Adult Services
In support of its philosophy of lifespan services, Eden has developed a Community Residence Experience which promotes the personal growth and independence for our participants; along with an Adult Work Education and Resource Center which provides employment services for adults with autism.
Eden ACRE's:
Community Residence Experience - Eden A.C.R.E.s
Eden A.C.R.E.s, an acronym for “A Community Residence Experience,” operates a continuum of residential support options for adults with autism in the State of New Jersey. Incorporated in 1979, Eden A.C.R.E.s offers 24 hour residential support and training to meet the needs of each resident within a financial funding arrangement with the New Jersey Division of Developmental Disabilities.
» Read more about: Community Residence Experience - Eden A.C.R.E.s
As of 2009, Eden A.C.R.E.s operates 11 group homes and 4 supervised apartments for 74 participants. Group homes generally serve five to seven adults and employ a staff who live in the home while on shift. The highly trained staff transcribe the Eden philosophy of "community integration" into a vibrant curriculum and experiential training opportunities on a daily basis. Parents, guardians and siblings are encouraged to remain actively involved in an effort to support the concept of self-direction and enhance the learning environment.
An additional component of the program is a commitment to giving back to the local community in which each residence is located. Staff and residents participate in area charity events including "adopting" their local firefighters, providing companionship to nursing home residents, and collecting items to ship to soldiers overseas.
Work Education and Resource Centers - Eden W.E.R.C.s:
Work Education and Resource Centers
Who is Eden W.E.R.C.s? – The Work and Education and Resource Center was founded in 1983 to provide employment services for adults with autism. To that end, a range of opportunities is offered, from secure, center-based work, to supported employment, to competitive jobs. Eden W.E.R.C.s programming also takes into account participants' IHP goals, working on communication and language skills, encouraging social and emotional development and addressing activities of daily living.
» Read more about: Work Education and Resource Centers
Eden W.E.R.C.s presently operate four employment centers in central New Jersey. Participant/Staff ratio range from 2:1 to 4:1, depending upon the type of employment or skill development activity and participants' needs and abilities. Each center also employs a communication specialist who develops workplace-related goals for participants and guides teaching staff in implementing them.
The majority of Eden W.E.R.C.s participants are also residents of an Eden A.C.R.E.s facility, and staff in each program makes every effort to provide continuity of service from home to work setting. Goals outlined in the IHP are addressed during the workday as well as at home. All W.E.R.C.s participants, regardless of where they reside, are provided with services and opportunities designed to help develop their communication and social skills.
Services:
Employment
The majority of secure, center-based employment at Eden W.E.R.C.s is provided in the form of a mailing house operation, in which local firms subcontract with Eden to complete a quantity mailing project. Participants fold, collate, label, seal, stamp, sort and deliver, guided by staff who organize the work and ensure timely completion.
Center-based work may also include other subcontracts that require similar collating or assembly skills, as well as those that require work to be performed at another locations.
In community based employment positions, participants are matched with jobs in the community. Under the supervision of an Eden W.E.R.C.s job coach, the natural employment work environment provides opportunities for increased skill development, increased community interaction and independence. Jobs requiring repetition, attention to detail and adherence to routine are best suited for supported employment positions, e.g., stocking shelves, pricing groceries and rotating products in a convenience store; performing data entry and other clerical skills for a small business; and providing after-hours cleaning at a bank or theater.
Competitive employment is generally an outgrowth of a supported job in which a participant has demonstrated the ability to work independently and can maintain the necessary level of competence and productivity with minimal supervision.
Primary Intervention Programs
In some instances, a W.E.R.C.s participant's individual needs may best be met with a curriculum that focuses on activities of daily living, with the development of employment skills a secondary component. Here a participant/staff ratio is no more than 2:1, and often 1:1, to enable optimum learning and, ultimately, to facilitate independence.
» Read more about: Primary Intervention Programs
The primary intervention program also provides an environment that meets the additional needs of participants with significant mobility challenges or medical considerations.
Business Advisory Council
Composed of representatives of several New Jersey firms, the Business Advisory Council provides business advice and guidance to Eden WERC’s. The group, which meets bimonthly, arranges entrée to new subcontract and supported employment possibilities and offers suggestions for maintaining quality control and adherence to deadlines within the environment of social services and provision.
» Read more about: Business Advisory Council
The Business Advisory Council is an invaluable resource in ensuring that Eden W.E.R.C.s participants are regarded by business community as qualified, competent workers.