Tri-Development Center
of Aiken County

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Individuals that we serve

WHERE TO OBTAIN SUPPORTS

Under the service delivery system in Aiken County, an individual’s case manager  at the Aiken County Board of Disabilities or early interventionist at the Aiken County Board of Disabilities provides him/her with assistance in identifying possible providers to meet his/her needs for supports. Other members of an individual’s circle of support can also provide him/her with assistance in this area. When support needs have been identified in an individual’s Plan of Supports, they may be sought from various sources including, but not limited to, the following:

  • Family members
  • Friends, employer, co-workers, and acquaintances
  • Generic agencies that provide the supports desired (Aiken Area Council on Aging /Your Life Care Connection, Aiken/Barnwell Mental Health, Aiken County Parks and Recreation, Aiken Technical College, Aiken County Mental Health Association, Children’s Place, American Red Cross, USC/Aiken, Cumbee Center to Assist Abused Persons, etc.)
  • Specialized agencies/businesses/groups providing services to people with autism, brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, mental retardation, and related disabilities, that are willing to provide the desired services to the individual (Tri-Development Center, Hitchcock Center, Pediatric Therapy, Progressive Therapy, Special Olympics, etc.)
  • Clubs and special interest groups (Rotary International, Toastmasters, Quilting Club, Newcomers Club, etc.)

We are committed to supporting people and families where they live and according to their needs and choices.

Services to People with Brain and Spinal Cord Injuries

In 1993, the Aiken County Board of Disabilities and Tri-Development Center changed their mission statements to include the provision of services and supports to people with brain and spinal cord injuries. This was in support of a statewide effort to develop, coordinate, and enhance the delivery of services to people with brain and spinal cord injuries. In 1994, the General Assembly for the first time appropriated limited funding to the S.C. Department of Disabilities and Special Needs to serve people through its Head and Spinal Cord Injury (HASCI) Division. Services in Aiken County affected by these disabilities are provided on the basis of the availability of funds that are very limited. Waiting lists for services exist in our county, as throughout the state.

Priorities for services and supports include:

  • information and referral;
  • case management to directly assist an individual in accessing all appropriate public and private resources;
  • modifications to enable a person to better access his or her own home;
  • equipment and devices to facilitate greater independence;
  • personal assistance for essential activities of daily living; and
  • services and supports to improve functioning, increase productivity and promote self-determination.
Services to People with Intellectual Developmental Disabilities and Related Disabilities

Services through the Aiken County Board of Disabilities and Tri-Development Center to people in Aiken County with intellectual developmental disabilities and related disabilities are provided in a variety of settings. Such services may be provided in at job sites, day vocational programs, in individuals’ homes, at area recreation centers, etc. Services and supports are available locally to individuals who live with their families, in their own households, and in various types of congregate living arrangements. A few individuals from Aiken County continue to receive residential services through regional centers operated by the S.C. Department of Disabilities and Special Needs. Services are provided on a priority needs basis to persons determined eligible for services.

 

Service to people with Autism and their Families

The following services are included among those that are offered through the Autism Division:

Consultative Services assist Tri-Development Center, the Aiken County Board of Disabilities, public schools, and other state and private agencies in serving people with autism. Regional consultants and staff work with service providers to ensure that quality and appropriate services are provided.

Early Intervention Services include diagnostic services for preschoolers, family training, and consultation.

Evaluations provide information for service planning.

Summer Programs include day camps that provide supervised recreational activities and structured guidance to children with autism. The camper-to-counselor ratio is 1-to-1. Trained counselors accompany children to other camps such as church camps and 4-H camp.

Family Support Services encourages families to care for their family member with autism at home by providing home and community based services tailored to meet the needs of the individual and family. Services and supports are responsive, flexible, culturally sensitive, and well-coordinated. Family support services include seminars, consultation, referral, training, and respite care for families.

Specialized Training is provided to professionals who serve individuals with autism. Teachers, job coaches, community living staff, aides, volunteers, and other professionals may request this training.

Coastal Autism Resource and Evaluation Center provides in-depth assessment and diagnosis of young children in situations which require a more extensive multi-disciplinary evaluation. This center also provides structured treatment plans for families who would like assistance with home programs.

Applying for Services

To be eligible for South Carolina Department of Disabilities and Special Needs (SCDDSN) services, you must reside in South Carolina and be confirmed by DDSN to meet criteria for at least one of the noted disability categories listed: Intellectual Disability, Related Disability (i.e., a disability related to an Intellectual Disability), High Risk Infants, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Head Injury, Spinal Cord Injuries, Similar Disability (i.e., a disability similar to a head (Traumatic Brain) or spinal cord injury).  Beginning in 2017, DDSN will offer three (3) ways to Request Services from the agency:

  1. Online available at: ddsn.sc.gov/apply

(Available at your convenience)

 

  1. By Phone, Toll Free at: 1-800-289-7012

(Available 8:30am-5:00pm Monday through Friday)

 

  1. You can call 803-642-8825 for local guidance and someone local with the Aiken County Board of Disabilities will assist you or you can stop by our main administration building located at 1016 Vaucluse Road in Aiken, South Carolina (located behind Wendy’s on Richland Avenue) for assistance.