to our team of professionals. Our team will happily provide you with all of the answers you need to help your loved one achieve their goals of independent living.