By Gloria Austin
Staff Writer
HOULTON — Addison Point has been in the Shiretown for eight years, but many residents are unaware of the services provided by the agency.
The Addison Point Agency is a non-profit organization that provides MaineCare-funded services to children, youth and adults who require specialized services based on their functioning level and diagnosis.
“We have three MaineCare programs in our Houlton office: Section 28 children/youth services and Section 21 and 29 adult services,” said Jason Little, program supervisor “The Section 28 program is based in the home and community settings; the Section 21 program is based in the home, community and/or work settings; and the Section 29 program is based in the community and/or work settings.”
The programs are designed for 3-year-old children up to adults, while their parents/guardians/natural supports participate in the program by assisting the staff and working together to find new methods to further assist the child/youth/adult, Little added.
The children and adults involved with the agency have intellectual and developmental disabilities to cerebral palsy, autism spectrum disorders or other related considerations. The agency works to assist in the initiation and implementation of programs for their clients. Children and youth are brought into local communities to practice socialization skills, safety skills, behavior management, and other skills that assist with community involvement, while adult programs are similar to the children/ youth program, but consumers are also able to volunteer at other non-profit locations to gain workplace experience.
The agency works to advise and support not only the individuals, but their parents, family and other care providers in formulating a solution to overcome barriers that my hinder community inclusion, while assisting in providing a less restrictive lifestyle.
Through the years, regulations have changed with more focus on parental involvement and limiting of approved activities.
“These changes are positive, especially the parental involvement, because the goal of the program is to teach the consumers and their parents/guardians to become more self-sufficient and empowered,” said Little. “ More parental involvement provides more support for the staff in the homes.
“The behavioral health professional’s (BHPs) and direct support professional’s (DSPs) are responsible for implementing the treatment plan and working directly with their child/youth/adult,” explained Little. “The program supervisors are responsible for supervision of staff, writing the treatment plan, and submitting all other required documents in order to have services authorized. It is a team effort with all the members working together towards a common goal of assisting their consumer to meet the identified goals/needs and to be a professional support for the family.”
The Addison Point Agency finds its beginnings in Walpole, Massachusetts, in 1979, where Paul and Paula Chartrand opened their private residence to three individuals with cognitive disorders to live in and be a part of their family and the community. At this period in time, many individuals who were diagnosed with cognitive and intellectual disorders were confined to living in institutions and had very little contact with the communities where the facilities were located.
The Chartrands recognized that this isolation was discriminatory and unethical, and began to advocate for a more inclusive lifestyle which promoted dignity, respect, choice, and quality.
In 1984, the Chartrands moved to Maine and opened the Rocky Goose Homestead, an adult residential home in Addison, thus the name. In 1988, the foundation of Addison Point Specialized Services, Inc., a non-profit agency consisting of four residential homes, as well as an adult learning facility. In 2000, the Addison Point Agency began serving children for the first time, offering in-home and community support.
In 2005, Andrew Chartrand began traveling to Houlton from Addison to begin services for a small amount of children/youth. That led to an office being placed in Houlton in May 2006. The Houlton office provides services as far north as Limestone/Caribou area and south to the Lincoln/Springfield area.
The Addison Point Agency Houlton employees six office staff, consisting of an office manager, a social skills facilitator, an adult program supervisor, three children/youth program supervisors, and approximately 40-45 direct care staff who work with the consumers. In total for the agency there are 152 employees between the three offices (Addison, Waterville and Houlton).
“One of the exciting additions to the agency is the implementation of weekly social skills groups for the children/youth to participate in,” said Little. “The groups are held at the office or another designated location in the community and is a time for fostering of socialization skills and skill development.”
The groups consist of a snack, a fun activity to build social skills and a learning/teaching time on skills pertinent to the children’s growth, Little explained.
Examples of teaching times have consisted of fire safety with the local fire department, stranger awareness, Halloween safety, friendship/bullying, peer interaction and teamwork.
“Several parents of the children we serve have commented that this group sets Addison Point apart from other agencies,” Little added.
In order to assist with funding of this group and to give the children/youth a learning experience, Addison Point will be holding a car wash on Monday, June 23 from noon to 4 p.m. at the Houlton Rent-A-Center. Donations are accepted and will solely be used to purchase additional crafts, supplies, resources and healthy snacks for the children/youth to benefit from. Rain date will be at the same time and location on Monday, June 30.
The Addison Point Agency is open Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
For more information on the Addison Point Agency call 532-7500 in Houlton; or visit their website at www.addison point.org.
