How you can partner with us!
Would you like to make a difference in someone’s life in your community?
Are you resourceful? Are you a good communicator?
If you answered YES to any of the above,
you should consider becoming an independent support
for a person with disability in your community.
This position is created through the use of individual budgets for persons with a disability who have applied for and are eligible for financial assistance. This position works with people with disabilities who want to use an allowance of public funds to purchase their own supports. You would be the most important support to help these people live their lives according to their own personal aspirations and preferences. This position would be paid from their personally designed service budget. You would be hired by the disabled Iowan and work a variety of hours and schedules based upon their needs. Pay scale can range from $10 to $40/hour. More information about this program is available by contacting Charlene Nelson. Please contact Charlene to apply for an interview. All persons considered will be screened for dependent adult/child abuse and criminal background and must have references as to their character and community reputation. Education and training are not as important a consideration as responsibility and personality.
Email: bc_nelson@yahoo.com
Mailing Address:
Charlene Nelson
1590 Union Ave.
Belmond, Iowa 50421
Phone: 1-641-444-7244
Search this site
Important Documents
VIDEO
see a short video about this exciting opportunity
Direct Care Support
Workforce Read more about being an independent support person
Real Life Story
Testimony Read about two people who came together and made a difference
Employee Packet
Apply to be a support Complete this packet and email or mail it to us to apply
- Consumer Choices Option offers people who are eligible for financial assistance more choice and control over their supports.
- This is a well tested and proven service option that can improve an applicant’s satisfaction, access to care and quality of life.
- Applicant's choosing this option will have an individual budget that they manage and control.
- Applicant's decide who will provide their supports, how much to pay for the supports and when the supports are provided.
- Applicants will continue to have the assistance of a case manager. All applicants will continue to have a support plan developed to help guide their supports.
- There have been no greater instances of applicant exploitation or fraud and abuse than traditional services.
- This option offers assistance to help the applicant manage his or her budget and pay for the employees and other goods and services on behalf of the applicant.
- This option will offer assistance to help the applicant develop their budget and help assure their budget can meet their needs.
- This option will not increase or expand current support costs or increase the number of people using supports. This option will be cost neutral in Wright County.
- The health and safety of the applicant is not compromised under this option.
Are you looking for reliable employees or volunteers that are excited about what they do? If so, explore the untapped workforce of disabled persons in your community. According to the Iowa Employer’s Disability Resource Network (www.edrnetwork.org), approximately 193,000 working-age Iowans have a disability and want to secure gainful employment. Ten percent of those individuals hold a bachelor’s degree or higher; while seventy one percent have a high school diploma.
Disability does not mean lack of skill or productivity. Persons with disabilities are capable of giving back to their community in innovative and meaningful ways. Nationwide studies demonstrate that individuals with disabilities have equal or higher job performance ratings, have higher retention rates and have lower absentee rates than employees without disabilities (Unger, “Employer’s Attitudes,” 2002). Another statistic put forth in the DuPont Survey compared safety statistics between employees with and without a disclosed disability. The study discovered those individuals with and without a disability had identical safety records.
To learn more about how individuals with disabilities are positively impacting Iowa’s workforce please click the link below. www.edrnetwork.org or, if you would like our employment network specialist to visit with you send us an email or contact:
Caye Chelesvig
903 4th Ave NE
Belmond, Iowa 50421
Phone: 641-444-4629
Cell: 515-408-4011
Fax: 641-444-4629
Email: cayec@hotmail.com