BAROCO'S  WAYSIDE AVE WEST SPRINGFIELD
 DAY HABILITATION PROGRAM

Location and Program Hours
       In November 2001, Baroco opened our Day Habilitation Program located at 115 Wayside Avenue in West Springfield.   The 6000 square foot site has been fully renovated to our specifications and includes many amenities to make the program more comfortable and productive for the people who attend.  As with all our sites the facility is fully air conditioned.  All rooms have windows to allow for abundant natural lighting.  Each room has a handicap accessible bathroom with built in mat tables for personal care.  Additionally we will have a large private outdoor area.   We are open Monday through Friday from 9 A.M. to 3 P.M. 52 weeks per year.  We are closed on ten major holidays.

People served in this program
   The Program is designed to serve between forty and forty five adults ranging in age from 22 to 85.  While individualized services are designed to meet each participant needs,  we also pay particular attention, and tailor programming, to the special needs presented by the variety of ages of the people we serve.  Additionally, we provide bi-lingual/bi-cultural staffing and services which are sensitive to the needs of our Hispanic participants.

Services Provided
     Baroco is dedicated to providing the people that we serve the opportunity to be independent in their choice making as well as assisting them to become contributing members of their community.    
    Services are completely free to people who qualify for Mass Health.   Services available to Participants include Communication Therapy,  Occupational Therapy,  Physical Therapy,  Community Integration,  Recreation Leisure,  Behavior Therapy and Health Maintenance.  Assessments are completed in each specialty area, and recommendations are made to assist in the development of each participant's Individual Service Plan.  

Bilingual Services
    Baroco is strongly committed to ensuring that we meet the cultural and linguistic needs of all of our participants.   We have worked hard to ensure that we have excellent bilingual/bicultural  staff to interact with our bilingual participants and their families.  We feel this is absolutely critical if we are going to give all of our participants the opportunity to reach their full potential. 

Special Program Components
     At our Wayside Facility we provide a  Volunteer Program  which allows people to  contribute to their communities while at the same time enhancing the skills they have worked on at the program site.   To address the needs of our older participants we have a component that provides Services for Older Adults .

Staffing
    In order to ensure that we deliver high quality services, the program employs a total of  18 staff to provide services to the 49 people enrolled for an overall ratio of approximately 1 staff for every 3 people served.   All staff must complete rigorous initial, and ongoing, training to ensure that they are able to adhere to the high standards we expect in the delivery of services to the people we are entrusted to care for.    Consumers also have the benefit of daily on-site services of a Registered Nurse who administers medications and  oversees the health needs of each person in the program.  Baroco also employs consultants in each of the following areas: Occupational Therapy, Speech Therapy, Physical Therapy and Behavioral Therapy. 

Transportation
    Transportation to and from the facility is also completely free.  People who are accepted into the program  will have their transportation set up by their Local Area Office of the Department of Mental Retardation (DMR). 

Program Contact
    For questions or to set up a tour of our Wayside Ave, West Springfield Facility call Bonnie Symington, Program Director,  at 413-731-0000 Ext 1#  or  Ellen Hedlund, Clinical Coordinator, at 413-297-3760.