The Arc Jacksonville Academies
The Arc Jacksonville Academies provide unique transition programs for young adults 18-21 with disabilities:
The Arc Jacksonville Academy
The Arc Jacksonville Academy On Campus Transition Program
Summer LIFE EXPERIENCE
The Arc Jacksonville Academy
The Arc Jacksonville Academy serves young adults with emotional disabilities and those with developmental disabilities. The transition services are geared to meet the individual needs of the students. Students with emotional disabilities are involved in obtaining work skills while focusing on therapeutic, social emotional needs in a positive environment. Students with developmental disabilities work on social, work and other skills preparing them for adult life. In addition we have special transition programs serving individuals with developmental disabilities who need life skills, including individuals who are medically fragile. The Arc Jacksonville Academy has three locations in the Jacksonville area: Downtown, Arlington, and Westside.
Academy Brochure
Academy Calendar 2009-2010
On Campus Transition Program
The Arc Jacksonville Academy On Campus Transition at the University of North Florida offers students with intellectual disabilities transition services in an inclusive college experience setting.
The Arc Jacksonville Academy's On Campus Transition (OCT) at the University of North Florida (UNF) is a transition program for young adults with developmental disabilities. In 2007, The Arc Jacksonville and UNF partnered to create this innovative program, to provide young adults with developmental disabilities the unique opportunity of having an authentic college experience while receiving transition services. The OCT is a private school that serves students ages 18 and up, who have completed high school course work, within an inclusive and integrated environment. Students participate in all aspects of college life by engaging in the following: auditing UNF courses, joining campus organizations and clubs, and participating in recreational/leisure activities that are enjoyed by all UNF students. Students also have the opportunity to live within the community (off-campus student housing) and within UNF's dormitories through the IDYLLIC (Including Disabled youth Living and Learning In College) residential program.
Mission
"To provide a transformational learning opportunity, within an inclusive educational community, for young adults with developmental disabilities, university students, college educators, and community leaders."
Our Goal
"To create independent lifelong learners who are connected to their community."
Why Explore Alternative Settings for the Education of Individuals with Developmental Disabilities?
The average student without a disability has many life-enriching opportunities during the critical years of 18–21 such as attending college, attending trade schools or joining the military. However, the student with developmental disabilities typically stays in their same high school for as many as seven or eight years, receives the same curriculum during these years and is significantly older than their peers at the high school.
Portions of the findings from the Governor's Blue Ribbon Task Force on Inclusive Community Living, Transition and Employment of Persons with Developmental Disabilities showed that as many as 90% of individuals with disabilities are living at poverty level three years after graduation. Yet, people with developmental disabilities are capable of self-determination and independence, are competent and productive, and are able to contribute to the community, particularly when necessary services, supports and other assistance is available.
Academic Program
OCT is fully committed to the inclusion and integration of students with developmental disabilities within the university and the community. OCT focuses upon transitioning students into adulthood by providing opportunities for students to experientially learn how to become independent, engaged, well-adjusted, and contributing members of society. The program provides comprehensive services to students for the purposes of providing students with a well-rounded college experience and to meet students' unique needs and desires. The program does not operate off an IEP or a curriculum, but ensures that students self-direct and collaboratively create a Program of Study, a unique and customized plan for achievement, that focuses upon developing the following areas: academic enhancement, career development, university life, health/personal growth, and independent living/community life. Students are encouraged and empowered to act as self-advocates and to further enhance their self-determination through the development and implementation of their Program of Study.
Academic Enhancement
While auditing a variety of UNF courses, students become fully immersed within the campus community. Through the guidance of their academic mentors (other UNF students within their courses,) the assistance of OCT staff, and the support of their UNF professors, students learn responsibility, time management, socialization, determination, perseverance, and self-discipline. Students further enhance their academics by utilizing same-age university peers for one-on-one and small group tutoring in reading, math, and budgeting. Students are also assisted in utilizing university resources to pursue specialized interests such as: voice-lesson, musical instrument lessons, personal fitness training, etc.
Career Development
OCT has on-staff employment specialists that provide career development and exploration, job readiness, job seeking, job coaching, and job retention training and support. Students participate in a variety of on-campus internships based upon individualized preferences, and are provided customized job development services. Students will be assisted in finding employment on campus and near campus to meet their individual career goals.
University Life
To facilitate the integration and inclusion of OCT students, OCT has developed a mentoring program, where UNF students are paired with OCT students. Social mentors are peers, recruited and selected from a variety of different majors and diverse backgrounds. Mentors and OCT students develop genuine friendships and engage in a mutual transformational process. Mentors often assist in the students' integration within campus by: hanging out on campus, going to different on-campus restaurants, athletic games, going to off-campus community events, theatrical performances, etc. Students are also encouraged to join and participate in UNF student organizations and clubs (i.e., Student Government, Intercultural Center for PEACE, Women's Center, Interfaith Center, American Sign Language Club, Anime Club, etc.).
Fitness and Personal Growth
Students are required to engage in a daily fitness regimen of their selection on campus (i.e., water aerobics, yoga, dance lessons, gym, basketball, tennis, racquetball, etc.) and are provided with nutritional guidance. Peer counseling (UNF students in training to become counselors) and personal growth/socialization training seminars (provided by UNF's Counseling Center) staff are offered to students to facilitate personal growth. Students are also encouraged to participate in on-campus activities that focus upon general well-being. The OCT believes that transition services should strive to enhance the overall well-being of students and provide opportunities to increase self-esteem, as well as maturity.
Independent Living/Community Life
The ultimate goal for students is to become independent, well-adjusted, integrated, and contributing members of society. Within the OCT, students learn safety and emergency response skills, receive public transportation training, time management training, financial management training, and instruction in how to access a variety of community resources. The program provides various community inclusion activities as part of their instructional learning.
IDYLLIC Residential Program (Including Disabled Youth Living and Learning in College)
OCT firmly believes that independence learned from a textbook is enhanced by experience therefore, the program has newly added the IDYLLIC residential program as an extension to the Academic Program at UNF. Students live in off-campus student housing within 4 bedroom/ 4 bathroom apartments, where a college student (or recent college graduate) acts as a live-in support/mentor, called a "Housing Assistant." Students are given the opportunity to engage in the same experiences of other college students who are learning how to live with their peers, independently from home. IDYLLIC students receive training and guidance that will help them to live independently in the community with minimal supports. Funding to develop the IDYLLIC program is provided by The Sontag Foundation.
How does the OCT Residential Program Work?
Students reside in apartments with fellow students and a Housing Assistant. Each student has their own bedroom and bathroom and shares a living room, dining room, laundry and kitchen. Students receive the following services:
- Training and support in activities of daily living
- Hygiene
- Health management (i.e., promotion of healthy eating habits and provide reminders of medications )
- Cleaning
- Shopping
- Meal Preparation
- Financial management (managing money and budgets)
- Safety procedures and emergency responses
- Transportation training
- Goal-setting
- Time management
- Community Inclusion Facilitation
- Participation in community leisure and recreational activities
- Opportunities to increase cultural competency
- Socialization Training
- Increase of effective socialization skills within diverse environments and populations
- Promotion of socialization with other college students and apartment residents
- Social and roommate etiquette training
- Training in teamwork and group dynamics
- Promotion of responsible and adaptive social behavior
Services provided to students are individualized according to student goals and needs. As students progress with their acquired independent living skills, the HA's role and level of involvement will fade; however, they will always be available to provide students with any required support. It should not be expected by parents or a student that HAs will provide constant or full time oversight or supervision. Students will be encouraged to engage in independent living activities independent of a HA (depending on student progression) and will also be encouraged to engage in independent decision-making and personal choice processes.
Eligibility Requirements for the OCT Academic Program
- Have a developmental disability
- Have completed high school coursework
- Have not received a standard high school diploma (students having received a special diploma or certificate of completion are still eligible)
- Be eligible for or receiving SSDI or SSI
- Have a desire to receive transition services in a college setting
- Have exhibited a need and a desire for greater independence
- Be able to travel independently while on the college campus
- Have transportation to and from the college campus
- Have had two paid or unpaid community work experiences
- Have exhibited socially adaptive and responsible behavior when left unsupervised
- Be able to communicate with others
- Be at least 18 years of age
- Have satisfactory school attendance from previous schools
- Have health insurance (Medicaid, Medicare, Private)
- Must consent to being photographed, videotaped, interviewed and/or quoted in media and publications
- Have own cell phone before entering the program (This is not provided by OCT)
- Consent to participate in OCT longitudinal research studies
Tuition
The Arc Jacksonville Academy OCT at UNF is a private school serving students 18 years of age and older in a comprehensive transition program on the campus of UNF. In addition to private pay, The Arc Jacksonville Academy accepts the McKay Scholarship for qualified Florida students. Students under the scholarship may be eligible to fund their participation within the Academic program if their scholarship funding amount covers the OCT tuition. The McKay Scholarship program is a State of Florida program which allows an ESE student with disabilities in a public school to choose a private school education. The funds allocated by the State for that student based upon their IEP needs (matrix level) is then sent to the private school of their choosing. Information regarding McKay Scholarships is available at
http://www.floridaschoolchoice.org/Information/McKay/.
Tuition is determined individually for each student in consultation with OCT staff and is predicated upon the level of need of the student.
OCT Brochure
OCT Application
The IDYLLIC residential program is completely private pay.
OCT Residential Application
Contact Us:
Director
Office: (904) 620-3892
Cell: (904) 434-7062
Program Coordinator
Office: (904) 620-4804
Cell: (904) 338-3200
Email:
coeoct@unf.edu
Program Assistant
Office: (904) 620-3890
Email:
coeoct@unf.edu
The Arc Jacksonville Academy Principal
The Arc Jacksonville Director of Advocacy
Office: (904) 358-1200
Email:
ctemple@arcjacksonville.org
Summer LIFE Experience
Living Independently Finding Enrichment (LIFE) is a summer program for individuals 18 – 26 years of age to obtain a "sneak preview" and crash course into living independently, located in Jacksonville, Florida. LIFE Experience is located in a gated, luxury apartment community that caters to college/university students. The apartments are conveniently located minutes from UNF, FCCJ, central to shopping centers, beaches, movie theatres, and museums. Participants enjoy the privacy and responsibility of their own private bedroom and bath, in furnished 4 bed/4 bath apartments. Each apartment will have a Housing Assistant to provide live-in supports. Security guards and cameras strive to provide a safe living environment. Apartment amenities include: two swimming pools, tennis courts, basketball courts, ping pong tables, pool tables, fitness center, cable, and wireless internet.
What are the benefits of the LIFE Experience?
Participants obtain a "sneak preview" and crash course into living independently:
- Individualized support (1:5 staff to student ratio)
- Customized training
- Develop friendships
- Enhance decision-making skills
Social Emotional Skills: Team building, social etiquette, conversation skills, personal boundaries, expressing/identifying emotions, nonverbal communication, and stress management
Leisure: Learn how to occupy free time, plan social events, enhance time management skills, explore interests, gain hobbies, and explore the community
Daily Living Skills: Cooking, chores, medication management, hygiene seminars, budgeting, sewing, safety/emergency training, how to do household repairs, transportation training, and decision-making
A sample day...
- Wake Up-Get Ready
- Prepare breakfast
- Meet by the pool to plan the day
- Play tennis
- Pool house leisure activities (swimming, pool, ping pong)
- Kitchen/cooking safety
- Prepare lunch
- First Aid Training
- Budgeting
- Relationship Building
- Prepare Dinner
- Planning for tomorrow
- Take city bus to movie theatres
- Lights out
Many individuals with developmental disabilities may not know their prospects for living independently. The LIFE Experience provides these individuals with the opportunity to test life away from home and for families to learn about the prospects of how their son or daughter might successfully transition into community-based living.
Interested individuals should meet the following:
- 18-25 with a developmental disability
- Have exhibited a need and a desire for greater independence
- Be able to travel independently on campus
- Socially adaptive and responsible behavior
- Be able to communicate with others
- Be independent in grooming and hygiene routines*
*Note: Participants needing personal care assistants and any other modifications should call for further information
For more information, including fees, contact:
Office: (904) 620-3892
1 UNF Drive (Building 3/Room 1302)
Jacksonville, FL 32224
Email: coeoct@unf.edu
www.arcjacksonville.org
LIFE Brochure
LIFE Application
Arc Jacksonville Academies Ethics/Policies and Procedures
