Essential Living Support, LLC provides structured, person centered Home and Community Based Services for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Our approach is built around safety, stability, dignity, independence, Plan of Care follow through, and timely communication with guardians, case managers, and care teams.
For adults, Life Skills Development happens through the practical day to day work of our Wyoming DD Waiver services: Community Living Services, Adult Day Services, Companion Services, and Personal Care Services. For participants ages 0 through 20, Individual Habilitation Training is the dedicated 1:1 DD Waiver service, available based on the participant’s needs and Individual Budget Amount. Both pathways are coordinated under the participant’s Plan of Care.
Refer a participant or talk to ELS:
- Call: (307) 369-1030
- Email: rbrown@essentiallivingsupport.com
- Or use the case manager and guardian referral form below
Who This Page Is For
This page is written for the people who place participants into Wyoming DD Waiver life skills support, not for general consumer search. If you are one of the audiences below, the rest of this page maps to the language and structure you use day to day:
- Wyoming case managers searching for a Cheyenne provider with consistent Plan of Care follow through and progress documentation
- Discharge planners and social workers preparing post hospital transitions for adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities
- VA officers and Veteran families considering an integrated VA medical foster home and Wyoming DD Waiver provider
- Guardians and family caregivers researching adult life skills options or transitioning a participant from Individual Habilitation Training (under age 21) into adult community living services
- Participants ages 0 through 20 and their families looking for a 1:1 habilitation training provider in Laramie County
Essential Living Support is a husband and wife, family owned Wyoming DD Waiver provider headquartered in Cheyenne, with a Veteran owned and Black owned credential set, a VA approved medical foster home, an active Friend of The Arc of Laramie County designation, an active membership in Big Brothers Big Sisters of Wyoming, and a 5.0 star Google Business Profile rating from referring families and partners.
What Life Skills Development Includes
What does Life Skills Development cover at Essential Living Support?
Life Skills Development is the day to day teaching and coaching that helps a participant build the practical skills behind safety, stability, hygiene, household function, communication, transportation, and community participation. ELS delivers this work through one on one coaching inside the participant’s existing Wyoming DD Waiver services, on the participant’s IPC and at the pace the participant can sustain.
Areas of focus, drawn from the participant’s Plan of Care:
- Budgeting and money management. Building confidence in tracking expenses, saving responsibly, and making informed financial choices.
- Meal planning and cooking skills. Learning how to plan balanced meals, shop for groceries, and safely prepare nutritious dishes that support personal health.
- Household organization. Developing routines for cleaning, laundry, and organization that create a safe, structured, and consistent living environment.
- Time management and goal setting. Practicing organization, scheduling, and prioritization for success in daily life and future employment.
- Communication and social skills. Strengthening interpersonal abilities for positive relationships, workplace success, and community integration.
- Transportation training. Offering safe, reliable support for traveling to medical appointments, work, volunteer opportunities, and recreational activities.
- Health and wellness habits. Encouraging good nutrition, exercise, and self care practices that improve overall quality of life.
Each of these areas is approached as ongoing teaching, not a checklist. Progress is documented, reviewed with the participant and care team, and adjusted as the participant builds capacity.
What ELS Specifically Provides
What makes Essential Living Support different on Life Skills Development specifically?
Life skills work only matters if it sticks. ELS focuses on the structure, the setting, and the dignity of the support so that what a participant learns transfers into real daily life, not just a training session. The three principles below shape how we deliver Life Skills Development inside every applicable service.
Building practical skills for everyday independence. Essential Living Support, LLC helps participants strengthen daily living skills such as meal planning, cooking, cleaning, hygiene, laundry, money awareness, appointment readiness, household organization, and community participation.
Hands on teaching in real life settings. Essential Living Support, LLC uses prompting, modeling, repetition, encouragement, and step by step support so participants can practice skills where they actually use them: at home, in the community, and during daily routines.
Support that respects dignity and ability. Essential Living Support, LLC focuses on helping participants do as much as they safely can for themselves while providing the right level of support to promote confidence, consistency, and progress over time.
What Progress Looks Like
What kind of progress have ELS participants made?
The example below describes the kind of structured, person centered support Essential Living Support provides. It is shared in a de-identified, general way at the participant’s privacy. It is not a guarantee of results, and outcomes vary based on each participant’s needs, IPC, and goals.
Personal hygiene and appearance. Before placement, the participant had difficulty maintaining regular hygiene routines and did not consistently care about personal appearance. Since being supported by Essential Living Support, the participant showers daily, wears weather appropriate clothing, gets hair care support, and takes more pride in personal appearance.
Room safety, organization, and cleanliness. Before placement, the participant’s room had safety concerns, including clutter that limited safe walking space. Essential Living Support worked with the participant on organization, cleanliness, and daily room routines. The participant’s room is now kept clear, organized, and free from major clutter or walking hazards.
Medication follow through. Before placement, the participant had difficulty taking medication as scheduled. Essential Living Support helped establish a routine where the participant is now more responsible for taking medication independently, while staff provide oversight and ensure the routine is followed.
Healthier eating and weight management. Before placement, the participant ate out frequently and consumed large amounts of soda. With support from Essential Living Support, the participant now prepares healthier meals several times a week and has transitioned from drinking large amounts of soda to drinking water and flavored water. These healthier routines have contributed to weight loss and improved daily wellness.
Reduced escalation and better problem solving. Before placement, the participant often escalated concerns directly to the case manager for many issues. Essential Living Support worked with the participant on handling concerns at the lowest appropriate level, communicating needs, and working through problems before they become larger issues. The participant now comes to staff first, allowing many concerns to be addressed quickly without unnecessary case manager involvement.
Community inclusion and meaningful experiences. Essential Living Support has helped the participant experience meaningful opportunities that had not happened with previous providers. The participant traveled out of state with support from Essential Living Support, visited Panama City, Florida, went to the beach, visited an aquarium, and was able to touch a dolphin, an experience that was especially meaningful because dolphins are the participant’s favorite animal.
Long term goals and personal milestones. Essential Living Support also supported the participant in obtaining a passport for the first time. This required guidance, advocacy, and assistance with written communication based on the participant’s personal situation. This is an example of how Essential Living Support supports day to day care and long term personal growth, dignity, and life experiences.
Holiday and family style support. Because the participant does not have consistent family involvement, Essential Living Support includes the participant in holidays and meaningful celebrations. This includes Christmas and other important occasions. This helps create belonging, consistency, and a sense of being valued, not just supervised.
Individual Habilitation Training
What is Individual Habilitation Training under the Wyoming DD Waiver?
Individual Habilitation Training is the Wyoming DD Waiver’s dedicated 1:1 intensive training service for participants ages 0 through 20. ELS delivers Individual Habilitation Training in the home, in a provider setting, or in the community, on the participant’s IPC and within the published rate and unit caps.
Verbatim service definition (Wyoming Comprehensive and Supports Waiver Service Index, Effective 09/01/2025, page 28):
“Individual Habilitation Training is a specialized 1:1 intensive training service to assist a participant with the acquisition or improvement in skills that will lead to more independence and a higher level of functioning. Individual Habilitation Training services are available for participants who live with unpaid caregivers or who need less than 24-hour paid supervision and support.
- Training objectives are required, must be meaningful to the participant, and may include: adaptive skill development; assistance and training on activities of daily living; transportation safety and navigation; building social capital and connections; and hobby skill development for work on fine or gross motor skills.
- Objectives must be specific and measurable, and data must be tracked and analyzed for trends. Summary reports on progress or lack of progress must be provided to the case manager and participant or legally authorized representative monthly. Objectives must be revised as needed when skills are acquired or the objective is not yielding any progress.
- Services may be provided in the participant’s home, a provider setting, or in the community.
- Services may include supporting the participant to be included and involved in associations and community groups, and a broad range of community activities including opportunities to pursue social and cultural interests, choice making, and volunteering.
- Transportation relating to the participant’s training objective must be provided by the service provider and is included in the rate for the service.
- This service includes services not otherwise available through IDEA or other public education programs in the participant’s local school district, including after school supervision, daytime services when school is not in session, and services to preschool age children”
Scope and Limitations (verbatim):
“Individual Habilitation Training is an intensive training service; therefore, it is expected that training is occurring at all times this service is being provided. If the participant is unable to sustain intensive training, the IPC must identify an alternate service to be used during times in which supervision is provided but training is not conducted.
Individual Habilitation Training is a 1:1 service. It is available to participants ages 0 through 20, and must be provided based upon the participant’s needs and IBA. Individual Habilitation Training is limited to 4 hours a day. Individual Habilitation Training cannot be provided during the same time period as other waiver services, which is subject to audit by the Program Integrity Unit within the State Medicaid Agency. Relative providers (defined as a biological, adoptive, or step parent) cannot provide this service.”
Who Is Eligible
Who qualifies for Life Skills Development at ELS?
Eligibility depends on which DD Waiver service is funding the work and on the participant’s age, IPC, and assessed needs. There are two paths.
Adults 21 and older. Life Skills Development at ELS for adults is delivered inside Community Living Services, Adult Day Services, Companion Services, or Personal Care Services, based on the participant’s IPC and assessed Level of Support. The participant must be enrolled on the Wyoming Comprehensive Waiver or Supports Waiver, must have an active Plan of Care, and must have a case manager. Specific service eligibility (CLS Level 3 through 6, ADS, Companion, PCS) is determined by the case management team and the Division of Healthcare Financing. ELS will work with the case manager to map the participant’s life skills goals onto the appropriate service code.
Participants ages 0 through 20. Individual Habilitation Training is the dedicated DD Waiver service for life skills work in this age group. The participant must be enrolled on the Wyoming DD Waiver, must have an active IPC with measurable training objectives, and must live with unpaid caregivers or require less than 24-hour paid supervision and support. Relatives (biological, adoptive, or step parents) cannot provide Individual Habilitation Training.
If you are not sure which path applies, ELS will help the case manager and family work it out before billing starts.
How Life Skills Development Fits into the Wyoming DD Waiver
How does Life Skills Development relate to the rest of the DD Waiver?
Life Skills Development at ELS is not a single billable line on the Wyoming Comprehensive and Supports Waiver fee schedule for adults. It is a cross cutting capability woven through several service codes, each with its own rate, unit, and IPC documentation.
For adults 21 and older, life skills work shows up inside:
- Community Living Services Levels 3 through 6 (T2017 / T2017 HQ), where most household, hygiene, meal, and routine work happens
- Adult Day Services (T2021), where social, community, and skill building activities are structured into daytime programming
- Companion Services (S5135), where supervised independence and social skills are practiced in real settings
- Personal Care Services (T1019), where activities of daily living and self care are coached one on one
For participants ages 0 through 20, Individual Habilitation Training (T2038) is the dedicated 1:1 service. It cannot be provided at the same time as other waiver services and is limited to 4 hours a day, per the Service Index Scope and Limitations.
ELS delivers all of these services in Cheyenne and surrounding Laramie County, with statewide service to other Wyoming counties as the IPC and case management team approve. The full DD Waiver Service Index is available at health.wyo.gov, Comprehensive and Supports Waivers, Effective 09/01/2025.
Refer a Participant
Ready to refer a participant or talk to ELS?
If you are a Wyoming case manager, discharge planner, VA officer, guardian, or family member, the fastest way to start is to call (307) 369-1030 or email rbrown@essentiallivingsupport.com. You can also use the case manager and guardian referral form embedded above this section.
What to expect on the first call:
- A short conversation about the participant, the IPC, the funding pathway, and the timeline
- A brief overview of how ELS would deliver the requested service or services
- An offer to schedule a meeting with the participant, family, and case management team
ELS does not commit to a placement before the participant, family, and care team have met and reviewed fit. We work to make sure the match is right for everyone before a service start date is set.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Life Skills Development and Individual Habilitation Training?
Life Skills Development is the consumer name Essential Living Support uses for the practical, day to day skill building work delivered to adults inside services like Community Living Services, Adult Day Services, Companion Services, and Personal Care Services. Individual Habilitation Training is the Wyoming DD Waiver’s official 1:1 intensive training service for participants ages 0 through 20.
Can adults 21 and older receive Individual Habilitation Training?
No. Per the Wyoming Comprehensive and Supports Waiver Service Index Effective 09/01/2025, Individual Habilitation Training is available to participants ages 0 through 20. Adults 21 and older receive life skills support inside other DD Waiver service codes such as Community Living Services Levels 3 through 6, Adult Day Services, Companion Services, and Personal Care Services.
Is Life Skills Development its own line on the Wyoming DD Waiver fee schedule?
For adults, no. Life Skills Development is a capability ELS delivers inside other DD Waiver services for adults. For participants ages 0 through 20, Individual Habilitation Training is the dedicated billable service, per the DD Fee Schedule Effective 09/01/2025.
Where does Life Skills Development happen?
Services may be provided in the participant’s home, in a provider setting, or in the community, depending on the participant’s IPC and the goals of the work. Transportation related to the participant’s training objective is provided by the service provider and is included in the service rate.
Are progress reports required?
For Individual Habilitation Training, yes. The Wyoming DD Waiver Service Index requires that training objectives be specific and measurable, that data be tracked and analyzed for trends, and that summary reports on progress or lack of progress be provided to the case manager and participant or legally authorized representative monthly. ELS delivers progress documentation that meets this requirement and shares it with the case management team on schedule.
Can a parent be the Individual Habilitation Training provider?
No. Per the Service Index Scope and Limitations, relative providers (defined as biological, adoptive, or step parents) cannot provide Individual Habilitation Training. ELS staff who are not relatives of the participant deliver the service.
How does ELS document Life Skills Development progress for adults?
Progress is tracked against the participant’s Plan of Care goals inside the relevant service code. CLS, ADS, Companion, and PCS each have their own documentation requirements, and ELS aligns documentation with what the case manager and Division of Healthcare Financing audit standards require. Summary updates are shared with the case management team on the cadence the team agrees to.
Does Essential Living Support provide Life Skills Development outside Cheyenne?
ELS is headquartered in Cheyenne and serves Laramie County primarily. Statewide service to other Wyoming counties is available case by case, depending on the IPC, the case management team’s approval, and travel logistics. Call (307) 369-1030 to discuss whether a non Laramie County placement is workable.
Does Essential Living Support work with Veterans on Life Skills Development?
Yes. ELS is also a VA approved medical foster home in the Cheyenne VA service area, the first such home approved in Cheyenne. Veterans with intellectual or developmental disabilities can receive integrated VA medical foster home support and Wyoming DD Waiver life skills work under one provider, simplifying coordination across both funding pathways.
How is Individual Habilitation Training different from school services under IDEA?
Per the Service Index, Individual Habilitation Training includes services not otherwise available through IDEA or other public education programs in the participant’s local school district, including after school supervision, daytime services when school is not in session, and services to preschool age children. It does not duplicate school based services. ELS coordinates with the participant’s school team where appropriate.
Other Wyoming DD Waiver Services at Essential Living Support
Beyond Life Skills Development, ELS provides the rest of its DD Waiver service set under one provider, which simplifies coordination across IPCs and authorizations:
- Community Living Services (CLS). 5-tier daily living support system for adults with I/DD, including Host Home Services and 1:1 care arrangements.
- Wyoming DD Waiver Direct Care Services. Adult Day Services, Community Support Services, Companion Services, Homemaker Services, and Personal Care Services for adults with I/DD.
- 24/7 Respite Care. Short-term and 24-hour Respite for adults with I/DD and Veterans, including emergency placement and integrated VA medical foster home support.
Refer a Participant
Service area: Cheyenne (primary), Laramie County (secondary), Wyoming (statewide tertiary).
Authored by Richard Brown Jr., MBA-HCM, BS-HCA, Doctor of Healthcare Administration Candidate at Capella University. Veteran owned. Wyoming DD Waiver provider. Member of VFW Warren F. E. Post 1881 in Cheyenne.
Dignity. Respect. Independence. Always.
