ARC of Calhoun County describes ARPA-funded employment services for people with developmental disabilities

Claire Tanner, director of the ARC of Calhoun County, presented to the Battle Creek City Commission on Jan. 7 about a multi-year program funded in part by American Rescue Plan Act dollars and other grants to expand employment services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Tanner said the ARC combined a three-year, $30,000 ARPA grant with a $130,000 grant from Carewell Services to develop staffing, training, a curriculum and policies to deliver competitive integrated employment and pre-employment transition services. "We developed a whole curriculum, a set of policies and procedures, and we started serving people," Tanner said.

The ARC is offering a high-school class in Union City and said it hopes to expand that work to Battle Creek schools. Tanner described "competitive integrated employment" as paid work in the community alongside workers who do not have disabilities and said the program provides employer coaching and ongoing support after placement to improve retention.

Tanner cited local employers who have hired program participants, including a Burger King location, North Point Woods and, temporarily, Big Lots (which Tanner said is going out of business); the ARC said it will help affected placements transition to other jobs. The ARC also operates a downtown social-enterprise store that upcycles donated goods to raise funds and provide on-the-job experience.

Commissioners asked about downtown location benefits and employer partnerships. Tanner said the ARC has been downtown for years and values the connections to local businesses.

The presentation was informational; no commission action was taken.