Supportive Living Services

A woman helps a client Volunteers of America supports people with intellectual disabilities in 24-hour residential settings. These settings range from single-person apartment settings to group homes, which primarily serve three or four people in a home. All of our homes are located in communities, close to family members and friends. Each supportive living residence is licensed and certified through state agencies and operates under Medicaid guidelines.

Volunteers of America’s residential service for people with mental retardation is a long-term service, and it is not unusual for someone to be supported by Volunteers of America for more than 30 years in a supportive living residence. We accept this responsibility with eagerness and humility as our programs expand to additional states.

"Thirty years from now, we’re going to retire or maybe die, but there will be folks living in Indiana, Maine and the many other states we’re serving today who have had daily support from Volunteers of America," said Volunteers of America's Angela King, a program development expert. "We are making a commitment to people who are going to be depending on us for 30 or 40 years or more. Some of these individuals do not have families, so every celebration of their life — every birthday party, every Christmas present — will be our responsibility. This is the essence of our mission."

Featured Story: Self Determination Is a Dream Come True

Jody, Bill and Tony were institutionalized as young boys and spent most of their lives institutionalized, most recently living in the Southwest Ohio Developmental Center. It was there the trio learned to control themselves and to make better choices. Because they were perceived as high-need men who were "risky" placements by supported living providers, they stayed even after they were ready to leave. But the three men had a dream. In August 2005, two other men from the same institution, housemates of the three men, also seen as high-need and risky placements, located a bi-level home in a nice neighborhood. It was Volunteers of America Ohio River Valley that was willing to take a chance on their success. When Jody, Bill and Tony saw their acquaintances’ home and saw the rewards of making good choices, they were inspired to have a place of their own. They were highly motivated to make good choices and demonstrate that they were ready for a chance to live in the community.