Like other individuals living with a disability that have become a part of the Janus family, Chris has faced many challenges. As a child, Chris was diagnosed with a mild, intellectual disability which caused him to struggle with behavioral and social issues early in his life. During his school years, he was easily taken advantage of by others. This lead him to have trouble developing inappropriate coping skills. After graduating high school in 2012, Chris transitioned to Janus Developmental Services, Inc. He took part in the development of his own Individual Service Plan (ISP) at Janus where goals and strategies were established. Chris also began working with a behavior therapist to address the life-long behavioral concerns that impacted his daily life.
With the guidance of the Janus professional, direct support staff, his service coordinator and his behavior therapist, Chris began to accomplish his goals. He became more self-confident as he demonstrated an increase in self-esteem and began to take pride in his accomplishments. After four years with Janus, his behavior became stabilized and is no longer considered to be of concern in social interactions.
Chris became interested in the food service industry and began to participate in the Janus Community Luncheons. He was quickly promoted at Janus to work in the Capabilities Café program located at the Hamilton County Government and Judicial Building in Noblesville, Indiana. As Chris became more skilled on how to safely prepare and store food, manage the cash register and learn the importance of providing good customer service, his ability to carry out a professional demeanor blossomed.
Chris has received many honors and in 2014, he was named the Janus “Client of the Year.” In the fall of 2016, Chris learned that he was accepted to the prestigious Erskine Greene Training Institute in Muncie, Indiana. The Erskine Greene Training Institute is Indiana’s first statewide hospitality training center for individuals with academic, social and communicative disabilities. It is extremely competitive and very few applicants are chosen. This was a huge accomplishment for Chris and his family is very pleased with the progress that he has made in four years.
Due to his innate determination, Chris has overcome many challenges and has accomplished his goals. Daniel Ladig, Behavioral Support Specialist, recently mentioned that “it has been a pleasure to watch Chris grow personally and professionally with his work at Capabilities Café. Dan continues by saying “Chris strives towards success daily, as he is never afraid to jump in and help others.”
The professional, direct support staff at Janus believes that Chris is on his way to a successful career in a field that he excels in and enjoys. We know that Chris has a bright future and is on his way to making his hopes and dreams come true!
