FAQ

Chrestomathy is a day training and habilitation service for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The three program sites are located in Minneapolis, Minnesota and in the nearby suburbs of Eden Prairie and Burnsville. Unlike most other programs serving this population, Chrestomathy is a specialized and relatively small company. Founded in 1985, our success can be attributed to our commitment to excellence, our commitment to working with individuals with complex needs and our positive, proactive approach to working with the individuals we serve. Openings in Chrestomathy's programs are coveted.

The name Chrestomathy was selected for the Greek derivative meaning of "useful learning." The name and the program are unique and the name provides a nice summary of our approach with participants. We endeavor to teach new skills and assist program participants in developing new interests that have personal relevance.

Chrestomathy began providing day program services at the Minneapolis location which opened in 1985. Chrestomathy II in Bloomington opened in 1992 and moved to Eden Prairie in 2001. Chrestomathy of Dakota County in Burnsville opened in 1995.

Chrestomathy serves a wide range of individuals with a variety of needs. We have a number of different groups available as well as some individualized schedules which allows us to successfully serve individuals who may function anywhere from the profound to mild range of intellectual disability. Some of our participants are in the community much of the time but the majority of our program participants need center based programming and the special structure that provides for at least part of their day. Many of the individuals served have diagnoses of autism, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, or sensory impairments. All program participants live in some type of supervised setting, whether it a parental home, foster home, or group home in a neighborhood setting. Our participants really enjoy coming to Chrestomathy.

First and foremost, our specialty is interacting with individuals who have intellectual and developmental disabilities in the most positive, proactive way possible. Our enhanced staff ratio allows us to work with individuals with many types of behavior: aggression, elopement, self injurious behavior, spitting, toileting problems, non-compliance, etc. We also really value and integrate work into the experience for each individual, depending on the individual's needs and interests. However, work and vocational activity are seen as only part of the individual's needs among the clientele we specialize in serving. We have a variety of opportunities for program participants including enclave work sites, community jobs, on site piece rate work, and the renowned Chrestomathy artwork which also provides a small income for clients. Communication skills are highly emphasized throughout the program day.

Each program participant is assigned to a designated group of 8-12 individuals. There is a supervisor in charge of each group. In addition there are 4-5 other staff assigned to each group. Supervisors are required to have a degree and experience in the field. Our other staff either have their degrees, have had prior experience, or exhibit significant levels of enthusiasm and energy so that we select them from our job applicant pool. Each site has a program director who provides highly specialized expertise, handles the routine day to day issues; trains staff on an on going basis, attends meetings and serves as backup in situations requiring additional staffing.

Linda L. Moore is the executive director, a psychologist, and founder of Chrestomathy. Linda oversees the overall operation of the corporation and the Chrestomathy, Inc. programs. She has worked with Chrestomathy and associated programs for 36 years.

We are a nonprofit organization funded and licensed by the State of Minnesota. We contract with Hennepin County and Dakota County to provide services.

Chrestomathy owns a fleet of ~40 vans. Each program site uses their vans to provide transportation to program participants. We pick up most program participants in the morning and return them to their homes in the afternoon. We have two shifts to make the maximum use of our resources and reduce the number of people we have at our program sites at any one time. Program staff are on all vans to maximize program implementation and for the safety, comfort, and enjoyment of program participants.

Chrestomathy provides services 244 days per year. We have a closure period of about a week between Christmas and New Year's.

An official referral can only be made by the individual's county social worker. However, we will give tours to anyone interested in learning more about our programs. Call Linda Moore (952) 974-0339 x 104 for referral inquiries.

Email Linda Moore or call (952) 974-0339 x 104