What type of services does Zenith Services provide?

Zenith Services serves people with disabilities and their families, providing vocational and day activities. We establish community connections, teach community integration skills and offer a positive atmosphere that builds self esteem and decision-making abilities. We offer a number of volunteer opportunities, career opportunities and social integration opportunities to the individuals we serve.

Whom does Zenith Services serve?

Zenith Services has experience serving people with a variety of needs and diagnoses. These include adults with a range of developmental disabilities and related conditions, mental health diagnosis, dual diagnosis, hearing and/or visual impaired, physically disabled, chemically dependent, and challenging behaviors. We provide services to individuals who may live with family members, in a group home or a foster home setting.

What are Zenith Services’ responsibilities?

Zenith Services is responsible for the monitoring and implementation of vocational services for a consumer. This includes hiring and training staff, scheduling, and program implementation. We provide transportation to and from the consumers’ residence to the Zenith Services center or to their work sites. We provide job coaching for those employed in the community.

Do the people in Zenith Services live in a group home or with their families?

Zenith Services serves individuals who live a variety of settings. Some live with their family members, while others live in a group home or in a foster home setting.

What happens when a staff person calls in sick?

Zenith Services is open from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM, Monday through Friday. We are closed on major holidays and weekends. If a staff person calls in sick they are to find their own replacement or the Program Manager will find a replacement or cover the shift if need be.

Do you provide transportation for the consumer?

Yes, this is one of the benefits of our program. Zenith Services provides all of the transportation. Unlike other day programs, we do not contract with another agency to provide transportation. The staff members who work at the Zenith Services center and do job coaching also provide the transportation. This is one less transition that consumers have to make. All staff members who drive are screened to ensure that they possess proper insurance and have a current driver’s license. Their personal vehicles must past a Vehicle Safety Checklist.

What types of jobs to the consumer’s at Zenith Services have?

Zenith Services staff members complete a job assessment form with the individuals if they are interested in community employment. This assessment tells us what their interests are and areas of employment they would like to work in. We have a job developer who contacts employers and sets up interviews and helps the consumers’ complete job applications. Currently, we have individuals employed doing cleaning services, office support, and working in local stores and businesses.

What is a job coach?

A job coach is a staff person which goes into the individual’s place of employment with them and assists them to ensure they understand what is expected of them to do at their job. The job coach is not there to do the consumer’s work for them, but they are to assist them if the consumer has any questions and to be a support while they are working in the community. An individual may need a job coach the entire time they are at work or some may just need a job coach to check in occasionally to monitor their work.

Can an individual attend Zenith Services if there are not interested in seeking employment, but is just looking for a recreational day program?

We provide recreational day services as well. We have a number of individuals who are either retired or not interested in working. We provide weekly crafts and community outings to museums, restaurants, libraries, zoos and other places. We also work in the Zenith Services center, doing sensory activities, playing games, as well as developing reading and math skills, money skills and communication skills. It is up to the individual’s interdisciplinary team to determine the focus on the program. We have many participants that have a balanced day consisting of community activities, activities in the center, and work.

What types of goals do people work on and how are they determined?

The consumer has the primary role in determining their own goals. Each consumer has a Team, which usually consists of a county case manager, a family member or their guardian and/or legal representative, a residential program representative, and a Zenith Services representative. These individuals’ role is to assist the consumer in making choices about which goals they will work on during the year. If needs change during the year or the goals prove to be ineffective, revisions are made. A consumer and/or their team can elect to participate in Essential Lifestyle Planning (ELP) or Planning Alternative Tomorrows with Hope (PATH) planning. These are team processes that help determine outcomes areas for the consumer.

What kind of community integration does Zenith Services do with the people it serves?

Zenith Services strives to ensure that the consumers whom we serve are integrated into the community through support of community job placement, recreational groups and outings, community education, and participation in clubs and various community organizations, according to each individual’s interest. When we first establish services with an individual, we ask them about their interests and decide together how those interests can be made a part of that person’s life. Our staff members are then available to assist as necessary so that the individuals can do the activities of their choice. Activities include regularly scheduled and one time events, and may include going to the movies, bowling, dances, community education classes, connection with peer groups, the Mall of America, Valleyfair, Minnesota State Fair, and so on.

Can families and friends visit consumers at Zenith Services and are there specific visiting times?

Yes, families and friends are welcomed to visit the Zenith Services center at anytime. While there are no established visiting times, we do encourage that a potential visitor call ahead to determine if the person they would like to visit will be there and not out in the community working or on an activity.

What if a consumer wants to take a day off, go on a vacation, or is ill?

Yes, a consumer may take a day off, go on a vacation, or call in sick. We ask that the consumer or a family member/provider contact us, or leave a message on our voice mail, as soon as they know that consumer will not be attending. We will adjust the transportation routes accordingly. A consumer may be paid for this time if their individual employer offers paid vacation or sick time.

If the family member gives an individual a direction, can the staff members support and follow through with it?

Yes, assuming that the family member is the guardian and the direction would not violate any Minnesota Vulnerable Adult / Maltreatment of a Minor or Rule 40 laws. Guardians often ask staff members to support a direction given to an individual and provide assistance to ensure the consumer is able to comply with that direction.

What is the interview process for your employees?

All of our employees complete an application and interview with a Human Resources representative as well as a second interview with the Program Manager and potential consumers with whom the employee may work. Human Resources also conducts a series of background checks including reviewing an employees criminal and driving records, as well as references from one’s former employers.

What training do Zenith Services employees receive?

Zenith Services requires that employees receive training in the Minnesota Vulnerable Adult / Maltreatment of Minors Act, the Minnesota Data Practices Act, Universal Precautions, Medication Administration, Basic First Aid and CPR, Minnesota Rule 40, Boundaries, Community Integration, Programming, Resident Rights, and any other information specific to the people with whom they will be working, including training on seizures, ADHD, autism, and sign language.

Why does Zenith Services have training requirements?

Our training requirements are established by the State of Minnesota, under Minnesota Rule 245B. In addition, Zenith Services strives to exceed the state’s requirements, by providing our employees with training of an exceptional quality covering a wide range of topics related to meeting the needs of those we serve

Why are there so many rules and regulations?
The rules and regulations were established by the State of Minnesota and are in place to ensure quality services as well as to ensure the health and safety of the vulnerable children and adults that we serve.

What can a family do if they want Zenith’s services but Zenith is not currently a provider in their county?

If Zenith Services is not currently contracted to provide services in your county, you may contact your county Social Worker to request this as well as contact us to notify us of your interest. We often begin providing services in a county as a result of a parent or consumer request or we can request host county concurrence which will allow us to provide the service on a case by case basis.

Are the participants of Zenith paid employees of Zenith?

Zenith Services consumers who have employment as a part of their plan are employed by community employers, such as Target, Walmart, Perkins, and so on. We also offer an enclave (group work situation) through Orion Associates, a sister company to Zenith. The Zenith participants that work in the enclave are employed directly by Orion Associates.

How does Zenith find jobs for their participants?

Zenith Services contracts with Pinnacle Services who provides Job Development Services. The Job Developer meets with the participant and completes a job assessment. Based on that assessment, the job developer contacts community employers for a job that will best fit the participant. The Job Developer also does “job carving,” a concept in which one or more pieces of a job are completed by the participant. For example, the participant may be hired to deliver mail delivery at an office or shred paper at a bank, but they are not required to complete any other duties.