Frequently Asked Questions
VIP Services Programs
1. What is the mission of VIP Services?
The mission of VIP Services, Inc. is to empower people with disabilities to explore and experience endless possibilities.
2. What kinds of disabilities are found in the client population served?
The majority of clients served by VIP Services are individuals with cognitive disabilities. Specific diagnoses may include:
● Conditions on the Autism Spectrum
● Developmental Disabilities
● Down syndrome,
● Cerebral Palsy or a variety of syndromes.
Some clients have multiple disabilities, including physical disabilities and mental health issues.
3. How does someone go about becoming a client with VIP Services?
VIP Services clients usually begin their search for services with the Aging and Disabilities Resource Center of Walworth County (ADRC) and/or the Department of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR). Clients may then be referred to VIP Services by a managed care provider like Community Care, Inc. or, if funded by IRIS, seek services on their own. Clients may also be referred directly from DVR. In addition, arrangements can be made for clients seeking services through private pay choices.
4. What happens when someone needs service but government funding isn’t available?
Currently private pay is the only available option. VIP Services is working hard to generate new sources of philanthropic funding. Your help is needed to ensure that services for persons with disabilities remain a priority in Walworth County.
5. Are there currently people with needs in the community not being served by VIP Services?
While the new Family Care and IRIS programs were originally designed to put an end to waiting lists in the state of Wisconsin, the state’s 2011-2013 biennial budget imposed an enrollment cap on all programs that was scheduled to last until June, 2013. The legislature is currently working on rolling back the cap and it is not clear what will happen next. The waiting list statewide had grown to more than 6,000 people by the fall of 2011 with an estimated 130 Walworth County residents on the list.
DVR is mandated to serve those individuals with the most severe disabilities first. These individuals are categorized as having Category 1 needs. Disability levels are determined through the use of a screening tool and the process is sometimes time consuming. The majority of job -seeking candidates interviewed by DVR counselors are classified as Category 2 and receive services according to availability. It is very important that a DVR application is submitted as soon as the individual decides to search for a job.
6. What types of work do VIP Services clients do?
VIP Services offerings fall under three distinct program areas: Life Skills Central, Employment Central and Community Business Solutions. Life Skills Central services include daily living skills training and day program activities. Employment Central services include Career Central (a classroom based job preparation program), vocational training, job placements, job coaching/training, and transition programs for school to work training. Our Community Business Solutions program subcontracts a wide variety of value-added work from local and regional companies. You can visit our website www.vipservices-inc.org for additional information about our services.
7. What is the measure of success for client service?
Measures of success for VIP clients are as diverse as the clients themselves. VIP staff members work with other service providers to assist clients and their families in the achievement of their identified goals. Gains that may seem small to those who take ambulation and independence for granted often mean the world to clients with multiple disabilities. Other clients may have broad goals that involve living on their own with a job that allows them to be independent and to pay their own bills. Each success has an appropriate measure that is based on the individual’ client’s abilities
8. What is the cost per year to support a client with VIP Services?
The cost per year to serve a client varies according to many factors. Rates are set by managed care providers and the DVR. One of the most important variables in the mix involves the intensity of the individual client’s needs.
9. If my business has work or employment opportunities for VIP Services, how do I make contact?
VIP Services employs creative staff members who are pleased to work with prospective contractors and employers to determine the best possible fits. Our job developers work with community employers to customize employment responses. Our talented job coaches work with clients and their supervisors in community settings to ensure that the placements works for everyone. Our contract work sales manager frequently visits the sites of interested companies to help devise strategies to meet their specific needs.
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