Supported Living

Learning About the Issues

Examples of Supported Living That Are Working

Learning About the Issues

	Allen, Shea & Associates a technical assistance workgroup. There is lots of information about supported and independent living on this site.
	Articles by Michael Smull and Friends Here are some general interest articles about Essential Lifestyle Planning and other topics. "One of the central questions in implementing CSLA was whether or not supported living could successfully move beyond the pioneers."
	Design for a Family and Consumer Cooperative by David Wetherow a discussion paper that goes into detail about the kinds of supports that communities can put in place to assist families with direct funding.
	Writings of O'Brien (lots of 'em) at the Center on Human Policy.
	There's No Place Like Home" A Coalition of Groups in Favor of Home and Community Supports
	Housing and Service Design by David Wetherow. Innovator in individualized supports and supported living. Must read, if you are interested in supported living and individualized supports!
	Macomb-Oakland Regional Center This agency has been moving out of the group home business for 15 years. MORC has been widely recognized for creative thinking for getting children and adults with disabilities out of institutions and integrated into the community. Its Associate Family program is just one example of creative arrangements for adult support.
	Connections for Information and Resources on Community Living (CIRCL)
	The Oaks Agency The Californian father who maintains this web site has a son in Northstar Services, listed below. His web site gives perspective on why "the most integrated setting" is so important, what is being done to increase these settings, and what you can do to advocate for them.

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Examples of Supported Living That Are Working

Finding a good group home for your adult with a disability is a real challenge, but finding an agency which can provide 24 hour support for individuals with significant disabilities to live in their own homes seems impossible! Most families searching for living options simply don't even believe they exist. Social workers will tell you they do not exist, even when there are many available nearby. These usually are small agencies who cannot take many new clients and do not advertise. They are hard to find. Sometimes families find they have to start their own supported living agencies. Yet this can be a good option for our adult children with disabilities.

You can help!
by giving an example of a supported living arrangement
or agency that is working for you.

California
NorthStar Services
My Home
East Bay Innovations
First Step Supported Living Agency

Minnesota

New York
Living Resources

CALIFORNIA
My Home 10534 Rim View Circle, Auburn, CA 95603 Quote from a parent: "It is a small agency, but the two guys who run it have been very good, very supportive for [my child], and more than willing to go the extra mile.

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East Bay Innovations, Berkeley, California

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First Step Supportive Living Agency Ann Belles and Jim Silcock
What support is provided We provide support based on individual needs. Most clients have paid roommates, relief staff, IHSS (county-paid in-home support) workers, and day program assistants. A few have awake overnight staff.
Needs of consumers supported All are considered high need due to either severe physical disabilities or behavioral challenges or both. Some needs include severe aggression, hearing impairment requiring entire support staff to be fluent in sign language, sexual acting out, degenerative conditions, terminal illness, g-tube, urastomy, bowel and trach care, dual diagnosis. Many have had multiple living situations without success.
Funding streams Each budget is individualized. SSI (typically $650.40), IHSS (hours ranging from 20 to 185 per month at minimum wage), Regional Center budgets ranging from $3,800 to 8,100 per month. We also use the nursing facility waiver program when appropriate. Medi-Cal (medical assistance) will fund a certain level of nursing hours to be used in the home if the consumer qualifies.
Waiting lists We do not have a waiting list. We currently serve 7 individuals (ages 18-56) in our program. There is no limit; however we work with people carefully before determining whether we can meet their needs.
Number served 7 individuals (April 30, 1999) ages 18-56. We have no limit; however, we work with people carefully before determining whether we can meet their needs.
Contact Ann Belles and Jim Silcock, 20541 Minerva Lane, Huntington Beach, CA 92646 (714) 965-3027; (714) 219-4861 (pager); (714) 963-0187 (fax).
General information about agency Owners are adoptive parents of 8 children with multiple and severe disabilities. Four of them are young adults (aged 21, 20, 19, and 18) and the other four are children (aged 6, 4, and 2). Their adult children live in their own homes or apartments with paid roommates. The adoptive parents are a supportive living vendor through the Orange County Regional Center. They have 3 other clients besides their children.

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MINNESOTA

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NEW YORK
Living Resources is an innovative alternative to sheltered day, recreational, and residential programs for people with severe developmental disabilities. It uses a "person-centered" approach: Each participant’s activities and support services are individually tailored. Living Resources combines supported work and supported living techniques with efforts to connect participants to their neighbors and communities. Counselors help participants make choices about their lives, find employment, join community groups, and develop friendships. With the help of counselors, participants arrange a support network of family members and friends who help them pursue their interests and manage their lives.
We use Medicaid waiver dollars for our supported living program.
One of the people we are currently supporting lived in institutions most of his life. He has significant medical problems and behavioral challenges and has many complicated needs. For supported living our goal is to reach people with the most severe disabilities who would ordinarily not be afforded the opportunity to live in their own homes.
Telephone (212) 944-0564
FAX (212) 921-5342
Postal address 22 West 38 Street 11th floor NY, NY 10018

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