Roads to Community Living: Fact Sheet

What is Roads to Community Living?

Roads to Community Living (RCL) is a federal grant for Developmental Disabilities Administration clients (adults and children) who are considering moving back into the community from Residential Habilitation Centers (RHCs) or other  qualifying institutional settings. The RCL grant provides additional supports and services for interested people and their families who decide to make this move. We believe anyone can live safe, healthy, productive, and enjoyable lives in the community. We are committed to providing the individualized supports necessary to make this a reality for RCL participants.

RCL Mission

RCL engages and collaborates with individuals, their families, community members, paid providers, and other involved people so that RCL participants can:

  • Make informed choices about where and how they would like to live
  • Live, work, play, and contribute in the community of their choice
  • Lead safe and healthy lives
  • Strengthen and enrich the communities in which they live

What RCL Offers

RCL provides supports and services to individuals and their families who are considering or have decided to move from an RHC or other qualified setting to a home in the community. This can include helping a person and their family make a well-informed decision regarding where to live and what supports would be needed to live successfully in the community. RCL helps the person make a smooth transition to the community by building collaborative partnerships with everyone involved in the person’s life.

Enhanced funding for additional help is available for one year after the person has moved into the community. These extra services and this flexible funding are tailored to the individual and family’s unique needs and desires.

Examples of additional help could include:

  • A person centered plan that outlines the person’s strengths and needs, personal goals for community living and steps to get there;
  • Assistance finding a job in the community or developing a pathway to employment;
  • Obtaining assistive technology to facilitate mobility, communication, or other assessed needs;
  • Making environmental adaptation(s) or modifications to the home to meet the person’s unique needs;
  • Providing additional resources and training to staff members who work in community settings;

In addition, DDA provides for regular follow-up visits to make sure everything is going well and, if necessary, to make any changes to assure success.

The RCL team understands that successfully adjusting to community living can be difficult. In recognition of this, we will provide assistance to individuals experiencing behavioral challenges through the use of positive behavior support strategies. These supports could include the development of positive behavior support plans to address specific behaviors.

Who Can Participate?

Individuals who are eligible to enroll in the RCL grant are Developmental Disabilities Administration clients, currently live in an RHC or other qualifying institutional setting (such as Skilled Nursing Facilities or Intermediate Care Facilities for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities (ICF/IID)), have lived there for 3 months or more, and want to move back into the community in a household of four or less people.

How to Find Out More

Each Region of the Developmental Disabilities Administration and each RHC has a RCL contact person who can provide information to and answer questions for interested individuals. The DDA Roads to Community team can also answer questions.

The DDA Roads to Community Team

The RCL team is available to help with the process of making choices, finding homes, and developing supports and services for individuals wanting to move to a home in the community.

Jeremy Martin Shane Price is the RCL Case Manager for Region 1, Alisa Rettenmier for Region 2, and Timothy Mack and David Ryan for Region 3. Each region has a RCL Case Manager who helps RCL participants develop a plan and make the transition from the institutional setting to a home in the community. The RCL Case Manager brings together the people and organizations who will help to make this transition successful for each person. The RCL Case Manager follows the person for the first year in the community.

Ron Bryan is the RCL Quality Improvement Specialist. The Quality Improvement Specialist works with individuals, families, providers, community members, and state and county staff to determine what is working and what changes are needed, so that individuals can successfully transition from institutional settings to the community.

Tom Farrow is the RCL Transition Coordinator. The Transition Coordinator provides support and guidance to help individuals transition to the community. This includes coordinating resources statewide and ensuring people get what they need to be successful.

Miguel Salas is the RCL Behavior Analyst. The Behavioral Analyst helps individuals with behavioral challenges adjust to community living. He will analyze and help find the proper community setting, identify training needs for staff, and follow up with people to enhance their success.

 

Contact Information