What Is PAC Services?
Participant Assistance and Care (PAC) Services provides individualized support to individuals with disabilities as they participate in community life and improve daily life skills. Participation in community life may include meeting new people in large or small groups, developing interpersonal skills, pursuing educational or career advancement, engaging in public activities or events, and many others. Improving daily life skills may include cooking meals, managing finances, going shopping, monitoring medication, and countless others. All goals are designed to increase the independence of the individual.
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How Does PAC Work?A direct support professional (DSP) partners with the participant to provide support as they pursue personal goals to increase independence. The DSP and participant set a schedule that suits the participant's needs and fits their goals. The DSP and participant engage together in activities that are a direct benefit to the participant.
Support from the DSP may include direct assistance, escorting participants to activities or appointments, prompting and encouragement, or supervision and monitoring. Support will shift over time as the participant's skills develop. |
PAC Services and Autism
DSPs combine relational rapport and professional training to help participants achieve independence.
Having a one-on-one partner can be very beneficial to individuals with autism who want to improve their social interaction skills. The DSP can help them navigate social environments by talking through interactions ahead of time, giving feedback, being a source of encouragement, helping them process emotions, and giving guidance. By knowing the traits of the individual and strategies that are successful for them, the DSP can be a centering presence in unfamiliar or uncomfortable settings.
Similarly, as a consistent, trusted partner, the DSP can help a participant master various life skills by reducing a large task into less overwhelming steps, providing external assurance and encouragement, and serving as a model for various skills and behaviors. As a trained professional, the DSP is readily able to help the participant access resources in the community, is educated about sensory management strategies which are suitable for the individual participant, and communicates information about goal progress with the participant's case manager or Behavior Consultant (BC) to ensure that decisions about goals are based on accurate data.
Having a one-on-one partner can be very beneficial to individuals with autism who want to improve their social interaction skills. The DSP can help them navigate social environments by talking through interactions ahead of time, giving feedback, being a source of encouragement, helping them process emotions, and giving guidance. By knowing the traits of the individual and strategies that are successful for them, the DSP can be a centering presence in unfamiliar or uncomfortable settings.
Similarly, as a consistent, trusted partner, the DSP can help a participant master various life skills by reducing a large task into less overwhelming steps, providing external assurance and encouragement, and serving as a model for various skills and behaviors. As a trained professional, the DSP is readily able to help the participant access resources in the community, is educated about sensory management strategies which are suitable for the individual participant, and communicates information about goal progress with the participant's case manager or Behavior Consultant (BC) to ensure that decisions about goals are based on accurate data.
How DSPs are Trained at Partners in Autism
At Partners in Autism, newly hired DSPs receive specialized training in autism. This training, which focuses on understanding and responding to the varied and unique needs of individuals with autism, goes beyond what is standard among other service providers. Additionally, Lead DSPs complete more extensive and in-depth training on autism. This training places an important emphasis on sensory related issues. In order to pass this training, Lead DSPs must demonstrate mastery in skills related to interpreting and guiding behavior.
When a new participant is available, the Director of PAC Services will review the needs, interests, goals, and personality of the participant and match them with a DSP. The participant and DSP will meet one-on-one, and the participant will decide if it is a good match. The participant and DSP will then create a schedule for receiving services. The DSP will have access to the individual support plan (ISP) in order to see the client's goals, and the Lead DSP will remain available to answer any questions about goals and methods.
When a new participant is available, the Director of PAC Services will review the needs, interests, goals, and personality of the participant and match them with a DSP. The participant and DSP will meet one-on-one, and the participant will decide if it is a good match. The participant and DSP will then create a schedule for receiving services. The DSP will have access to the individual support plan (ISP) in order to see the client's goals, and the Lead DSP will remain available to answer any questions about goals and methods.
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