How it works:

1. It starts before day one.
   • When someone is referred to AEC, we don’t just enroll them — we get to know them.
     • We talk with the family or guardian.
     • We talk with the individual’s SSA (Service and Support Administrator).
     • We review their ISP (Individual Service Plan), which outlines goals, care needs, and preferences.
       • The ISP tells us part of the story. Families and guardians fill in the rest.
2. We build from their goals, not ours.
   • The ISP contains goals chosen for — and ideally by — the individual. It might be something big (“I want more community outings”) or something personal (“I want to learn to play the piano”). We treat those goals as direction, not paperwork.
     • If someone wants music → we look for music therapy, karaoke, instruments, or rhythm activities.
     • If someone wants movement → we offer adaptive fitness, Rec2Connect-style activities, walks, or greenhouse visits.
     • If someone wants to stay on-site → we make the center the destination that day.
3. We calendar in advance — so they can choose in the moment.
   • Every month, AEC publishes a full activity calendar. It includes:
     • On-site options (crafts, games, sensory activities, music, pet therapy, movie room, ability-appropriate exercise)
     • Community outings (zoo, parks, Coe Lake, museums, ballgames, trips to Blossom Hill’s greenhouse and walking path)
     • Special/visiting programs (therapy dogs, Jacob’s Ladder, Rec2Connect, seasonal experiences)
       • The calendar gives structure — but it’s not a mandate. On any given day, individuals can choose from what’s offered.
4. Every day includes a decision point.
   • Here’s the key part of Voice = Choice:
     • “Do you want to go out with the group today?”
     • “Or, do you want to stay here and do something inside?”
       • Both answers are right.
       • Some individuals love the van, the community, the movement. Others don’t — because of sensory needs, mobility, behavior triggers, or just personal preference. At AEC, that doesn’t exclude them from a good day. We create equally enriching options inside the center.
5. We honor all ways of communicating.
   • Voice = Choice doesn’t only apply to verbal participants.
     • For verbal individuals, staff simply ask: “What do you want to do today?”
     • For non-verbal individuals, staff watch, learn, and adapt:
       • – We use what’s in the ISP.
       • – We listen to family/guardian guidance (“He doesn’t like long van rides.” “She loves music.”).
       • – We observe behavior and facial expression — because joy is visible.
       • – We adjust when something isn’t a fit. That’s not a failure; that’s data.
       • Example:
       • If someone is non-verbal and clearly distressed by transportation, we don’t force community integration. We offer center-based enrichment — sensory room, music, hands-on activity, or just a calm space — so they can still have success.
6. We refine by trial, not assumption.
   • The first week at AEC is often about discovery. We try things. We see what lights them up. We see what dysregulates them. Then we build around what works. That’s how programming stays personalized — it’s alive, not fixed.