About Us
Residential supports may be provided in one of three configurations: small group homes; apartment complexes; or in a private home, using a program model known as "shared living." All may provide up to 24 hours of support/day, depending upon need. Small group homes are the most traditional of living environments.
Small group homes typically house two to four persons. (The only CSI exceptions are four, six-person homes in CT for persons having severe physical disabilities, homes which were built as ICF / MRs and now are licensed as Community Living Arrangements). CSI-supported homes are located throughout the community and endeavor to blend with their neighborhood, having good upkeep, attractive landscaping, and quality comparable quality to neighboring homes.
Staffing is provided 24-hours/day with staff ratios which permit individualized activity. Small group homes offer persons the opportunity to gain personal skills they may not have acquired earlier in their life, such as in the activities of daily living, as well as in more substantial tasks external to the home such as food shopping and personal banking. With committed staff, persons can acquire a full life of varied, personally chosen activities.
Most recently, there has been an effort to both downsize homes further and to offer housing alternatives. In Delaware, for example, paired two-bedroom apartments have been utilized to house four persons in lieu of developing a four-person group home. This novel approach has been beneficial in several regards. Groups of persons living together are smaller, affording more privacy, and the use of newer apartment complexes with amenities such as pools and clubrooms has given people with disabilities the opportunity to mix socially with their neighbors.
A key issue in creating small group living environments is whether it is possible for housemates to select each other and, despite CSI's best efforts, that is not always so. CSI's Strategic Plan anticipates a gradual phase out of group homes in the future.
CSIs will accept referrals to create small group homes on behalf of state and local governments or individual families with private resources. From time to time, CSIs may also have vacancies among existing homes which would permit CSI to consider individuals seeking 24-hour residential supports.
