The Journey to Community Housing with Supports

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THE JOURNEY TO COMMUNITY HOUSING WITH SUPPORTS

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A SUPPORT FAMILY is a family who is recruited, trained, monitored by a provider agency, and paid to supply long-term care in their home for a person with a disability. Sometimes extended family members provide a support family through kinship care. In other instances, people are recruited who are willing to integrate the person with a disability into their family. Distinguished from traditional foster care, a Support Family can share parental responsibilities with relatives. The person and their family interview and choose their Support Family. Most often, the person’s relatives maintain a strong role in their family member’s life. The concept promotes the development of a strong bond between the individual with a disability and the family they join. Support families tend to be long-term in duration. The Support Family receives training, supervision, respite and assistance from a social services agency that supervises the services. The Mentor Network supplies professional staff in their teaching family homes. In some states like Texas, Support Homes can be funded by a Medicaid waiver to supply wrap- around supports to individuals with intensive medical and behavioral care needs. Pennsylvania calls this model Lifesharing. In New Hampshire, Enhanced Family Care is their most commonly used model. Literature supports that individuals with disabilities, particularly children, respond well in family rather than institutional care. Relatives, birth families and adoptive families can share responsibilities through this family-based alternative. For more information visit WWWEVERYCHILDTEXASORG .

Support Family Model: Dennis’ Home

Before her passing, Dennis’ mom made plans with her best friend, Mary, to look after Dennis. Dennis knew Mary and her husband well for many years. He now lives within their home and shares in all family activities. He participates in all the extended family holidays and events. A special needs trust left by his mom supplies money to support Dennis while preserving his eligibility for SSI benefits, Medicaid and other public entitlements. An agency provides supervision, training and support so that Mary can best care for Dennis.

“Build networks of support for yourself and your family member. You can learn so much from others. Many are willing to help if you invite them in.”

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is where an individual lives as part of the family of a caregiver who provides training and assistance for that person.

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