N.J. Admin. Code § 10:37B-4.2

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 9, May 6, 2024

Section 10:37B-4.2 - Skills development training

(a) PA staff shall offer to consumers therapeutic skills development training with the aim of promoting community integration and restoring the individual to the maximum possible functional level by improving functional, social, interpersonal, problem-solving, coping, and communication skills.

(b) Therapeutic skills development shall involve teaching the consumer the physical, cognitive/intellectual, and behavioral skills related to identified goals in a focused manner that leads to increased competence and proficiency in identified skills.

(c) At a minimum, skill teaching in every task or area shall be guided by the following principles, and PA staff shall have discussions with consumers about:

1. The skills to be learned, taking into account the consumers' past experiences in using the skills, what the skills entail, when to use the skills, and the benefits of using the skills;

2. Breaking down the skills into their component parts;

3. Showing examples of how the skills are correctly used or performed;

4. Arranging opportunities to practice skill use in a community setting where the skills are to be used; and

5. Providing evaluation and feedback on skill performance.

(d) Skills development may target one or more of the following areas:

1. Restoration of daily living skills (for example, health and mental health education, money management, maintenance of living environment, personal responsibility, nutrition, menu planning, cooking and grocery shopping, personal hygiene, grooming, etc.);

2. Social skills development to promote the restoration of appropriate social functioning in various community settings, communication and interpersonal relationships, the use of community services, including cultural and recreational events, and the development of appropriate personal and natural support networks;

3. Skills related to accessing and using appropriate mainstream medical, dental, and mental health services (for example, making and keeping appointments, preparing questions to ask the doctor, asking an employer for time off to attend a doctor's appointment, arranging transportation, etc.);

4. Skills related to accessing, renewing, and using appropriate public entitlements such as Social Security, rental assistance, welfare, Medicaid, and Medicare (for example, completing applications, preparing for interviews, navigating the social services agency, determining which benefits are needed, etc.);

5. Skills related to how to use recreation and leisure time and resources (for example, engaging in hobbies, inviting friends, learning about community resources, applying for club memberships, adhering to club member requirements, researching available resources, attending community cultural events, etc.);

6. Skill training in self-advocacy and assertiveness in dealing with citizenship, legal, and/or other social needs (for example, how to vote, appropriate participation in community meetings and civic activities, participating in mental health advocacy activities, testifying at public hearings, expressing needs in appropriate manner, etc.);

7. Skills of negotiating landlord/neighbor relationships, educating residents on their rights and obligations as tenants/neighbors, as well as fair housing laws and landlord-tenant laws, and coaching consumer residents in terms of social skills needed to deal with and maintain good relationships with landlords and neighbors;

8. Cognitive and behavior skills including, but not limited to, the handling of emergencies and problem solving;

9. Wellness and a healthy lifestyle (for example, engaging in health promoting habits, practicing stress management activities, developing wellness plans, establishing and maintaining regular exercise, participating in spiritual or religious community, etc.); and

10. Employment, volunteer, and educational readiness activities, including: communication skills, personal hygiene and dress, time management, navigating linkages and referrals, finding available resources, making and keeping appointments, coaching for interviews, completing necessary paperwork, and other related skills preparing the recipient to be employable.

N.J. Admin. Code § 10:37B-4.2

Adopted by 48 N.J.R. 1636(a), effective 8/15/2016