Group homes offer an alternative to institutionalization for people with a variety of challenges from disabilities to behavioral issues. Private and governmental organizations establish and run these facilities; some are nonprofits and others are for-profit enterprises. If you are considering a group home for someone you love, look for one with a small staff-to-resident ratio and a warm, home-like atmosphere.
Definition
Group homes are live-in facilities, usually located in a single-family home embedded in a residential neighborhood. They normally have six or fewer residents plus staff who are on site 24 hours a day. Some serve as care facilities for children or adults with chronic mental and/or physical disabilities while others are rehabilitation centers for teen or adult offenders. Some group homes provide temporary living quarters for children awaiting adoption.
History
In the 1960s and 1970s, a movement toward de-institutionalization of mental care led to the closure of many psychiatric hospitals. Residents of these facilities were not able to live unassisted, so communities began to establish group homes as a place for them to live in less restrictive, family-like environment. The use of single family houses was part of a design to integrate disabled people into the community and reduce the stigma of being a resident of a special care facility. The Community Mental Health Centers Act of 1963 made grants available to help run group homes that provide services to the emotionally disabled.
The Disabled
Group homes for the mentally and physically disabled provide assistance as needed for daily care and conduct training to help residents live more independently. Residents learn to perform tasks such as personal hygiene, meal preparation and laundry. The goal is to help residents learn basic skills so they can live with minimal or no supervision. Staff members ensure that residents receive any outside or community service care they need, such as physical therapy, education, medical care or vocational training.
Transitional Facilities
Some group homes are transitional facilities serving troubled teens, children in foster care or adults newly released from prison. Transitional group homes provide supervision, structure and support until the residents are placed in families or re-integrated into society. Homes for troubled teens are non-secure rehabilitation facilities that work to help teens overcome behavioral problems and break the cycle sometimes caused by association with peers who have a destructive influence. Group homes for people newly released from prison provide temporary housing, counseling and job search assistance to help residents transition back into society.
Case Managers
Most group home residents have a case manager from a health center or government agency to oversee their care or rehabilitation. The case manager reviews the group home's documentation of services provided and the resident's progress and makes recommendations for changes in care or additional services. For example, some patients experience disorientation when they first enter a group home and the case worker may recommend additional support for a period of time while they adjust.
