3.1.3 Supported Living |
|
|
Louisiana Statewide Transition Project and Louisiana: Healthy and Ready to Work Fact Sheet Series |
|
|
|
10/27/00 |
Most young adults dream of the day that they will
move out of their families’ homes and into places of their own. 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 has had the opportunity to live more
independently away from his or her family.
Across the United States, more and more people with
disabilities are realizing this dream by renting apartments or houses or by
purchasing their own homes. For some
individuals with disabilities, individualized services and/or supports may be
needed to make this dream become a reality.
Supported living is one such approach.
The most unique component of supported living is that the services and
other supports needed by individuals with disabilities to live in more
independent living arrangements are provided to them in their own apartments or
homes.
Supported living is a fairly
new option in Louisiana, but one that is becoming increasingly available to
young adults with disabilities. This
new option is helping young adults with disabilities and their families to have
broader, more positive visions and goals for more independent living
arrangements.
The goal of supported living is to provide the
individualized services and/or supports necessary to uphold the rights,
responsibilities, and privileges of individuals with disabilities to make
lifestyle choices regarding where they live, work, learn, and spend their
leisure time. Supported living assists
individuals to find and maintain a home, to work in the community, to make
friends, and to contribute to their neighborhoods.
Key
Features of Supported Living:
·
Supported
living is an array of services and/or supports provided in a safe and decent
home of one's own choosing by individuals and agencies that respect the rights
of individuals with disabilities to enjoy the same quality of life available to
others.
·
Supported
living provides individualized services and other needed supports to assist
individuals with disabilities to live in their own homes. Examples of services and supports include,
but are not limited to: help with budgeting; help with maintaining the home;
help with developing or maintaining friendships.
· Supported living focuses on enabling individuals with disabilities to make meaningful contributions to their neighborhoods and to be viewed as valuable members of their communities.
Key
Components of Supported Living:
There are two key components that are significant in
supported living services/supports:
1.
The
first key component is defined by planning that is individualized and
person-centered. In person-centered
planning, the focus is on getting to know the person and his/her dreams and
visions for the future rather than on professional assessments, evaluations,
and reports. Those who have a personal
relationship with and knowledge about the individual participate in the
development of the person-centered plan.
The planning meetings revolve around discussions related to supporting
the individual to identify his/her lifestyle choices and to build a vision
regarding his/her personal dreams for the future. Those participating listen and respond with an orientation
towards actions and measures that will make the dreams and choices of the
individual become realities.
2.
The
second key component is defined by service delivery/support provision by staff
who are trained and knowledgeable in person-centered approaches. Staff in a supported living situation work
in collaboration with the individual they are supporting in order to develop
activities, schedules, and relationships regarding the lifestyle that the
person is interested in having. If
needed, they can assist the individual in making choices and in making
connections that can be life-long.
Support staff draw upon their professional and personal networks, as
well as community and neighborhood resources, as they focus on assisting the
individual to achieve the desired lifestyle of his/her choice.
Supported
Living in Louisiana: Supported living
services/supports are available through two programs in Louisiana. The Office for Citizens with Developmental
Disabilities (OCDD) provides supported living services/supports to adults with
developmental disabilities over the age of 21.
In addition, Louisiana's Mental Retardation/Developmental Disabilities
(MR/DD) Medicaid Waiver provides supported living services/supports to eligible
waiver recipients.
Students/Young Adults:
High school curricula and
post-secondary education programs offer excellent opportunities to develop,
improve, and maintain skills in areas that can increase the likelihood of
success regarding a supported 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
supported living as an option, as well as with the agencies and staff that
provide supported living services/supports.
This will allow them to make informed decisions, as well as to be
informed consumers of supported living services/supports.
Families:
While it is natural and
understandable as parents to have some reservations about their adolescent and
young adult sons and daughters with disabilities moving into more independent
living arrangements, 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.
In order to be supportive of
their sons’/daughters’ interests, desires, dreams, and plans for living in
their own apartments or houses, 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.
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 a supported 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 more independent living arrangements.
During the transition
planning process, representatives from agencies that provide supported living
services/supports and 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
|
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. |
The Supported Living Network
474 North Foster
Baton Rouge, LA 70806
(225) 924-7998
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
Families
Helping Families 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
V. REFERENCES
Jacquelyn Blaney. (1997).
“Person-Centered Supports in Supported Living”. Associates for Community Entry,
474 N. Foster Drive, Baton Rouge, LA 70806, 225-924-7998.
Racino, J. et al. (1993). Housing,
support, and community. Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes.