Residential Options

Community Based Care

Long-term care services may include the medical, social, housekeeping, or rehabilitation services a person needs over months or years in order to improve or maintain function or health. Such services are provided not only in nursing homes, but also in patients’ homes or in community-based settings such as assisted-living facilities. New York State has many services and programs as alternatives to nursing home care. Both medical and non-medical care may be received at home or in residential settings, and can range from simple (light housekeeping) to complex (nursing care or physical therapy) services.
- NY State Department of Health -

 Types of Care Programs

  • The Community Based Home Care Program provides for care at home, acute hospital care, physician care and prescription drugs.
  • The Nursing Home Care Program provides for care in a nursing home.
  • The Long Term Home Health Care Program provides for a coordinated plan of health care and social services for an individual at home.

Residential Options

Programs are licensed by OPWDD to provide housing and services and, when appropriate, overnight supports to individuals living in group homes. These community residential programs are operated by either OPWDD or not-for-profit provider agencies whose programs are certified by OPWDD.

 

Individualized Residential Alternatives: Certified homes for between one and 14 residents that provide room, board and individualized service options.

Community Residences: Facilities that provide semi-independent living. There are two types of Community Residences:

  • Supervised: which provide housing and 24-hour staffing; and
  • Supportive: which are limited to three people, and provide varying staff supports, according to the residents’ need.
Intermediate Care Facilities (ICFs): Residential treatment options in the community for individuals with specific medical and/or behavioral needs. ICFs provide 24-hour on-site assistance and training, intensive clinical and direct-care services, supervised activities and a variety of therapies. ICFs are designed for individuals whose disabilities severely limit their ability to live independently.
Family Care: A licensed residential program that provides a family-living experience in a structured, stable home environment. Family Care providers are home-owners who receive a monthly stipend to care for individuals with developmental disabilities in their own homes. Non-Certified Housing Options: Services that help individuals with developmental disabilities locate, lease, buy or access residential arrangements that are alternatives to traditional congregate living situations. Examples include shared or matched home sharing, independent living, HUD rental subsidies and low-income home ownership programs.

 

Questions to Ask When Considering a Residential Facility

Choosing the appropriate residential, or extended care, facility for a child or adolescent can be difficult for families. Here are some sample questions—clearly there are more you may want to ask based on your specific circumstances—to ask when interviewing and researching a particular facility:

  1. What is your facility/institution’s philosophy of treatment?
  2. What types of medical and behavioral issues do you primarily deal with at your facility?
  3. What is the average patient age in the facility?
  4. Are patients separated by gender? (When: sleeping, recreation, meals, groups?)
  5. What type of plan for communication is there between the medical management  team and parents? How does this communication plan work (e.g., phone, email, visits)? What type of access do parents/caregivers have to the primary physician?
  6. What type of expectations would the facility have for family participation during my child’s stay? What is the recommended visitation program?
  7. What is the average length of stay at the facility; how is it determined?
  8. How are on-site visits usually conducted?