PELHAM – The Arc of Shelby County is growing its services to include a day program and a residential program for individuals with intellectual disabilities.

These services are currently being offered by the Chilton Shelby Mental Health Center, but the transition of those services over the Arc will be completed by Oct. 1. Karen Stokes, executive director of the Arc, said a change in federal Medicaid waiver rules means that Chilton Shelby can no longer operate the day and residential programs while also offering case management services for those programs.

“A program that provides case management services cannot also provide direct services, which is what the day and residential programs fall under,” Stokes said. “Chilton Shelby will maintain its case management role, and we will be working collaboratively.”

Chilton Shelby currently serves 22 people in its day program and eight individuals in its residential program. Stokes said the Arc will have to hire more employees to assist with increased administrative tasks.

“We hope to open up job opportunities with the Arc to the staff already working with those programs through Chilton Shelby,” Stokes said. “Since they already know they individuals receiving those services, it makes the transition a lot smoother.”

Stokes added that the Arc will lease the facilities that house those programs from Chilton Shelby.

“We will be working with them at the current location because we want there to be as little disruption to the clients as possible,” Stokes said.

“We at Chilton Shelby Mental Health are very excited about this new venture with the Arc of Shelby County,” said Richard Fallin, executive director of Chilton Shelby. “We believe this is the best option for our clients. We know the staff members of the Arc of Shelby County are dedicated to the care of the individuals they serve and believe they will do a wonderful job at taking care of the individuals we serve in the future.”

Stokes said she is excited about the opportunity to expand the services offered by the Arc.

“The Arc of Shelby County has seen tremendous growth over the past several years and we are excited about the opportunity to expand our programs and services to include these day and residential programs,” she said. “We look forward to working with the individuals and families we serve to ensure that they are provided with the support they need to achieve their goals. We are grateful for our partnership with the Chilton Shelby Mental Health Center and are positive that this is the best step forward for both organizations to better serve our communities.”

Through advocacy, coaching and support, the Arc of Shelby County empowers individuals with developmental disabilities and delays, and their families, to achieve their goals. This year, the organization is celebrating its 45^th anniversary of service to individuals with intellectual disabilities in Shelby County.

The Chilton Shelby Mental Health Center provides an array of services for individuals dealing with mental illness and/or substance use disorders. The mission is to promote individual health and strengthen families. For more information about Chilton Shelby Mental Health Center please visit ChiltonShelby.org.