| About
Us Spectrum
Support, Inc. a 501(c)(3)
non-profit agency, helps people with developmental
disabilities such as autism,
seizure disorders, mental retardation or
cerebral palsy to live, learn, work and
play in supportive communities. |
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We
provide supports in Baltimore, Columbia, Sykesville,
Frederick, Hagerstown, Cumberland, and the
western region of Tennessee. We also provide
services to people with developmental disabilities
who reside in state psychiatric hospitals.
Many of the individuals we support have a
dual diagnosis that includes bi-polar disorder,
schizophrenia or depression. Spectrum Support provides supports, primarily to adults, in
a work setting, from their own homes, or to
children who live with their families. |
Spectrum Support operates
a residential program where people can live
with two other housemates in regular community apartments
or homes. Other people we support may choose to live
with a family (similar to adult foster homes) and
be full participants in that family's routines.
The process of change
comes about because of our unwavering belief in the
inherent good in people. When we accept someone into
our program we accept them unconditionally. We’ll
find a way for the person to be successful. It may
occur one step at a time, through repeated actions,
or until we realize that the person is not progressing
due to our not yet having found the correct way of
supporting her/him – and we then try other ways
until we develop the right combination of supports.
We keep trying, and stick it out!
The people we support
are much like you and me. They want to be accepted;
like to help others; like to have money and realize
working is a good way to receive it; wish to be treated
normally, and want to have friends, nice clothes,
vacations, and regular lives. As a result, we talk
about "supporting" individuals rather than
"serving" them. Staff members state repeatedly
that they like working with the individuals because
they learn from each other. Thus, they strive to attain
a level of mutual support rather than a top-down model
of staff "teaching" individuals how to behave,
read, do their job, and more. Mutual discovery of
a person’s strengths and abilities is exciting.
The more we can help people discover what it is they
like about themselves, the more they can develop new
horizons, new dreams and goals, and the more the community
grows and benefits as well.
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