SERVICE POLICY GUIDELINES
SUPPORTED LIVING SERVICES
Tri-Counties Regional Center supports the hopes and preferred future(s) of persons with developmental disabilities towards maximum community inclusion and participation.
Tri-Counties Regional Center will support an adult who chooses to live in his or her own home and who, with his or her Planning Team, identifies what supports or services are required to achieve this goal. During this process any supports or services that need to be purchased or arranged, including applying for In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) in accordance with Lanterman Act section 4689 (p), will be identified. Tri-Counties Regional Center may purchase such supports or services for an individual from the most cost-effective provider consistent with the choices and particular needs of the individual in accordance with the DDS approved TCRC Supported Living Services Guidelines, the Lanterman Act, and Title 17; Chapter 3; Subchapter 19; Supported Living Service.
Supported living services and supports will include a combination of natural supports to ensure the individual is safe, healthy, and has opportunities for friendships and personal growth. Housing and support services will be provided by different entities (unless otherwise agreed to by the individual and the Planning Team, including the Tri-Counties Regional Center), so that an individual’s home cannot be jeopardized by any change in his or her choice of, or relationship to, a supported living service provider.
Supported living supports and services promote individualized community living arrangements typical of living arrangements in which persons without disabilities reside. Supports and services build on an individual’s capabilities and strengths and are provided for those tasks that the individual may not be able to learn to perform independently.
Individuals receiving supported living services choose where and with whom they will live based upon their preferences and resources. A combination of natural, community, generic, environmental, and formal supports ensure the individual is safe, healthy, and has opportunities for friendships and personal growth. Supports and services build upon the individual’s capabilities and strengths and are delivered within the context and environment of his or her day-to-day activities. Interdependence is encouraged to enable people to experience the value of relationships within families, neighborhoods and communities.
The Planning Team will initiate periodic review of the supports and/or services provided, including annual completion of the DDS Supported Living Services Standardized Assessment Questionnaire, to re-evaluate the efficacy of providing training versus providing support in specific skill areas, whether services provided are necessary and sufficient, that generic resources are utilized to the fullest extent possible, and that the most cost-effective provider of comparable service is selected. Where appropriate, the individual will be supported to transition to unpaid and generic supports as long as their health and safety can be assured.
Tri-Counties Regional Center will not authorize funding for the purchase of any supported living support and/or service that is considered experimental, optional or elective in nature. The expected result from the provision of any supported living support, service or combination of supports and services must lead to the development of measurable outcomes stated on the person’s Individual Program Plan. The provision of independent or supported living supports and/or services must be both clinically and fiscally an effective use of public funds.
Exception Policy:
Tri-Counties Regional Center recognizes that some individual needs are so unique that they may not be addressed in this Service Policy. Such requests for an exception to a Service Policy will be made through the Planning Team process. If the Planning Team concurs, they will forward recommendations regarding the request to the Executive Director, or designee. Exceptions to a Service Policy may be granted by the Tri-Counties Regional Center Executive Director, or designee.
Approvals:
