Logo of LOQW
Learning Opportunities/Quality Works, Inc.

Agency Tiered Supports.

Employment First.

Community Life Engagement.

Community Life Engagement.

people with disabilities to access and participate in their communities outside of employment as part of a meaningful day.  LOQW believes that all individuals with disabilities can and should participate as active members of their communities contributing to the diversity and vibrancy of their local communities.

LOQW believes that all people with disabilities can and should contribute to their community when given opportunity, training, and supports that build on an individual’s strengths, conditions, preferences, and contributions.  Our expectation is that everyone participating in these types of services and those supporting them will consider community based individualized activities as their first option as fully participating members of their community rather than segregated or group options, and should build on their strengths and interests to engage in community activities, career planning and work that makes sense to them.

The Charting the LifeCourse Framework was created by families to help individuals and families of all abilities and all ages develop a vision for a good life, think about what they need to know and do, identify how to find or develop supports, and discover what it takes to live the lives they want to live. Individuals and families may focus on their current situation and stage of life but may also find it helpful to look ahead to think about life experiences that will help move them toward an inclusive, productive life in the future.  LOQW strongly believes in the principles that Charting the LifeCourse philosophy is based on and shares the same core beliefs.


LOQW utilizes Charting the LifeCourse framework throughout all aspects of the organization and the tools to help with planning in many elements throughout the agency. For example, the Lifecourse Portfolio is a tool used in both the Community Life Engagement and Employment programs to gather information for their annual assessment. Monthly team meeting agendas are developed using the “star” to help us focus these conversations on the why of what we do.

Charting the LifeCourse was designed so that individuals and families can focus on a specific stage, while keeping an eye to the future; helping them know what is coming, what to expect, and how to plan for success in the life stages still to come.  Even though it was originally created for people with disabilities, this universally-designed framework may be used by any person or family making a life plan, regardless of life circumstances.

​Tiered Supports is a program of the Department of Mental Health that plans for success in behavioral health care management. It focuses on developing an organization-wide approach to efficient and effective care provisions. Tiered Supports enable agencies to tailor organizational activities and resources efficiently. The program encourages use of universal, specialized, or intensive strategies to support individuals. ​


Agency Tiered Supports Consultation is a statewide system to support agency-based teams to build internal systems to implement positive practices effectively. Agency Tiered Supports Consultation is an on-going process of planning, development, implementation and review of universal and specialized strategies to improve system sustainability and quality of life. 

Technology First is an initiative to ensure technology is considered as part of all services and supports.  It is designed to help people learn more about how to use technology to improve their quality of life and increase their independence.  It is the goal of MCCDDC to enhance the use of technology to meet needs in a less restrictive environment.

Employment First.

Driven by Philosophy, Guided by Policy

Community Life Engagement refers to supporting







LOQW believes that all individuals with disabilities who want to  

want to work can work and contribute to their community when given opportunity, training, and supports that build on their individual strengths.  Career planning should always focus on their conditions, preferences, and contributions to work and community.


Our expectation is that everyone of working age and those supporting them should consider work as their first option as fully participating members of their community, and should build on career planning and engage in work that makes sense to them.

Agency Tiered Supports.