Spectrum Support, Inc.

Naman taking care of business at his job at the E-commerce Goodwill! To learn more about Spectrum Support’s Employment services for youth and adults, visit https://lnkd.in/euRkk9ee

Whenever we take the risk to put ourselves out there and say yes to things that scare us, that risk pays off in one way or another. For Jason, his brave choice to put himself out there led to friendships! For years, Jason was resistant to getting involved in his community, only utilizing Employment Supports. During COVID and our virtual classes, he decided to attend the classes and interact with other people within Spectrum. This led to him bonding with Matt and Tyler, and they soon became fast friends. This encouraged Jason to start hanging out with them to go on outings across Carroll County. Josh then joined the group about a year and a half ago. They all share a love of history, nature, trains, eating good food, having fun and laughing. They have learned how to take the metro to DC and explore the surrounding area. They go to different battlefields, museums, and look at trains and animals. They also enjoy trying out different hiking trails, and making s’mores around a campfire. Now Tyler, Matt, Jason, and Josh treasure and look forward to their Weekly Wednesday outings with their staff, Mark! Way to go, guys! 

May is Mental Health Awareness month, and as service providers for people with developmental disabilities, we must recognize that mental health struggles are uniquely intertwined with disability. According to the CDC website page discussing the connection between developmental disabilities and mental health challenges, "A CDC study found that adults with disabilities report experiencing more mental distress than those without disabilities. In 2018, an estimated 17.4 million (32.9%) adults with disabilities experienced frequent mental distress, defined as 14 or more reported mentally unhealthy days in the past 30 days. Frequent mental distress is associated with poor health behaviors, increased use of health services, mental disorders, chronic disease, and limitations in daily life." Providing holistic and personalized care for people with developmental disabilities means we must plan for and develop strategies to help them accept and deal with their mental health battles in healthy ways. We must listen to and observe the people we support, rather than making assumptions about their behaviors. And of course, we will be there with them through the good days and the bad, serving as reminders that bad mental health days do not cancel out all the progress and ways you have grown!   #mentalhealthawarenessmonth #developmentaldisabilities

Meet Mary, who has been completing a Work Based Learning Experience (WBLE) at New York J&P Pizzeria. She is shown here assembling pizza boxes for deliveries, and is very proud of her record of completing ~126 pizza boxes in a shift! Great job, Mary! WBLEs are a great way for people with developmental disabilities to accrue work experience and practical skills for their resumes, and they may often lead to full time employment! Contact us on our website to schedule an appointment with a coordinator and learn more! https://lnkd.in/eMAKAeD9

Email Sarah Pryor @Spectrum-Support.org if you'd like to learn more!

Ideal Candidates Should Be: Patient, encouraging, organized, and inviting Active and attentive listeners Passionate about supporting individuals with developmental disabilities as they work to live their best life.

Picture your ideal career. Now breathe a sigh of relief knowing Spectrum Support will do the legwork to make that a reality. We know how hard it is for people with developmental disabilities to discover what they want to do for work, and even harder landing that job. Our expert employment teams will help with everything from identifying your skillset, preferences, and passions, to revamping your resume, connecting you with valuable work experience, interview prep, and even on the job coaching once you’re hired. Living your best life is right around the corner. Learn more at https://lnkd.in/e9PFNMJK

YEP! student Tatiana (Tati) has made so much progress towards being self-sufficient since starting with Spectrum! She has learned useful life skills like folding laundry, doing dishes, picking out clothes for school and ironing them, and using the microwave. Tati also does a great job consistently sticking with her goal of being involved in her community; she especially loves visiting the Urbana Public Library and the Urbana District Park! Keep it up Tati! We are so proud of you and can’t wait to see how you continue to grow! To learn more about how Spectrum’s Youth Empowerment Program (YEP!) in Frederick County helps young people with developmental disabilities learn the life skills needed for self-sufficiency, visit https://lnkd.in/egNZTzkF

Megan enjoys a lunch built for champions at Greenmount Bowling Alley! Shoutout to the bowling alley staff for your patient support and active listening, and shoutout to Kristine who has been filling in as Megan’s staff until we find a full time DSP for her. If you are in the Eldersburg/Westminster region and would like to become one of our DSPs and empower people with developmental disabilities to live their best lives, check out our openings and apply at https://lnkd.in/e85sbGaM

Mattie couldn’t have said it better; our staff is the best! They go above and beyond for the people we support, always finding opportunities for growth and opportunities to practice and apply the skills they’re learning. Thank you to all of our employees – you make Spectrum Support stand out!