Community Corner

Bus Training, Mentors for People with Disabilities

People with learning disabilities need to develop the skills to interpret a map, plan a route and coordinate arrival times.

Special training is available for elderly and disabled Arnold residents who want to ride the Arnold City Bus offered by the Jefferson County Community Partnership.

The Arnold bus service, which launched on March 17, is an expansion of Jeffco Express Bus Service which runs throughout Jefferson County, JCCP Community Coordinator Dennis Murphy said.

The buses stop at employers, retailers and government offices throughout Arnold. The bus will also deviate, about two miles, from its route to pickup and drop-off disabled riders who are unable to travel from their home to the bus stop, Murphy said.

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People without a disability tend to take several aspects of riding a bus for granted, said Jessica Erfling, vice president of client services at Sunnyhill, Inc.

Sunnyhill is a St. Louis-based non-profit that works with people who have developmental disabilities.

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Reading a map, planning a travel route, selecting a departure time to for a prompt arrival at movie are complex skills, Erfling said at the All-Abilities Expo earlier this year.

Sunnyhill can help people learn those skills, Erfling said. The organization will train people one each step needed to ride a bus. The entire process takes about 10 hours and specialists will also ride with the clients, monitor their decision-making and correct them if needed.

The organization will also train caregivers and parents how-to help disabled people strengthen their bus riding skills, Chairman of the Arnold Commission on Aging and Disabilities Commission Bill Knittng said during a commission meeting in City Hall, 2101 Jeffco Blvd., on April 20.

“It’s a very thorough program,” Knitting said to the other commissioners.

To learn more about program call 314-845-3900 
or go to sunnyhillinc.org‎.


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