Participant Handbook

for Community Services

Whats

Were Glad Youre Here!

Inside
Welcome &
Locations

Services

Rights

Congratulations on enrolling in services with

Learning Opportunities/Quality Works, Inc. (LOQW).
You can choose any service provider
and you can change service providers at any time.
Thank you for choosing us!
This Participant Handbook has important
information about how all of us at LOQW can work
together.
This handbook does not cover all situations or all
procedures or policies. You can make suggestions to
improve this Participant Handbook.

Our Mission
Responsibilities 4

It is the mission of Learning Opportunities/Quality Works, Inc. to positively impact

the lives of individuals through support, advocacy, and connection to resources.

Our Locations
Safety

201 N. Locust St., Box 254 Monroe City, MO 63456

Phone: (573) 735-4282 Fax: (573) 735-2580

Monroe City

Monica Shoemaker, mshoemaker@loqw.com

Additional
Information

111 S. 10th St., Hannibal, MO 63401

Phone: (573) 221-5991 Fax: (573) 221-8559

Hannibal

Jocelyn Bright, jbright@loqw.com; Jessica Mundell, jmundell@loqw.com

Additional
Information

316 S. 2nd St., Box 254, Shelbina, MO 63468

Phone: (573) 588-7919 Fax: (573) 588-0133

Cody Stoneburner, cstoneburner@loqw.com

Shelbina

204 Crescent St, Box 524, Macon, MO 63552

Phone: (660) 385-6325 Fax: (660) 385-6326
Jason Kincaid, jkincaid@loqw.com

Macon

215 E. McPherson St., Box 246, Kirksville, MO 63501

Phone: (660) 627--1749 Fax: (660) 665-4035
Peter Tom Luckey, pluckey@loqw.com; Clay Talton, ctalton@loqw.com

Kirksville

Services
Community Employment

Support Broker

Transition Services

Services designed to support individu- Support broker services are provided

als in maintaining competitive employ- to assist the individual to hire and train

Designed to prepare students 16-21

years old to pursue a career training

ment within their community in either

an individual or group setting.

staff and manage their self-directed

supports.

program or for placement in competitive or supported employment.

Personal Assistance

Day Service

Home Skills Development

Appropriate for individuals with

specialized medical, or behavioral
needs. PA may be provided in the
home, community, or the individuals
place of employment.

Day Services support individuals in a

A service provided in an individuals
variety of ways including socialization, home to support them in developing
independent living skills, & community the personal care & life skills necessary
access. LOQW offers this service at the
to successfully manage their home.
Monroe City office.

Respite

Community Integration

Job Discovery

Respite is a service provided when an

A service provided to support

A time to discover your skills, interests,

individuals regular care taker is absent

or needs short-term relief.

individuals in accessing their

community & available resources.

& support needs, helping shape the

direction of your job search.

Teamwork
LOQW strives to support individuals in the best way possible that makes the most sense for the person served. To accomplish
this, LOQW becomes fully invested as a member of your support team. As a member of your team, LOQW will support you
to develop your individualized service plan (ISP) including the goals you would like to work toward and accomplish. LOQW
can connect you to a variety of community resources & networks & will work together with the rest of your team.
Your input regarding the staff that will provide your services and the time(s) those services occur is a priority. We encourage
you to make us aware of your preferences and needs so that we may accommodate them in the best way possible.

Staff You Can Trust

LOQW takes your employment goals and success seriously and strives to ensure you are supported by highly qualified staff.
LOQW has Certified Benefits Planners & CPI & First Aid/CPR instructors on staff to enhance the quality of service that is delivered. Additionally, all staff are trained in the following:
Ethics & Values

Cultural Diversity

First Aid/CPR

HIPPA/Confidentiality

Person-Centered
Planning

Positive Behavior
Supports

Crisis Prevention
Intervention

Advocacy & Rights

To be treated nicely at all times and treated as a person.

To be treated like everyone else under the law.
To communicate with the people you choose.
To say yes or no to help.

To keep things of your own.

To have a safe and clean home.

To not be hurt by others.

To join in groups &

activities you choose.
To be friends with men & women.
To have a job
& make money.

To go to the doctor or
hospital when you need to.
To get meals that are
healthy and good for you.

To have your information

kept private.

To have time to yourself & a

place to go to be alone.

To say NO! to being part of

any study or experiment.

To treat others the same way you want to be treated.

To be a responsible person and not break any laws.
To listen to your doctor
To be respectful to others.

& follow their suggestions.

To take care of your things.

To keep your house safe & clean.
To tell someone if you
feel you are being hurt.

To respect the privacy of others.

To choose foods that help

To make choices that will have

keep you healthy.

good consequences.
To keep a job so you can live

To be respectful

the way you want to live.

of your friends.
To participate in a respectful manner.
To be on time for all appointments.

To choose friends who

will respect you.

To notify staff if you need to cancel or reschedule.

LOQW works hard to ensure both your safety, and the safety of others. Below are procedures that everyone is expected to follow in case you are faced with an emergency situation. LOQW staff will review
these situations and procedures with you regularly and answer any questions you may have.

Fire
In the event of a fire, follow the escape routes and EXIT signs to leave the building. Keep your eyes and ears
open, when possible so you can see or hear directions from staff. The most important thing to do is to get outside so we ask that you do not attempt to put out the fire.

Severe Weather & Tornadoes

Severe weather can be very common and it is important to remember to stay away from windows and stay
inside when stormy weather strikes. If a storm grows stronger and more dangerous you may need to seek
shelter. The best shelters are basements and rooms on the ground level that do not have windows. Once
you find shelter, sit on the floor and keep your arms & hands free so that you may cover your head. If youre
unable to sit on the floor your staff will support you to get in another safe position that fits your needs.

Violence & Intruders

Violence is not tolerated during LOQW services or on LOQW property. Possession of weapons on agency
premises, employment sites, or while receiving services is strictly prohibited.
If you are approached by someone who should not be on the premises and makes you feel like they
may hurt you or they do act out violently you should RUN! HIDE! FIGHT!

First Aid
Each office and vehicle has stocked first aid kits that are available to use. All LOQW staff are trained to treat
minor injuries and can help you learn First Aid basics too!

Special Health Concerns

Staff will have knowledge of any special health concerns listed in your Individual Service Plan (ISP). However, it
is your responsibility to keep LOQW informed if your healthcare needs change.

Affirmative Action
LOQW will provide services to individuals without regard to race, creed, color, sex,
religion, national origin, marital status, age, disability status, or protected veteran status.

Retention of Records
All records are kept at the Monroe City office. If you want LOQW to share
information with another agency or LOQW needs information from another
agency we will ask your permission via a release of information. Service reviews are shared with your funding agency without a specific updated release.
You have the right to access your own records and may do so at any time.

Abuse & Neglect

Abuse & neglect of any kind (physical, emotional, financial, etc.) is prohibited and will not be tolerated under any circumstances. Any staff member found to be implementing abusive techniques will be dismissed from LOQW immediately. If you feel that you have been violated in any
way you should report the incident to someone you trust and LOQW will follow all required reporting procedures to ensure the issue is investigated thoroughly. All honest reports or concerns
you may make will be treated as a sincere concern. You will be treated with respect and there
will be no retaliation against you for sharing your concern.
Emotional Abuse: yelling,

Financial Exploitation: staff tak-

Neglect: not responding to your

Physical Abuse: hitting, kicking,

name-calling, put-downs,
threats, and any other means

ing/spending your money, staff

borrowing money (even if they pay

health and safety needs

promptly, ignoring your con-

biting, cutting, burning, and

other ways in which another

cerns and requests concerning

your well-being, and disregard-

person may cause you physical

pain or injury.

by which another person scares you back), staff encouraging and/or

accepting gifts, and any other way
or demeans you.
by which staff intentionally allows
you to mishandle your money.

ing your overall safety and

quality of life.

Funding Sources
LOQW receives funding from the Missouri Department of Mental Health, the Division of
Vocational Rehabilitation, County Boards, and the United Way, amongst others.

Communication
Providing information to you and answering your questions is important to us.
You may sign up for our newsletter and like us on Facebook to keep in touch!

Employment Policy
LOQW is an equal opportunity employer. Please notify staff if you are
interested in applying for a position within the agency. All employees
of LOQW must have access to a bank account for direct deposit.

Disclosure
LOQW works as a team with related agencies with whom youre connected. Should you
violate conditions set by partner agencies (VR, DMH, FSD, etc.), conditions stipulated by
the court system (probation, parole, etc.), or fail to adhere to laws and regulations set
forth by the criminal justice system, LOQW will report the violation as necessary.

Drug & Alcohol Use Policy

Employers are looking for dependable employees and communities are looking for responsible members. When an employee reports for work or an individual arrives at a community activity under the
influence of drugs or alcohol, dependability, safety, and many other factors are compromised. This
type of behavior can have consequences and may negatively impact a persons job security and access to the community. Drug & alcohol use is not permitted on LOQW property or while receiving
services from LOQW. Additionally, employers within the community may implement their own policies concerning employees under the influence which may include disciplinary action or termination.

Issues & Complaints

If a consumer or concerned party feels that an individuals right has been violated, the
staff person, family member/guardian, or consumer shall report the alleged violation to
the staff person of their choice. Staff shall then direct that the details of the allegation
be provided in writing to the Executive Director or the Director of Community & Employment Services. Assistance in writing the report will be provided upon request. The
consumer will also be encouraged to contact their support coordinator as appropriate.
Issues should be resolved within 15 days. Retaliation against the consumer on
whose benefit the complaint was reported will not be tolerated.

Transfer & Re-entry

LOQW will support you in the ways that best meet your needs or transferring your referral to another agency or
agencies as agreed upon at your program plan meeting. It is our policy to help you make informed choices in
regard to the services you receive that best suit your conditions, preferences, contributions, and support needs.