Advocacy

Disability Services advocates for persons with disabilities within the community and refers them to other services in and outside the Catholic Charities system. Together with the Office of Disability Ministry, Disability Services sponsors a parish advocacy program to assist parish communities in identifying and responding to the needs of persons with disabilities.  Contact Marilyn Scott

Camping Programs

Camp Happiness
Since 1966, Disability Services has offered a summer camp program for persons with developmental disabilities. Camp Happiness is a seven-week day camp offered at several sites throughout the Diocese for individuals five years of age to 21 years of age.  Contact Marilyn Scott

Augustine Rainbow Camp
Camp Rainbow provides diverse day camping experiences in the Tremont area for young people from throughout the diocese.  The Camp emphasizes inclusion of all people.  For further information on the Rainbow Camp, call St. Augustine Parish at (216) 781-5530. Additional Information

Camp Christopher Residential Camp for adults with disabilities is offered at Camp Christopher in Bath, Ohio.  Contact 1-800-CYO-CAMP or visit their website

Catholic Camping Programs offers many options for people with disabilities.  Visit their website

Education

OLA/St. Joseph Center Day School
OLA/St. Joseph Center is the home to the Rose-Mary Center day education program,  monthly dances, Saturday Adult Education Program and is used for various community ministerial and social programs that include persons with disabilities.  Contact Marilyn Scott

Continuing Adult Education Program
Disability Services provides adults with developmental disabilities who are more than 18 years of age with educational options through the Continuing Adult Education Program (CAEP). This program prepares a person for independent living while at the same time providing an opportunity for educational services and social activities tailored to individual needs.  Contact Marilyn Scott

 Monthly Dances/Socials

Monthly dances and social gatherings at OLA/St. Joseph Center and Rose-Mary Center offer persons with developmental disabilities the opportunity to learn social skills and form friendships while gathering as a community. This program is provided in cooperation with many organizations and group homes throughout the Cleveland area and surrounding suburbs.
Contact Marilyn Scott

Rose-Mary Center

The Johanna Grasselli Rehabilitation and Education Center
Rose-Mary Center is a residential center for the treatment and rehabilitation of children. Children who have mental retardation, developmental disabilities and behavior disorders receive comprehensive services designed to develop basic skills.

Rose-Mary Center also manages seven group homes for adults with cognitive disabilities.  Contact Rose-Mary Center

 Special Events - Contact Marilyn Scott

Annual Walk of Hope (every October)

Journey to Bethlehem (every December)

Annual Pilgrimage liturgies

Religious Outreach to People in Developmental Centers & Group Homes

St. John Bosco Program at Parmadale

The St. John Bosco Program at Parmadale provides specialized residential treatment services for males adolescents with developmental disabilities and mental/behavioral health needs, which place these youth or others at risk in less restrictive or intensive treatment settings.  Growth, development, and treatment for youth begins with a positive relationship with a caring adult.  Child and youth care workers and other treatment staff develop this caring relationship with youth by being appropriate adult role models, and providing an environment that is firm, fair, consistent, developmental appropriate, and nurturing.  Contact Parmadale

Waiver Services

Catholic Charities is certified as an Individual Option (IO) and Level 1 waiver service provider.  Clients can use waivers to fund many of our services.  Contact Marilyn Scott or Dennis McNulty

OFFICE OF DISABILITY MINISTRY

PASTORAL CARE FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES AND THEIR FAMILIES

Monthly Retreats

The Monthly Retreat offers adults with cognitive disabilities (mr) and other developmental disabilities an opportunity to develop their religious faith by participating in weekend activities and discussions.  The program also functions as respite for caregivers and provides adult interaction for persons with disabilities.  These Retreats are offered 1 weekend each month from September to May at River's Edge on Rocky River Drive on Cleveland's west side. The cost is $120.  Contact Marilyn Scott

Persons who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing

The Catholic Apostolate for deaf persons is a ministry that proclaims the gospel through educational, spiritual, pastoral, sacramental, catechetical and social programs.  The Apostolate provides a signed (bi-lingual) deaf liturgy at more than 10 locations throughout the Diocese as well as all other aspects of pastoral ministry, including counseling, religious education, crisis intervention, advocacy, home and hospital visitation, transportation and social/recreational activities.  Interpretive services provide a qualified interpreter for deaf persons and their families as needed.

Contact Disability Ministries at St. Augustine Parish

Persons who are Blind and Visually disabled

The Catholic Blind Community assists people who are blind, visually disabled or deaf/blind realize, understand, develop and live out their lives to their full potential within the community in which they live and with the Church.  The Catholic Blind Community provides monthly gatherings that include a liturgy, meal and a presentation.  In addition, there are other meetings of the Catholic Blind Association to plan programs and services to develop ways to involve blind individuals with the community and the Church.

A home and hospital visitation program provides audio description for activities that involve the blind and transportation to church and community-related activities.

Crisis intervention, social service and advocacy are all part of this ministy.

Contact Disability Ministries at St. Augustine Parish

Persons with Mental Illness

The Office of Disability Ministry provides persons with mental illness the support necessary so these individuals will be able to function within the community and within the Church.  Disability Ministry and St. Augustine Church host the Links Clubhouse, a drop-in center providing educational, social, recreational and spiritual programs for persons with severe mental illness.

In addition, a support group for families with persons with mental illness meets monthly.  Assistance to persons with mental illness include counseling, crisis intervention, social service and advocacy and hospital and home visitation, transportation, referral and involvement with the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill and other groups established to assist them.

Contact Disability Ministries at St. Augustine Parish

Persons with Developmental/Physical Disabilities

The Office of Disability Ministry, in cooperation with Disability Services, provides educational, spiritual, pastoral, sacramental, catechetical, social and recreational programs.  The mission is to assist people with cognitive and other developmental disabilities and physical disabilities to understand, develop and live out their lives as completely as possible within the Church and the larger community.  Some of the programs provided include religious education, sacramental preparation and pastoral care at centers throughout the Diocese and at OLA/St. Joseph Center.  Special liturgies are celebrated throughout the year such as the Journey to Bethlehem and the Pilgrimage Mass.

Counseling, social service, advocacy, crisis intervention, outreach retreat program, a drop-in program for young people, specialized ministry to institutions and group homes.

(Note that developmental disabilities includes various types of disabilities, including mental retardation, autism and some physical disabilities.)

St. Augustine Parish, together with the Office of Disability Ministry and Catholic Charities Disability Services provide several special services.  The St. Augustine Hunger Center provides two meals per day, every day, as well as holiday meals for homeless individuals and persons with disabilities.

Augustine Rainbow Camp is a five-week summer program for children with disabilities, with a special mission to children who are deaf, blind, mentally and developmentally disabled as well as children from the near west side community, homeless and multi-disabled children.

The Seeds of Literacy Learning Center provides educational and personal development, sometimes leading to the GED, and always helping to develop the skills of all the individuals involved.

St. Augustine Catering/Job Development Programs seeks to develop individual skills while giving a person the opportunity at consistent work.

Contact Disability Ministries at St. Augustine Parish