The County intends to purchase services for youth identified as intellectually and/or developmentally disabled, and their families, who have been unable to access services through OPWDD, either because of the unavailability of providers from that system, or delayed or denied eligibility for such services. Services are to be provided in the community, in homes and at schools and should be focused on both prevention of Child Welfare involvement and improved functioning. Services provided to identified youth should include, but not be limited to skill building, particularly around self-awareness, emotional regulation strategies, behavioral control and effective communication, as well as referral to other community resources and programming where appropriate. Services to families should include resource navigation and referral, and peer support and advocacy, as well as building parent’s capacity to identify, understand and effectively respond to their child’s needs and patterns of behavioral escalation. It is expected that the program would be individualized and tailored to the needs of each youth and their family and focus heavily on engagement. Services should be provided by staff well-versed in intellectual and developmental disabilities and behavioral disorders, who operate within a trauma-informed approach. The agency supporting this program will need to demonstrate a history of success with intellectually and developmentally disabled youth.
