• Children
  • Intergrated Developmental Preschool
  • Primary Development Program
  • Child Care
  • Child Check
  • Speech, Language and Hearing
  • Early Intervention Evaluations
  • Early Care and Education Council
  • Pre-K Counts
• Adults with Special Needs
  • Community Homes
  • B.E.S.T./Adult Training Centers
  • Community Outreach
  • Speech, Language and Hearing
• Older Adults
  • Geriatric Adult Day Health Services
  • Alzheimer's Caregivers Support Group
  • Seniors in Transition
• Families
  • Early Identification/Crisis Intervention Program
  • Home-Based Family Support Program
  • Families Forever
  • Pediatric Independent Evaluation Services
• Community
  • Information and Referral
  • Advocacy
  • Public Awareness/Professional Education

Adults with Special Needs

Since 1980, caring for adults with Mental Retardation with compassion and dignity are at the core of Lifesteps’ trusted programs. Lifesteps has served its mission to help individuals and families with life’s changing needs by dedicating its resources to serve the individual first. The agency strives to earn the trust of their families and loved ones by providing the highest quality care helping individuals live to their fullest potential.

Basic Education and Socialization Training, B.E.S.T. – Butler and Beaver County

In the early 1980’s Lifesteps broadened its focus to include programs to support adults with mental retardation by opening the Basic Education and Socialization Training program know as B.E.S.T. This program, which began in Butler County, later expanded to Beaver County and serves as a center-based program with occasional community outings. The program supports adults with mental retardation as they grow to their fullest potential through a highly structured program in the areas of academics, leisure skills, music therapy, art, vocations training and sensory awareness.

Community OutReach, C.O.R. – Armstrong, Indiana and Washington County

Over the past 25 years, Lifesteps has continued its mission to help individuals and families with life’s changing needs by opening three new Adult Training Facilities called Community OutReach Centers known as C.O.R. These programs still focus on supporting adults with mental retardation, and are located in Armstrong, Indiana and Washington Counties. They maintain the same philosophy as the B.E.S.T. program with a greater emphasis on community activities. The C.O.R. programs allow individuals the choice to select from many life-enhancing experiences like bowling, swimming, and library visits, shopping trips, outdoor experiences plus more.

Community Homes – Allegheny, Armstrong, Butler, Beaver, Indiana, Washington and Westmoreland Counties

In 1993 Lifesteps, as individuals moved back to their home communities from state centers, began to develop Community Homes for adults with mental retardation. The agency currently supports over 100 people, within 40 homes, in 7 counties of our 10-county service area in Western Pennsylvania. The Community Homes allow individuals to live average, normal lives in quiet residential settings.