Do you want to live in a home that you rent or own? GGRC can connect you to services that help you with everything from finding a home to getting supportive services to live in your home.  You can also decide if you want to live alone or live with a housemate. 

• Housing Search Services – Housing Search Services help you find an apartment or home that is in your budget.  The housing search service provider can also help you sign up for affordable housing programs, such as Section 8 housing, that can help reduce the cost of rent.  While GGRC pays for the housing search service, you will be responsible for paying your rent once you move into your new home.  Affordable housing programs provide reduced rent costs based on a person’s income.  It can take a while to get access to affordable housing so you may need to consider another housing option while also using housing search services. 
• Supported Living Services – Supported Living Services help you with activities of daily living that may help you live in your own home.  Staff may help with cooking, shopping, budgeting, medical appointments, and anything else you need to help support you to live in your own home.  Your supported living staff person might help you a few hours a day up to 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, depending on your needs.  Your social worker can connect you with different Supported Living Agencies so you can find the agency that is the best match for you.  Supported Living Services will be paired with In-Home Support Services (IHSS), paid for by the county you live in,  for those who qualify. 
• Independent Living Services – Independent Living Services are for someone who needs a small amount of support and might need more education in how to handle all the different details that come up when you live by yourself.  Your independent living staff person might come in a few hours a week or month.  They can help you learn how to budget, coordinate and attend medical appointments, cook, clean, or help you learn how to navigate other needs that come up when you live by yourself. 

Do you want to move out of your family home but don’t want to live in your own house or apartment that you rent? You may want to consider living with a Family Home Provider or living in a Group Home.

Group Home – a group home, sometimes called a “Community Care Facility”, is a home where 4-6 people who use regional center services live and have direct support professionals who provide support to the residents.  You may have your own room or you might share a room with a roommate.  There are different levels of group homes that provide more staffing depending on the level of support you need.  Group homes have more rules than living in a home you rent because you have to work together with the other residents to make sure everyone is supported and respected.  Group homes are licensed by Community Care Licensing and are required to follow specific state regulations for their services. 

You may hear of some specialized types of group homes that can be funded by GGRC: 

• Adult Residential Facility for Persons with Special Health Care Needs (ARFPSHN) – a community-based home for adults with developmental disabilities who are medically fragile and require 24/7 licensed nursing supports 

• Intermediate Care Facility (ICF) – a health facility that provides inpatient care to people who have recurring needs for skilled nursing supervision and need supportive care, but don’t need continuous skilled nursing 

• Community Crisis Home (CCH) – a CCH provides crisis intervention and stabilization to individuals at risk for placement in more secure settings including local psychiatric hospitals 

• Enhanced Behavioral Support Home (EBSH) – residential facilities that exceed the minimum requirements of a Level 7 Residential Facility that serve individuals who are eligible for regional center services, have a dual diagnosis of intellectual or developmental disability and mental health disorder, have a history of evictions and be at risk for placement in restrictive settings 

Family Home Provider/Family Home Agency – A Family Home Agency (FHA) connects you with a Family Home Provider that is the right match for you.  Living with a Family Home Provider means you will live with a family, be included in their family activities, and be supported by the family members for any activities of daily living support you may need like doing laundry, cleaning, and going to medical appointments.  You will have your own bedroom and there may be one more person who uses regional center services who lives in the home.  Working with an FHA may be a fit for you if you want to live with a family but are not able to continuing living in a home with your own family. 

Moving out of a family home may not be for everyone.  If you want to keep living in your family home but you or your family need some help, talk to your social worker about Coordinated Family Support Services.  A CFS service provider will meet with you and your family and do an assessment to help you create a plan for the support that you need.  They will match you with staff who can help you access other resources in the community, be involved in your community the way you want to be involved, help you create a staffing plan with back up staff so you have the help you need, and help you get started with other service providers who can help you and your family.

As you and your close circle of support get older, you may want to plan for the time when you need to change where you live to receive more support. CFS can help you and your family plan for the future. You may also want to take a class that helps you and your family plan for the future based on what is important to YOU.