Who is Mainstream Living
Mainstream Living's Direct Support Professionals typically work in either Home and Community Based Services or Mental Health. Sometimes working in one program can leave you out of the loop with the rest of the organization. Below, you'll find information on our HCBS and Mental Health community housing and supportive services.
Home and Community Based Services:
Our HCBS program primarily supports adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and brain injuries. We provide supportive services in community residential settings and through our community integration activites.
Mainstream Living's residential programs offer daily and hourly services, which are member driven and focus on choice, life skills, advocacy, independence, autonomy, and integration into the community. Individuals may live at home with their family, independently in a home or apartment, or in a home owned or operated by Mainstream Living. Services are provided to approximately 200 individuals in Story, Dallas and Polk counties.
Our community integration services are provided at The Center in Story County and serve 120 individuals. A variety of options are available depending on individual needs and goals. Traditional day services are focused on individual choice, socialization, skill development, recreation, and volunteerism. The ACE Program (Advocacy, Connections, and Empowerment) is a member driven program where members determine and lead the direction of the program with staff support. Member interest and need will impact the types of activities or discussions the group may participate in.activities.
Finally, the Center's enclaves are a small work group consisting of five to six members working with one Mainstream enclave supervisor. There may be several groups working in an area, with as many as 12 members on site per day. They work within the contracted company, HACH and DanFoss, and are expected to complete contracted tasks as provided by their supervisors. The enclaves provide an employment opportunity for members as they build employment skills such as accountability, arriving to work on time, completing work accurately and at a moderate level or higher and also learning to respect co-workers and supervisors.
Mental Health:
Mainstream Living's mental health services support adults with chronic mental illness. Services are provided in three different options; Residential Care Facility for Persons with Mental Illness (RCF-PMI); Supported Community Living, and the Transition Age Youth (TAY) program.
TAY is designed to provide goal-oriented, individualized support to young adults aged 17 1/2 to 25 and is structured to provide quality learning and skill building experiences in a transitional living environment that facilitates individual growth and self-sufficiency. Several locations are operated in the Des Moines area. Every member in the TAY program receives community based day habilitation program, implemented alongside Next Wise Choice, which works to assess an individual’s current situation, develop a plan for the future, and equip the member with tools to increase skills and repair limiting belief systems. TAY participants are required to participate in day habilitation, school or work 5 days a week.
The Supported Community Living (SCL) program supports individuals in living as independently as possible in their own homes. Staff is available to provide individualized hourly services at times that are convenient for the person. The goal of the program is to maintain independent living and increase involvement in the community. The program provides training to help people develop or regain skills of daily living such as: medication support, health and wellness, socialization and leisure skills and crisis planning/support and problem solving. Community Support Services (CSS) provide support and treatment services focused on enhancing independence and assisting those with serious and persistent mental illness to live and work in their community setting. Members may receive high or low support depending on their diagnosis and needs.
Finally, our eleven-bed RCF-PMI provide traditional structures and supports to people with chronic and persistent mental illness, while also allowing for active involvement of the individual in planning and directing their lives. The goal of the program is to support individuals in developing personal goals to improve their quality of life, while developing the skills needed to live where and how they would like.