3.1.4 Community Homes |
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Louisiana Statewide Transition Project and Louisiana: Healthy and Ready to Work Fact Sheet Series |
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1/29/01 |
Most young adults dream of the day that they will
move out of their families’ homes. This
is an important and exciting milestone for young adults and their
families. It can also be one that is
accompanied by concerns, worries, and fears since this may be the first time
that the young adult lives away from his or her family.
For individuals with disabilities and their
families, these concerns, worries, and fears may be heightened because of the
service/support needs of the young adults.
However, person-centered planning can offer a unique approach to begin
addressing the dreams, fears, hopes, and needs of individuals with
disabilities. One outcome of
person-centered planning for a young adult with a disability interested in
moving out of his/her family’s home may be community or group homes.
Community homes are one of
several living arrangement options currently available in Louisiana for
individuals with disabilities. However,
at one time, community homes were one of very few options available. With the increased availability of supported
living as a living arrangement option for young adults with disabilities in
Louisiana, there are now more choices regarding living arrangement
options. Through person-centered
planning, visions and goals regarding living arrangements can be identified and
pursued so that the lifestyle of the individual matches his/her dreams.
In a community or group home, six to eight individuals with disabilities live together in a house owned and operated by an agency. The agency is responsible for providing needed supports, assistance, and supervision for the individuals living in the community home.
Support personnel who work
for the agency stay in the home with the residents to provide assistance and
supervision. On-going training with
daily living skills, such as meal preparation or laundry, is provided to
residents of the home. Support
personnel are also available to provide transportation and assistance to
residents in community activities, such as shopping, community events, or
social activities.
However, because a community home is providing supports to a number of individuals, it may be difficult at times to accommodate individual preferences, activities, and schedules. In addition, since 6 to 8 individuals with disabilities live in the community home, frequently individuals share a bedroom with another resident. It may, or may not, be possible for an individual to select his/her roommate.
Individuals with disabilities and their families should ask community home administrators how individual preferences, schedules, and activities are accommodated in the home. Some areas that should be considered when considering a community home as a living arrangement include, but are not limited to:
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Does
the individual want to live with a group of other individuals who he/she is
unlikely to know initially?
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Will
he/she be able to have his/her own furniture and other personnel items (e.g.,
bed, personnel TV, radio, etc.)?
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Can
residents choose among options for employment or day activities?
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Do
residents get to choose what and when to eat?
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Do
residents get to choose what time to go to bed?
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Do
residents get to decide when and what to watch on TV?
·
Are
residents able to participate in activities of their own choosing, even if they
are the only residents wishing to do so?
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Can
residents choose not to participate in activities planned for the residents?
·
Is
there currently an Ombudsman who visits this community home?
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Can
residents be asked or required to leave the community home against their
wishes? If so, what are the circumstances that would bring about such a
request?
Community homes
are funded by Medicaid dollars. This
option is available at no cost to the community home resident, except that a
portion of the resident’s Supplemental Security Income (SSI) check, as well as
other income, is withheld and directed to the cost of supporting the resident
in the community home. For each
resident, Medicaid uses a formula to calculate the amount, typically referred
to as “client liability”, to be withheld and paid to the provider.
Eligibility
requirements vary from one community home to another, especially concerning
different areas and types of disability.
However, eligibility for community home residency is generally
considered to be met if the individual has a developmental disability as
defined by the state.
Students/Young Adults:
High school curricula and
post-secondary education programs offer excellent opportunities to assess,
develop, improve, and maintain skills in areas that can increase the likelihood
of success regarding an adult living arrangement. These opportunities may include, but are not limited to: daily
living skills training; health and medical care skills training;
self-determination skills training; and community-based skills training.
Young adults with
disabilities can use the transition planning process to assist them, their
families, and their service/support providers to explore and become familiar
with community homes, if this is the living arrangement lifestyle being pursued
as a result of person-centered planning.
In addition, they should become familiar with the agencies and staff
that operate community homes. This will
allow them to make informed decisions, as well as to be informed consumers of
living arrangement services/supports.
Families:
While it is natural and
understandable for parents to have some reservations about their adolescent and
young adult sons and daughters with disabilities moving out of their homes,
time spent learning about the options available and the provider agencies and
staff of the different options can be time well spent by family members.
To make informed decisions
about their sons’/daughters’ future living arrangements, family members will
need to become familiar with options, eligibility criteria, and
regulations. The transition planning
process offers a unique opportunity for families to be part of a team that can
address these and other issues, rather than trying to do so alone.
The Office for Citizens with
Developmental Disabilities (OCDD) can assist individuals with disabilities and
their families who are considering various living arrangements to become more knowledgeable. A Support Parent, located in each of the
regional OCDD offices, can help individuals and their families learn more about
community homes in their region, as well as the providers that offer this option. In addition, Families Helping Families (FHF)
Resource Centers, also located in each region of the state, can share
information about community home providers in the area. FHF can also assist individuals and their
families in making contact with other individuals and families who have chosen the
community home option, as well as other options.
Agencies:
High school curricula and
post-secondary education programs are excellent resources for adolescents and
young adults with disabilities to develop, improve, and maintain skills in
areas that can increase the likelihood of success regarding an adult living
arrangement. The transition planning
process is a proactive approach regarding the systematic identification of
preferences, desires, and needs regarding vision building and goal setting for
adolescents and young adults with disabilities and their families in terms of
the pursuit of adult living arrangements.
During the transition
planning process, representatives from agencies that operate community homes
and/or that provide funding can be integral members of the team. Not only will their participation assist
adolescents and young adults with disabilities and their families to become
informed decision-makers and informed consumers, but it will also better equip
their agencies to plan, both programmatically and fiscally.
IV. RESOURCES/CONTACTS
Advocacy
Center 1-800-960-7705
Community
Living Ombudsman Program 1-800-711-1696
Families
Helping Families (FHF) Resource Centers
Acadiana: 800-378-9854
Bayouland: 800-331-5570
At
the Crossroads: 800-259-7200
Greater
Baton Rouge: 888-511-5299
Greater
New Orleans: 800-766-7736
Northeast
LA: 888-300-1320
Northshore: 800-383-8700
Northwest
LA: 888-989-0315
Southwest LA: 800-894-6558
http://www.fhfla.org http://www.projectprompt.com
Office
for Citizens with Developmental Disabilities (OCDD)
Region I: Phone: (504) 599‑0245;
FAX: (504) 568-4660
Region II: Phone: (225) 925‑1910; FAX: (225) 925‑1966
Region III: Phone: (504) 449‑5167; FAX: (504) 449‑5180
Region IV: Phone: (337)
262‑5610; FAX: (337) 262‑5233
Region V: Phone: (337) 475‑8045;
FAX: (337) 475‑8055
Region VI: Phone: (318) 641‑2209;
FAX: (318) 641‑2218
Region VII: Phone: (318)
741‑7455; FAX: (318) 741‑7445
Region VIII: Phone: (318)
362‑3396; FAX: (318) 362‑5305
Region IX: Phone: (504)
624-4139; FAX: (504) 624-4136
Region X: Phone: (504)
838‑5357; FAX: (504) 838‑5400
http://www.dhh.state.la.us/occd
The Supported Living Network
474 North Foster
Baton Rouge, LA 70806
(225) 924-7998
V. REFERENCES
Advocacy
Center. (1998). A Guide to the Rights of Residents of ICFs/MR in Louisiana.
New Orleans, LA.
Racino,
J., Walker, P., O'Connor, S. and Taylor, S. (1993). Housing, supports, and
community: Choices and strategies for
adults with disabilities. Baltimore, MD: Paul H.
Brookes.
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The development and dissemination of this document
were supported in part by funds from the U.S. Department of Education
(Cooperative Agreement #H158A6007, “The Louisiana Statewide Transition
Project: A Multi-Constituency Model”) and the U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services, Maternal and Child Health Program (Grant MCJ-22HRW6,
“Louisiana: Healthy and Ready to Work”). The opinions expressed herein are
solely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the policy or
position of the U.S. Department of Education or the U.S. Department of Health
and Human Services, and no official endorsement by either of these two agencies
should be inferred. The LSUMC does not discriminate on the basis of race, color,
national origin, sex, religion, age, or disability in employment or the
provision of services. This document may be duplicated and disseminated in its
original form without obtaining permission. Alternate forms of this document are available upon request at 1-888-942-8104 or TDD 1-504-942-5900. |