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Program Services

WACOSA programs offer you a variety of employment and life enrichment activities to choose from in various settings in your community. WACOSA is proud to use Person-Centered processes in all its program services - Your success is our mission.
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Here’s What Program Services We Can Help You With

WACOSA programs offer you a variety of employment and life enrichment activities to choose from in various settings in your community.  WACOSA is proud to use Person-Centered processes in all its program services – Your success is our mission.  WACOSA program services are licensed by the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS).  Additionally WACOSA is certified and receives referrals from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED), Minnesota Department of Vocational Rehabilitation, and Minnesota Counties. WACOSA is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF).

School-to-Work Transition:

  • WACOSA collaborates with area school districts to provide this service to you as you plan your future.
  • School-to-work transition services play an important role in helping graduates transition smoothly to their chosen workplace environment. 

Employment Development Services (EDS)

  • You will work with your team to identify specific employment goals and develop an action plan to help you reach your goals, usually within a 3-month time period.
  • WACOSA will help you learn and practice the necessary identified skills and work behaviors to achieve your vocational goals and promote successful supported or competitive community employment.

Planning Services (EPS)

  • This individualized service is generally time-limited to help you learn about employment opportunities in your community.
  • You will explore and identify your work interests and skills using situational assessments, paid work trials, and job site exploration.
  • At the end of EPS, you and your team will receive a written report with recommendations of next steps leading to attainment of your vocational goals and possible employment options based on your skill sets and assessment results. 

Community Employment Services (CES)

  • You can choose to work on a crew at a community area business that contracts with WACOSA and staff will be there to help you succeed.
  • You can choose to be employed by a community area business with WACOSA staff helping you with initial on-the-job training and then ongoing as you need it.  This service helps support you and your employer so you can maintain your employment for the long term. 
  • Ongoing support is individually determined and agreed upon by you and your team and can be as few as 2 visits per month. The length of service is on-going until competitive placement is accomplished.

 

Organization Employment Services (OES)

 

  • OES services may be available for up to one year while you are seeking competitive community employment.
  • Job coaching is provided to help you increase your job skills and proficiency. In-center jobs might include packaging, collating, and simple to complex product assembly.
  • If you have not secured a job after one year, you may attend one day a week to work with staff on placement activities.

Austism Disorder Services (ASD)

  • WACOSA’s ASD services are available at all program locations.
  • These services, using current best practices, focus on the unique needs and characteristics of persons having a diagnosis of ASD or ASD-related tendencies.
  • We help you learn to adjust to changes throughout your day, since change is an authentic expectation in real world social and vocational experiences.

Day Support Services, Community Access for Disability Inclusion (CADI) and Brain Injury (BI) Waivers

  • You will enjoy a variety of employment and life enrichment activities.
  • Services include both community- and center-based paid work opportunities.
  • Pre-vocational training and supported employment services are available.
  • You can choose to get involved with WACOSA’s ever-evolving activities of life enrichment, including art, music, self-advocacy, volunteering, community, health, wellness and more.
  • People enrolled in Day Support Services must have a developmental disability or other developmental impairments.
  • People enrolled in CADI services generally have a mental health diagnosis
  • People enrolled in BI services have a brain injury diagnosis.

Program Locations

We have multiple program locations. Find our contact information and interactive maps for each program location at the link below.

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Service Resources

We have programs that offer you a variety of employment and life enrichment activities to choose from in various settings in your community.

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