ADAP/T
Advanced Developmental Activities Program/Training

and

VTP
Vocational Transitional Program

From its humble beginnings in 1985, the ADAP/T program has become a vital part of the entry process into the LARC organization. Each client entering LARC is initially assessed by ADAP/T program staff. If the person has no extensive need in self-care or daily living skills, he/she goes on to LARC's work center program. If it is determined that the individual needs to enhance his/her self-care and daily living skills, the ADAP/T program provides the training in those areas.

The ADAP/T facility on LARC's main campus has been designed to meet the special training needs of Lee County citizens with more severe and profound developmental disabilities. In addition to severe mental impairment, some of the 30 people currently being served by the ADAP/T program have cerebral palsy, epilepsy, are non-ambulatory, using wheelchairs for mobility and have visual or hearing impairments. Self-care and daily living skills are taught using occupational therapy techniques. Through these techniques, we are able to facilitiate increased function, fine and gross motor skills and daily living skills to those who are unable to move, or have difficulty moving and controlling their extremities.

It is estimated that LARC's ADAP/T program will account for about 30% of LARC's total clientele in the years to come. ADAP/T is the only community based program like it in the Fort Myers area. It exists solely because of the enormous amount of community support and respect enjoyed by LARC.

VTP

LARC's Vocational Transitional Program (VTP) is the newest addition to our list of needed training programs. It is designed to offer close supervision and training in a structured environment to our clients who "graduate" from ADAP/T but have not yet mastered sufficient workplace skills to enter the workshop areas. The clients in the VTP practice doing the same types of jobs that our workshop clients are doing. Each morning they work on a variety of tasks, for which they are paid a training rate. In the aftermoon the structure is more classroom-like, and clients learn color and shape recognition, safety signs and a variety of the other skills geared toward greater independence. After a period of time, individually determined by the person's progress, the individual then enters the workshop program. LARC's Vocational Transitional Program has greatly increased the success rate of our clients who need that extra helping hand in order to be productive workers.

Both ADAP/T and VTP participate in a variety of community activities (known as Community Inclusion). The ADAP/T clients participate in community field trips as a group on a monthly basis. In addition, small groups of three or four clients are given the opportunity to go out weekly on a variety of community outings.

VTP clients go on weekly outings to such places as the Nature Center, Imaginarium, the Science Center, and participate in other community recreational activities. Having the men and women of both programs participate in the community inclusion component of their respective programs is highly beneficial to promoting greater awareness of the community and their place as members of the community. Community inclusion encourages and assists our clients to reach a greater capacity for independence.