How to know if our program is the right fit

While we wish we could serve everyone in our program, we do abide by the following eligibility requirements to ensure the safest and best experience for our participants:

• Individual must be 18 years or older
• Must have a diagnosis from a physician documenting physical or intellectual disability
• Applicant’s physical and cognitive needs must be manageable enough not to require one-on–one assistance or exceed our 8:1 staff ratio
• Behaviors must not prevent programming for self and others as well as demonstrate the ability to interact appropriately with other adults in the program, staff, and volunteers
• Must be non-combative and able to respond to staff requests
• Must be free of communicable disease
• Must be able to self-toilet (our program is unable to provide two-person transfers at this time)
• Must require less than 24 hours of supervision
• May live in Hamilton County, or surrounding Tennessee/Georgia counties

Being the right fit though doesn't just mean meeting our eligibility requirements. We want to make sure caregivers feel confident in the quality of our services before they put their loved one in our care. If you don't know where to begin determining the quality of our center, The National Adult Day Services Association has a Site Visit Checklist we recommend reviewing so you know all the questions to ask when you come in for a tour of our space.

We aren't babysitters

A huge part of the philosophy of our program is preserving the dignity of the individuals in our care. That is why you won't find just one schedule of events that all participants are taking part in. A primary component of Person-Centered Care is our participants get to decide how they spend their time with us. We feel that is how their days will be most meaningful. But, we do offer a calendar of activities that encourage movement, socialization, creativity, and much more. In addition, we employ an Activity Coordinator so, when someone walks through our doors, they can choose to participate in engaging programming.

Field Trips

It is important to us that our participants have different experiences out in the community, whether that is through field trips or volunteer opportunities. We try to go off campus at least once per month. Previous field trips have including going to the Hunter Museum of American Art, the Tennessee Aquarium, Bowling at Spare Time, and nature classes at Audubon Acres.

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High quality programming requires a high quality space

When you walk in the Life Activity Building (LAB), we want the space to feel safe, inclusive, energetic, and exciting; a quality setting for genuine social connections to be formed. In addition, we want the space to support our diverse programming. Here are just a few of the features you can expect to see from the LAB:

Hart Gallery Satellite Studio

The Hart Gallery, another program of Signal Centers, has a fully-equipped art studio on campus where participants can enjoy expressing themselves artistically

Sensory Room

We know that part of being human is having to figure out what to do with overwhelming feelings. We also serve many individuals whose disability comes with various sensitivities. Regardless of the occasion, our sensory room is a calming setting where participants can take a break from the hustle and bustle, reset, and rejoin their friends feeling more even-keeled.

Award-Winning Nature Playground

Our nature-based playground wasn't just designed for Children's Services. Many of the features you will find on the playground are equipped to fit both children and adults, and our participants often take advantage, enjoying time with friends out in the sun.

Nature Trail (Coming Soon)

Research shows time spent in nature does wonders for regulating our nervous systems. That is why our longtime partners, Friends of Special Children, recently held their annual ABC Event to raise funds for a new nature trail on campus. This trail will offer opportunities for participants to get exercise, be amongst native plants and trees, and observe birds and other creatures, all without having to leave our main campus.

Caregivers, we see you

When we welcome in a new participant, we partner with their family to provide high quality care. We know that, no matter how much caregivers love their child or dependent, the stresses of being a caregiver never fully go away. So for us, providing high quality care means giving caregivers a mental and physical break from those stresses. In the end, we think this is the best way to preserve the dignity of both the participant and their family. 

Caregiver Support Groups

We also offer support groups for caregivers who simply want to find community, solidarity, and resources to help ease the stresses of having a loved one with a disability or age-related need. Just let a staff member know you are interested in learning more about our support groups, and we will connect you with the appropriate person who can meet your needs.

Our Cost for Services

Our program is actively trying to prevent the premature admittance of individuals, with disabilities or those with age-related needs, into institutionalized care, especially if they don't need it. That is a primary benefit to the families we serve because our program fees are a fraction of what institutionalized care can cost. Our services are provided at a rate of $75/day with the following additional services available:

• Early care fee (7:30am-8:30am): $10 daily
• After care fee (3:30pm-4:30pm): $10 daily
• Transportation services (Tri-State Transportation): $10 daily

Funding support opportunities are available through CHOICES and the Family Support Program.

Payment Schedule

• Fees are charged monthly regardless of attendance. This ensures the spot in the program is reserved and there is adequate staffing and meals available.
• There will be no charge for services during the week of Winter Break in December.
• Further fee policy information will be discussed at the intake meeting which all families must attend prior to admittance into our program.

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