Understanding Our 5 Core Services

Independent Living Skills training is the first of five core services of The Whole Person. There are many different components to help people with disabilities rely less on other people, be more independent, and get to know other people similar to them in their community. Employment services help individuals with disabilities improve skills they may need for a career and find a permanent job. Personal attendant services allow people with disabilities in Missouri and Kansas to hire a personal care assistant to help them with daily tasks they may not be able to preform on their own. Deaf and hard of hearing services encourage deaf individuals to successfully live an independent lifestyle with teaching to bring the deaf and hearing communities together to properly communicate. The telecommunication access program provides free assistive technology to assist with basic phone use. The Whole Family project provides sign language classes to help families better communicate with family members who may be deaf, hard of hearing, or nonverbal. Youth services help children and teens with disabilities ages 14 to 21 learn skills needed for common daily activities to help them transition into adulthood and be more independent. Blindness low vision experience program encourages individuals who are blind or visually impaired to engage with others in their community and participate in in person activities and online events.

The second core services is Individual and Systems Advocacy. Personal or self-advocacy is when an individual learns the knowledge and skills to solve their own problem. Peer advocacy is when two or more individuals with the same goal work together to achieve that goal. Systems advocacy is when the community works together to educate and influence legislation and policy at the local, state, and federal level. Legal Advocacy is when you file a formal complaint and take legal action when most commonly the ADA is being violated.

The third core service is information and referral. If someone calls asking where to get braille or talking books, I’ll refer them to Wolfner Library. We give Consumers information about things they ask for like how to turn on audio description on Netflix and refer them to another organization that can better assist them.

The fourth core service is Peer Support. For people with disabilities, peer support groups can be a great way to connect with local individuals with your disability, get resources, and learn helpful life skills. The “Advocates in Action” group is for anyone with a disability and anyone in the community who wants to participate in civic activities at the city, state, or federal levels of government impacting people with disabilities in Kansas and Missouri. The “Brain Injury” support group connects individuals 17 or older who have had a brain injury from an accident, stroke, tumor, aneurism, and seizure disorder to each other and the resources they need. The “Deaf Peer Social and Support” group is for people who are deaf or hard of hearing to connect with each other and share helpful resources. The “Life with SCI/D” group is for individuals of all ages with spinal cord injuries or related disabilities to support each other and meet other individuals going through the same experiences. The mental health peer mentoring group is support for anyone with a mental health disability, much like a therapy session with others like you. “TWP Getting Social” is a social group for everyone with any disability, their friends, family, PCA’s, etc.

The final core service The Whole Person offers is Transition services. The “Show-Me Home” program helps eligible Missourians who are 18 or older who are physically disabled live more independently by allowing them to choose where they live and get helpful services, helping them move out of nursing homes and transition to living independently, and providing them with high quality services in the community. To receive help from Show Me Home you must be eligible for or currently have Missouri Medicaid before moving out of a nursing home, have lived in a nursing home for at least 60 days, you are able to move into a home that is leased or owned by you or a family member, or move to residential housing with no more than four people. Transition services for Kansas residents must be referred through Aetna or Sunflower Managed Care.

Those are the five core services The Whole Person has to offer. If you’d like to learn more about each service, visit our services page. There you will find more information and contact info for the specific service you’re interested in.