Clinical Services

All nurses (RN) are licensed by the State of Michigan and provide nursing assessment and develop care plans for individuals with developmental/intellectual disabilities who have ongoing medical issues (such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes, decubitus ulcers, epilepsy, etc.). They coordinate information with the individual’s other team members and assist in care coordination with hospitals, physicians, pharmacies, labs. They provide ongoing medical consultation to individuals, staff, care givers, and family members.

The RNs also provide support for the Psychiatric Medication Clinic for those who receive psychotropic medication from agency psychiatrists. They provide medication education, support, and specialized care plans as well as monitoring and performing a brief assessment prior to the individual seeing their psychiatrist. They are instrumental in obtaining prior authorizations for medications and are often a liaison between the pharmacies/labs and the psychiatrist.

All nutrition services are provided by licensed registered dietitians (RD) who meet state guidelines for continuing education as mandated by their profession. The staff provide assessments, care plans, nutrition education, individualized menus, training on nutrition for both consumers and staff. The nutrition care plans are designed to address a lifetime of health. Services include healthy lifestyle groups, nutrition education, specialized diets, etc. They also provide instruction on sanitation and food safety.

RDs work with individuals with intellectual/developmental disabilities (children and adults), adults with mental illness, and the older adult population. They work with a wide variety of diseases – including renal failure, PKU diets, heart disease, diabetes, cancer, etc.

All CMHA-CEI Occupational therapists are registered by the NBCOT and are licensed in the State of Michigan. They provide assessment, plan development, monitoring, therapy, and training for individuals (and their caregivers) who need assistance with the following: activities of daily living skills, have sensory processing disorders, require therapeutic exercise, require assistive/adaptive equipment, mobility devices (wheelchairs, walkers), orthotics, body mechanics, transfer techniques, neuromuscular management, development of cognitive skills, community/work re-integrations training.

Some of the OTRs have extensive training in sensory processing disorders and have over 10 years of experience in this area working with both children and adults.

All staff are licensed to practice either as psychologists (FLP, PsyD, or LLP) or as a behavior treatment specialist (LMSW). Assessments – psychological (adaptive functioning, intellectual, and functional behavioral assessments) are provided to assist with challenging behaviors. Psychologists are mandated to provide psychological testing and adaptive functioning as ordered by the probate courts for the purpose of recommending guardianship for persons with developmental/intellectual disabilities.

A culture of gentleness (based on Gentle teaching principles by John McGee) permeates all positive support plans. Evidence based practices are utilized in development of positive support plans and inserviced by the plan’s author.

A few of the evidence-based practices used in the delivery of services include:

• Antecedent-Based Interventions
• Functional Behavior Assessment
• Naturalistic Intervention
• Self Management

Speech-Language Pathology (SLP) Services are provided by individuals who are certified by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and licensed in the State of MI. They provide assessment, plan development, monitoring, therapy, and training for individuals (and their caregivers) who need assistance in the areas of speech production, language, voice, swallowing, and hearing screening.

Alternative-augmentative communication services utilized include American Sign Language, Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS), and a variety of output devices – including iPods, iPads, and other devices. Assessments in the areas of assistive technology include the use of switches to access computers, communication devices, appliances, etc.

Some of the evidence-based practices utilized include:

• visual supports
• video modeling
• social narratives
• joint attention
• picture exchange communication system
• speech generating devices

Staff have been specially trained in the use of the PECS and the Beckman Oral Motor intervention.