Community Inclusion Services

Alpha’s community inclusion program provides one-on-one services for participants to actively engage in their community and to build relationships around common interests. While many of our community inclusion clients also participate in our supported living program, anyone in the community who meets certain criteria can take part in this program.

The values of our community inclusion program come from the heart of Alpha’s formation 48 years ago – that everyone has unique interests and deserves to feel valued by their community. We started this program as a contracted service with King County to support full inclusion for our clients in the community.

dog walker

Through a process of discovery, we connect our clients to people of all walks of life who share similar interests such as music, sports, animals, and the outdoors. The personal growth that comes from exploring new opportunities and developing relationships builds confidence while having fun.

Participants are paired with and supported by a member our community inclusion team. All services are guided by an individualized plan created in collaboration with the client and their guardian(s), family members, & other people close to them.

client farming

Some examples of our clients’ activities include fishing, golfing, volunteering at animal shelters, singing with a choir, visiting local coffee shops, going to the zoo, and spending time at neighborhood community centers.

To Qualify, an individual must fall into one of these two eligibility categories:

  1. Individuals with developmental disabilities ages 62 and older who have retired, or have never worked and do not want a job.
  2. Individuals who have opted out of employment services after 9 months or more in an employment program or have received an Exception to Policy (ETP) from their DDA Case Manager to forego employment services.

For more information about Alpha’s Community Inclusion Services, please contact:
Lissa Sams, Community Inclusion Supervisor
lsams@alphasls.org

Dave Bushnell, Special Programs Director
dbushnell@alphasls.org