What is the difference between Community Engagement and day support in Virginia?

Group day service (day support)

Group day service helps a person acquire, keep or improve skills of self-help, socialization, community integration, career planning and adaptation, through peer interaction and time in the community. It is typically offered in a nonresidential setting, on a regular schedule, in places separate from the person’s home. Skill-building is part of the service unless the person has a documented progressive condition, in which case it can focus on keeping skills and slowing regression.

Providers of group day service must hold a DBHDS day support or community-based day support license.

Community Engagement

Community Engagement uses the community as the learning environment: volunteering, public events, educational events and keeping up relationships. Other than planning time, it is delivered in the community and not in a licensed residential or day setting or the person’s home. Providers must be licensed by DBHDS for non-center-based day support.

Side by side

• Setting: group day is typically offered in a nonresidential setting, separate from the person’s home; Community Engagement takes place out in the community.
• Group size: group day needs at least one staff member for every seven people; Community Engagement groups are three people or fewer, with at least one direct support professional.
• Waivers: Community Living, Family and Individual Supports, and Building Independence cover both.
• Hours: both count toward the same 66-hour weekly limit, together with community coaching, workplace assistance and supported employment.
• License: group day needs a day support or community-based day support license; Community Engagement needs a non-center-based day support license.

What “day support” means in Virginia licensing

DBHDS licensing rules define day support service as structured programs of training, assistance and specialized supervision that help adults with a developmental disability gain, keep or improve self-help, social and adaptive skills, in nonresidential community-based settings. The definition excludes services whose main purpose is employment, general education or general recreation.