Our Approach Is Anything But Cookie Cutter

Not in the traditional sense. For billing purposes, the state requires our services fit into a category so they recognize Branches of Life as a Center based and Non-Center based Day Services program, but that’s only because there’s not a category for us. We are a job training, career prep and life support service for people with disabilities.

No. Our jobs are to help people meet goals that they set for themselves. Even though we offer center-based services Monday through Friday, from 8-3:45pm, we are not merely caretakers.

Pre-vocational programs operate under the assumption that people need lots of practice before they can work, and have to be able to meet certain criteria before they are even able to try. We believe that some people want to work and some don’t, and we don’t believe in minimum requirements – so no, we are not a pre-vocational program.

There will be learning, undoubtedly, but we are not a school. Our goal is to offer people the opportunity to put into practice the plans they have for themselves, to create a good life – by their standard. That probably includes learning but it’s all self-directed.

Our concept is so brand-new that state licensing doesn’t even have a category for it. If you check out our bio section, you can see that we have substantial amounts of education and experience working with people who have significant intellectual disabilities, moderate intellectual disabilities, mild intellectual disabilities, developmental disabilities, and autism. We have a clear vision and the knowledge of how to make something amazing happen. Come try it with us!

Our days are client-directed, based on what their team decides upon during the person-centered planning process. We begin our day with a morning meeting where we each have the opportunity to check in with each other, address any burning questions or concerns, and make decisions about the days schedule. Our schedule includes: stretching/yoga to combat stress and encourage movement for tight muscles; individual or small group trips out for errand running or activities; volunteering in the community; exploring questions or concepts; literacy instruction; communication instruction; opportunities to become more independent; social media, art and projects; skill building; help with behavioral difficulties; screening Youtube videos; Pinterest recipe contests; and so many more.

There are so many things that we might do in a day that it’s hard to think of them all. Email us if you have cool suggestions, or volunteer if you’d like to come hang out & show us how to do something cool.

Yes! We feel like it is not our obligation (or yours, as parents / caregivers) to dash someone’s dreams on the hard rocks of reality. We realize that all people have limitations. We realize that some things feel impossible.

We also realize that our personal, most ridiculous dreams are special and it feels really good to have the people that love you standing beside you, trying to help you get there. If we fail at something, let something else be the gatekeeper — be that a governing body, or an audition that we don’t get, or money that isn’t raised — not the people that care the most for us.

If we fail at helping people accomplish their biggest dreams, we’re betting that we’re still going to make amazing progress toward it. What’s the harm in that?

We believe that all people communicate all the time. It’s our job to figure out what form that communication is taking, what the person is saying with their communication, and then work toward helping the person communicate in ways that everyone understands, while also helping families and caregivers learn what their current communication is saying.

Sometimes it takes time. Fortunately, we have about 60 days from the time that a person joins us at Branches to spend time with them and figure out what they’re communicating and how before a person-centered plan happens.

That’s okay! We can figure it out together. As members of their team, your perspective matters, too. We respect your relationship and want to join their team as well. Together, we can make sure that we’re doing our best.

Branches believes that all people can work, and if someone wants to work we’re going to do our best to help them get there. We specialize in Discovery, Customized Employment, & Workplace Assistance. For more information on our Employment Services, click here.

We believe that people can and should do whatever makes them happy and whatever aligns with their particular interests or skill-set. For some folks, this could mean cleaning but it doesn’t have to. We are very creative people and we have a lot of faith in the magic that happens when people are allowed to follow their dreams.

A ton. We wish we could say it was easy but amazing lives are never easy. We understand that everyone needs to run their own lives though and caregiving is a tough job. It’s our hope that we can help build a team of people around your person with a disability, to take some of the weight off your shoulders. If everyone contributes just a little bit, then one person doesn’t have to do all the heavy lifting. And we’re super strong, so don’t worry!

State-recognized official identification cards are important things, and most adults have them. They are typically needed for transactions and they have identifying information on them, just in case.

If you feel nervous about the process, visit the DMV website and read about the requirements before going.

• Fill out as much of the paperwork in advance, or stop by alone and pick up the paperwork if your person who has a disability dislikes waiting at DMV as much as I do.

• The fee is $10, and $10 to replace the ID card. The replacement part can be done online.

No. This is a short term service for adults 18+ that uses evidence-based practices to help them become more effective and confident in fully integrated settings.

This service has flexible hours. We can discuss what best works for the type of scenario we want to address and make sure that it is a good fit for your schedule.

In most instances, Life Coaches transport clients to, from and during the service. Life Coaches may also meet the client within the environment where the scenario needs to occur, particularly if the practice scenario requires brevity.

Location really depends on the type of work being done, client preference, and the environmental conditions necessary for the scenario, but all of our work happens in a fully integrated setting where people with and without disabilities naturally visit.

Service times vary greatly, depending on the endurance of the person receiving service, the type of work being done, and the tolerance that the person has for work that is new or challenging. Individual sessions might range in time from 15 minutes to 2+ hours.