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ECHO Programs & Services

There is a story behind every man and woman that becomes a part of the ECHO family. Through the support of their families and the caring staff at ECHO, each individual is able to overcome barriers to employment and community access and achieve their optimal levels of personal and economic growth through ECHO programs that provide jobs for people with disabilities and much more.

Programs & Services include:

Group Supported Employment
Individual Supported Employment
Day Support and Community Integration
ECHO Academy and Assessment Center
Medically Fragile
Transportation

Supported Employment - Jobs For People With Disabilities ECHO

Group Supported Employment

ECHO specializes in providing valued, meaningful community-based employment designed to maximize each individual’s opportunities in accordance with their interests. The individuals work in small groups with on-site support at businesses in the local community.

Benefits include:

Opportunities to try a variety of work
Daily training and support at the worksite by qualified staff
Paid vacation/sick days and holidays
Transportation services from home to work for most participants in Loudoun and Fairfax Counties
Pay based on productivity using approved wage rates
Help in achieving individual goals
Opportunities to access the community
Advocacy support

Individualized Supported Employment

ECHO is now offering a new program, Individualized Supported Employment (ISE), to assist participants secure employment through coaching, individualized support and training. ISE is a powerful and flexible way to create employment opportunities, ensure regular employment benefits, provide ongoing support and achieve full participation and integration into the workforce and the community at-large.

Individuals in the program are assigned a job coach to assist with the employment process from start to finish. This involves assessing the individual’s strengths, weaknesses and job interests and assisting with skill building, resume writing, job applications and job interviews. Once in the workplace the job coach helps with learning the various job responsibilities. As the individual becomes more familiar with the position the job coach fades and only provides services as-needed to ensure the success of the individual and business partnership.

Please contact us at (703) 779-2100 or info@echoworks.org for more information.

Day Support

The ECHO L.I.F.E. (Learning, Independence, Friendship, Empowerment) Day Support Program offers skills training to individuals who are not currently interested in, or pursuing, employment as the main focus of their day. Through a combination of structured group and individual activities, participants enhance skills in daily living, safety, communication, decision-making, self-advocacy, and other areas. In-house skills training is reinforced through weekly community trips to music therapy, libraries, volunteer opportunities, and various physical and recreational activities. Person-centered service plans are developed to build on the interests and choices of each individual.

The L.I.F.E. Academy, available to all Day Support participants, offers a structured teaching environment to enhance individuals’ purpose and independence. The Academy uses curriculum-based training in over 200 focus areas—including life skills, vocational development, computer technology, and social skills—as well as personalized training sessions designed by the ECHO staff. Participants receive certificates of completion based on criteria for each course.

ECHO Academy and Assessment Center

The LIFE Academy is currently available to all ECHO Day Support participants. Please click here for more information.

The ECHO Academy, currently under development, will cultivate independence, employability and purpose for people with disabilities through structured training in a variety of life and vocational skills. It will be open to individuals outside ECHO.

Please check back for updates on the ECHO Academy.

The ECHO Assessment Center utilizes the innovative PAES lab to detail participants’ career aptitudes and interests.

Medically Fragile

ECHO’s Medically Fragile Program offer person-centered, comprehensive support and training for individuals with significant support needs. The goal of this program is to maintain and enhance an individual’s physical, cognitive, social and emotional abilities that will result in an optimal quality of life for each individual. This program serves up to 20 men and women.

The Medically Fragile Program Staff consists of:

Licensed Registered Nurse(s)
A Licensed Practical Nurse
An Occupational Therapist
Certified Nursing Assistants and Aides
Drivers

Our staff consults with families, physical therapists, special education teachers, support coordinators, physicians and residential providers to ensure a comprehensive, personalized program to meet each individual’s goals. Each person has a customized exercise program developed by the occupational therapist that works to enhance his or her strength, endurance, and range of motion. This program also provides opportunities for community involvement, socializing, and skill development.

Med Fragile - Jobs For People With Disabilities ECHO

Transportation

Transportation is another important part of the ECHO advantage. Since our beginning, we have provided daily transportation to and from a program participant’s residence and their worksite. This has allowed individuals with disabilities greater opportunities for employment and community involvement.

As ECHO programs and services have grown, so has our transportation system. We now have 37 vans and small buses, many of which are wheelchair accessible, that in total average 24,000 miles per month while transporting approximately 160 program participants to and from their homes and worksites.

ECHO is now a Logisticare provider which allows individuals funded by Medicaid Home and Communities-based waivers to use ECHO transportation. ECHO also contracts with the Loudoun County Department of Family Services, coordinating VIEW transportation and providing on-demand transportation for their clientele.

How to Access Our Services

Please click here for information on how to access ECHO’s Employment and Day Support Services.