Community Integration and Community Inclusion

Minnesota has demonstrated over the past two decades that most persons who reside in institutions can be appropriately served in home and community-based settings. While many more persons with disabilities live in the community, many of them lack opportunities for community participation and social relationships.

Community integration refers to persons with and without disabilities living side by side in a city, town or neighborhood. As a part of community integration, case managers work to keep persons in the least restrictive environment where services:

• Are delivered with minimal limitation, intrusion, disruption or departure form typical patterns of living
• Do not subject person or others to unnecessary risks to health or safety
• Maximize persons' level of independence, productivity and inclusion in the community.

Community inclusion reflects the desire of persons to be a part of the community in which they live. Case managers support them in education, employment, social relationships, friendships and participation in community organizations.

 

 

 

 

 

© 2005 Disability Services Division, Minnesota Department of Human Services.
All rights reserved.