Overview of FAQs

How many people live together in a CLS home of The Arc Montgomery County? 
In most situations, there are two to four people living together as roommates in a CLS residence. There are a few situations in which a person lives alone or may live in a home with up to five people. 

Does CLS provide transportation from the person’s home to the Arc’s Employment & Meaningful Day Services (E&MDS) or to other destinations such as the grocery store, a movie theater or other places people may want to go? 
CLS does not provide transportation to and from Employment & Meaningful Day Services (E&MDS). However, E&MDS provides transportation for people who live in a CLS home to Meaningful Day Services and to some of the Employment Services.  

CLS has vehicles (cars or vans) available to provide transportation so people supported can participate in activities in their communities such as going to the grocery store, the movie theater, a museum etc.  

Do people who live in each home share one refrigerator and food? 
People living in the same home generally share a refrigerator. Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) assist people in planning and preparing meals that are shared among all housemates. A person is also able to purchase specific food items that they prefer. The Arc Montgomery County supports some people who have unique dietary restrictions, so there may be food items in the home that are specifically for one person. 

Which programs at The Arc Montgomery County are open to people who do not have intellectual and developmental disabilities? 

• The Arc Montgomery County’s Respite Coordination and inclusive childcare center, KFICCC, are open to people without intellectual and developmental disabilities. 
• Every classroom at KFICCC includes children with and without disabilities, and children who are medically fragile. 

Can any adult who lives in Montgomery County and who has an intellectual or developmental disability (IDD) participate in Employment & Meaningful Day Services, Personal Support Services, and/or Community Living Services? 

• No. Only adults who are approved for Maryland’s Community Pathways Medicaid Waiver are eligible to apply for The Arc’s adult programs. Adults on the Community Pathways Waiver can submit an application to The Arc Montgomery County to be considered for program services. To apply, a person must be a Montgomery County resident. Following the receipt of the application: 
• The program directors will review the application; if they thinkbelieve that the person would be a good fit for the program(s), they will invite the person and their family to an in-person interview.  
• The Arc’s admission and discharge committee must give final approval for admission.  
• Final paperwork must be prepared by The Arc and a person’s Coordinator of Community Services. The paperwork must then be approved by DDA before a person can begin to receive services. 
• People who are not approved for the Community Pathways Waiver can seek additional employment and housing assistance here. {Add hyperlink.} 

Does The Arc Montgomery County provide mental health screening and services? 
No. The Arc does not provide mental health screening or services. Click here [add hyperlink] to find places in Montgomery County that provide mental health services. 

Who provides the support in Personal Support Services, and how are they trained?  
DSPs (Direct Support Professionals) provide the supports. DSPs are trained employees of The Arc who have undergone: 

• Background checks/Driving records   
• CPR/First Aid certification  
• Developmental Disabilities Administration-required trainings as well as additional trainings on person-centered plans, disability awareness, and health & safety  

How do you match the DSP to the person they will support through Personal Support Services? 
The Personal Support Services leadership team matches the DSP and the person they will support based on the interests and personalities of both people. In addition, the person who will be supported has a chance to meet with the DSP before final decisions are made about the assignment of a DSP to a person who will be supported. Families may also request to be part of the matching process.  

Is there a maximum number of Personal Support Services hours that a person can receive each week? And can support be provided on any day of the week? 
The Personal Support Services hours are based on a person’s needs and the number of hours approved for Personal Support Services in an individual’s Person-Centered Plan (PCP). The maximum number of Personal Support Services hours is 82 hours per week, but it depends on the person’s schedule. Supports are available during any day of the week and during the evening.  

Can Personal Support Services help a person enroll and succeed in college? 
Yes. Personal Support Services can help a person apply, enroll, and attend college.   

Which programs at The Arc Montgomery County are open to people who do not have intellectual and developmental disabilities? The Arc Montgomery County’s Respite Coordination and inclusive childcare center, KFICCC, are open to people without intellectual and developmental disabilities. Every classroom at KFICCC includes children with and without disabilities, and children who are medically fragile. 

Can any adult who lives in Montgomery County and who has an intellectual or developmental disability (IDD) participate in Employment & Meaningful Day Services, Personal Support Services, and/or Community Living Services? 

• No. Only adults who are approved for Maryland’s Community Pathways Medicaid Waiver are eligible to apply for The Arc’s adult programs. Adults on the Community Pathways Waiver can submit an application to The Arc Montgomery County to be considered for program services. To apply, a person must be a Montgomery County resident. Following the receipt of the application: 
• The program directors will review the application; if they think that the person would be a good fit for the program(s), they will invite the person and their family to an in-person interview.  
• The Arc’s admission and discharge committee must give final approval for admission.  
• Final paperwork must be prepared by The Arc and a person’s Coordinator of Community Services. The paperwork must then be approved by DDA before a person can begin to receive services. 
• People who are not approved for the Community Pathways Waiver can seek additional employment and housing assistance here. {Add hyperlink.} 

Does The Arc Montgomery County provide mental health screening and services? 
No. The Arc does not provide mental health screening or services. Click here [add hyperlink] to find places in Montgomery County that provide mental health services. 

Do you provide transportation to Employment and Meaningful Day Services? 
The Arc Montgomery County does not provide transportation to and from the meeting locations or job sites of Employment and Meaningful Day Services for people who do not live in one of The Arc’s CLS homes. Participants take Metro Access, public transportation, or get rides from family members or residential providers. The Arc Montgomery County conducts travel training for participants so they learn to use Metro Access or public transportation independently and confidently. 

Where do Meaningful Day Services take place? Do Meaningful Day groups meet at the same place each morning and do they end their activities at the same place each day? 
Meaningful Day Services take place in the community, and the recreational activities sometimes involve going to places in the District of Columbia, Virginia, and other counties in Maryland. The activities are wide-ranging, and examples include visits to museums, swimming, games and sports in county recreation centers, and movie theaters. Meaningful Day volunteer activities take place at non-profit organizations in Montgomery County.  

The people we support in Meaningful Day Services are grouped with others who share their interests and personal goals. Each group has no more than four people and meets at the same location each morning and ends the day at the same location each afternoon. 

What are the types of Employment Services offered by The Arc Montgomery County?  
The Arc provides the full array of Employment Services: 

• Discovery: Determining job seeker’s skills, interests, contributions, and environmental preferences. 
• Employment Preparation: Career exploration, resume and cover letter development, interview skills and training. 
• Job Development: Creating customized employment goals and searching for positions that match the job seeker’s skills and interests. 
• Job Coaching: Providing support at the job site, building skills towards independent work. 
• Ongoing Job Support: Providing support to the person in learning and completing tasks in the person’s competitive integrated employment. 
• Job Retention: Providing support to the person to maintain their competitive integrated employment. 
• Follow Along Services: Drop-in supports to ensure job stability and employee satisfaction. 

Which programs at The Arc Montgomery County are open to people who do not have intellectual and developmental disabilities?

• The Arc Montgomery County’s Respite Coordination and inclusive childcare center, KFICCC, are open to people without intellectual and developmental disabilities. 
• Every classroom at KFICCC includes children with and without disabilities, and children who are medically fragile. 

Can any adult who lives in Montgomery County and who has an intellectual or developmental disability (IDD) participate in Employment & Meaningful Day Services, Personal Support Services, and/or Community Living Services? 

• No. Only adults who are approved for Maryland’s Community Pathways Medicaid Waiver are eligible to apply for The Arc’s adult programs. Adults on the Community Pathways Waiver can submit an application to The Arc Montgomery County to be considered for program services. To apply, a person must be a Montgomery County resident. Following the receipt of the application: 
• The program directors will review the application; if they think that the person would be a good fit for the program(s), they will invite the person and their family to an in-person interview.  
• The Arc’s admission and discharge committee must give final approval for admission.  
• Final paperwork must be prepared by The Arc and a person’s Coordinator of Community Services. The paperwork must then be approved by DDA before a person can begin to receive services. 
• People who are not approved for the Community Pathways Waiver can seek additional employment and housing assistance here. {Add hyperlink.} 

Does The Arc Montgomery County provide mental health screening and services? 
No. The Arc does not provide mental health screening or services. Click here [add hyperlink] to find places in Montgomery County that provide mental health services. 

What is the ratio of employees to students at each of the program locations? 
At After All in Kensington there are two employees for 10 students. Occasionally, for parties, trips, and other special events, the program will have three employees with the 10 students.  

When After All Germantown opens to the public, it will have a ratio of four employees for 8 students. Depending on the needs of the students, this ratio may change. 

Does After All provide transportation to and from the program? 
For the Kensington location, families can arrange to have the after-school school bus drop students off at After All during the school year. The program does not provide transportation from After All to students’ homes at the end of the day, so families need to pick their loved ones up. During the summer, families need to provide transportation to and from After All. Sometimes families can arrange for the MCPS Extended School Year (ESY) school bus to drop students off at After All. 

Information on transportation for the Germantown location will be provided after that location is open to the public. 

How are students who have communication challenges supported in After All?  For example, can students use communication devices or American Sign Language if they are not able to speak? 
For both locations: Yes, employees are familiar with a variety of ways to communicate with students. Some students use communication boards, eye gaze technology or American Sign Language. Each student’s preferred means of communication is carefully discussed as part of the intake process. 

Which programs at The Arc Montgomery County are open to people who do not have intellectual and developmental disabilities? 

• The Arc Montgomery County’s Respite Coordination and inclusive childcare center, KFICCC, are open to people without intellectual and developmental disabilities. 
• Every classroom at KFICCC includes children with and without disabilities, and children who are medically fragile.  

Does The Arc Montgomery County provide mental health screening and services? 
No. The Arc does not provide mental health screening or services. Click here [add hyperlink] to find places in Montgomery County that provide mental health services.   

What is the ratio of adults to children in the KFICCC classrooms? 
The minimum ratios of adults to children are mandated by childcare licensing requirements that KFICCC strictly follows. In addition, KFICCC often arranges to have an additional assistant in the room beyond the licensing requirements. Depending on the needs of the students, KFICCC may not fully enroll a classroom in order to increase the adult to child ratio. (Therapists and nurses are not included in the adult to child ratio.) 

Parents should inquire about the ratio of adults to students in the specific classroom in which their child may enroll. 

In what kind of pre-service training have KFICCC teachers participated, and in what kind of in-service training do the teachers engage? 
KFICCC PreK teachers must meet the standards set by the Maryland State Department of Education and must be paid commensurate with MCPS early childhood educators. KFICCC teachers are required to have an associate degree or to be continuously enrolled in school to attain an associate or bachelor's degree. KFICCC offers free training programs to help teachers take courses or attain the certification they need for promotion.  

Can a child in the childcare program and in the PreK program have their Applied Behavior Analyst (ABA) therapist work with them or support them in the classroom during the day? 
Yes. KFICCC permits a child’s ABA therapist to support them in the classroom during the day.

Which programs at The Arc Montgomery County are open to people who do not have intellectual and developmental disabilities? 

• The Arc Montgomery County’s Respite Coordination and inclusive childcare center, KFICCC, are open to people without intellectual and developmental disabilities. 
• Every classroom at KFICCC includes children with and without disabilities, and children who are medically fragile. 

Does The Arc Montgomery County provide mental health screening and services? 
No. The Arc does not provide mental health screening or services. Click here [add hyperlink] to find places in Montgomery County that provide mental health services.