The Arc of Washington County

The Arc of Washington County's Family Support Program assists persons with severe disabilities and their families in their efforts to remain together in their homes and communities. The home is typically the best environment for the individual, so family support is often defined as "whatever it takes" to help a person stay in his/her natural home. Family involvement and empowerment are key in determining the needs of the person or family. The family support coordinator works with the family to determine needs, and then approves and/or requests approval from a local council. Once approval has been granted, an individualized plan will be developed for the person or family receiving support. The family support program is only to be used if other resources are not available.

Our goals are:

	To keep families together by providing assistance so the person with a disability may live at home or in an independent setting
	To improve the caregiving ability of families and to improve their ability to meet the many needs of the family member with a disability
	To respect cultural, economic, social and spiritual differences
	To help families find and use available supports
	To seek and use recommendations from families on how we can better serve their needs

Services funded by our family support program include but are not limited to respite care, daycare, vehicular modifications, specialized nutrition or clothing supplies, summer camp, family counseling, homemaker services, and more.

For more information about The Arc's Family Support Program, contact Malessa Fleenor at 423-928-9362.