Table of Contents
Residential Services
What do you provide as part of your “Residential Services”?
We provide apartment checks to people receiving “Residential Services” through Kota Connections. Apartment checks are done with people who live independently and their regularity and schedule is based on each person’s needs, typically 1-3 times each week.
How long does an apartment check typically last?
On average apartment checks take about 30 minutes. We generate individualized goals and checklists that our staff go through with each person at their apartment checks, so the length of the check varies based upon the needs of the person.
What official services are used to fund apartment checks?
SILS (Semi Independent Living Services), ILS (Independent Living Services), and SLS (Supported Living Services) are all used to fund apartment checks.
Do you have supported apartments?
No, we do not have supported apartments where staff are on-site 24-hours a day. All of our folks who do apartment checks with us have their own lease.
Do you pair people with a roommate?
No, we do not pair up roommates. We do work with folks who have a roommate, but they typically find the roommate on their own and the two share their own lease.
Do you offer one-one SILS, ILS, or SLS to people who are still living at home with family?
No, we only do one-one apartment checks with people who live independently. People living at home are welcome to use their SILS, ILS, or SLS funding to attend our activities, however.
Can I attend activities if I receive apartment checks through Kota Connections?
Definitely! We encourage our folks who live independently to attend our activities.
Do you provide physical support with personal cares?
Our staff are trained to provide verbal reminders to complete personal care tasks only and do not provide physical assistance in this area.
Do you provide support with medication administration?
Our staff are trained to provide medication assistance only. We do not perform medication administration.
Will I always have the same staff check on me?
No, this is an area where we are very different from other providers! We rotate our apartment check staff so you will not always have the same staff person. This ensures you will not have a gap in services if a staff person takes time off or leaves our company. Rotating our staff also allows us to offer many social activities as we have a larger pool of staff available on a given night.
How long will my staff be in my home during our scheduled meeting times?
The answer to this question varies but usually ranges between 15-40 minutes (unless we will be grocery shopping, running errands, or cooking with you). We’ll develop a list of items to complete during each of our scheduled check-ins. Once our staff have completed the items on the list they’ll ask if you need anything else and they’ll be on their way.
Social Development Services (Activities)
Do you use accessible vans to provide transportation to events?
Our staff use their own vehicles to transport service recipients to activities, therefore, we are unable to meet the needs of individuals who require vehicle modifications.
Do you provide transportation to Kota Connections activities?
Yes, we provide transportation to everything on our calendar. If you are able to drive, we ask that you drive yourself to activities that are nearby so that we have enough staff available to drive people who do not have a driver’s license.
Do I need to bring money to activities?
If there is a dollar amount listed on the calendar, that is money that you need to bring to the activity. The dollar amount typically includes ticket prices (for example admission to a movie theater or Valleyfair) and refreshments. We have a couple of activities each month that are free.
Can I bring friends to Kota Connections activities?
Not usually. Our activities are typically for Kota Connections service recipients only. There are a few activities each year where friends are welcome to attend if they can provide their own transportation.
Will I have a one-one staff at activities?
No. All of our activities are done in groups without set staffing ratios. For example on some activities we may have 1 staff person per every 2 clients while on other we may have 1 staff person per every 4 clients.
How do I get started attending activities?
Let your case manager know that you would like to start attending activities with Kota Connections. They will ensure you have funding available to attend activities with us and will complete a referral form. Your team (typically you, your guardian, and your case manager) will set up an intake meeting and, following that meeting, you will be able to start attending activities.
I’d like to come check out an activity, is that allowed?
Definitely! Anyone interested in our services is welcome to come check out an activity. We ask that you call us to let us know what you’re planning to attend as some activities may require tickets and so that we can keep you informed of any last minute changes. Our monthly KC meeting is the best activity to check out if you are curious about our services. We typically have around 40 clients and most of our staff in attendance.
Employment Services
What kind of support do you provide to help me find a job?
We provide supported employment services which include individualized one-on-one support with job searching and employment readiness (ie preparing resumes, completing applications, practicing for and attending interviews, etc) to help you find a job in the community.
Do you continue to provide support after I’ve found a job?
We provide on-going support on a regular basis to help maintain employment after you have found a job in the community. This support includes check-ins with you, your supervisor(s), and your team in person, over the phone, and via email. The frequency of these check-ins is based on your needs and preferences and may range from a couple of times each week to once each month.
Do you provide on-going, one-on-one, on-the-job support?
No, we do not provide one-on-one support after someone has a job. We do provide more intensive support during training and orientation but after that we only do periodic check-ins at work.
If I don’t like my job, will Kota Connections help me find a new one?
Yes! We want to help you find a job you enjoy. When you decide it’s time for a change, we will make a plan to start job searching with you gain. It can take a couple of weeks for your coordinator to fit searching with you back into their schedule.
Will you give me a ride to my job everyday?
No, we do not provide rides to work. We do provide all transportation during job searching and will help you explore your transportation options for rides to and from work.
