shared living
What is Shared Living?
Shared living is an arrangement of services provided in the private home of a participant, or a family, in which care is provided to a participant. Shared Living is meant to provide a more person centered approach to supports that are offered to a participant where the participant and the shared living provider share a life.
Shared living is really built on the foundation of life sharing, developing natural supports, and being an active member of the community. The host home provider/companion shall provide services, including assistance, support, and guidance, in life domain areas such as daily living, safety and security, community living, healthy lifestyle, social and spirituality, and citizenship and advocacy.
Shared living can take several different forms from the participant living in the home of the host home provider to a companion living in the home of the participant to provide support. Companions and host home providers can be college students, families, single people, couples, empty nesters. The shared living provider can be anyone over the age of 21 who wants to share a life and provide supports to an individual with a disability. A shared living provider can support up to two participants at any given time.
Shared living is an option for any person with a disability who is interested in this type of living environment and is eligible for services in a HCBS waiver though the Department of Human Services. When considering shared living the participant and their ISP team should discuss what a good life for the participant looks like, what they don't want, their support needs, current and needed life experiences. This is a great opportunity for the team to use the Life trajectory Worksheet found at www.Lifecoursetools.com.
For more information about South Dakota Shared Living check out the "Intro to Shared Living" webinar. https://lifecourse.thinkific.com/courses/Introduction-to-Shared-Living
Benefits of Shared Living
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Participants have greater access to individualized person centered supports in an environment that is more home like.
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Participants have more opportunities to develop natural supports and be active members of the communities where they live.
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Participants have more consistency and stability in the supports that are provided and who provides them. There is extensive matching between the participant and the companion/host home.
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Provider agencies can address staff turnover and the number of open positions within an agency. With shared living the participant is living in a private home where there is one person providing support. There is no need for multiple shifts with multiple staff.
Provider agencies can reduce their overhead by not needing to provide a location for residential services to be provided.
Family Members as Shared Living Providers
For family members who are interested in becoming shared living providers, DDD has put together an introduction to shared living and three training modules that describe shared living in detail as well as provide in depth information on the nuances of being a paid provider versus simply being a family member. Completion of the introduction and all three training modules are a requirement for any family member to provide shared living. Once all four trainings are completed you will receive a certification of completion which should be printed or saved to be given to a Community Support Provider.
To access the modules, please click here .
In total the trainings run just over 2 hours.
- Introduction to shared living: 28.01 minutes
- Module 1 - Families as shared living providers: 52.25 minutes
- Module 2 - Thoughtful planning: 31.27 minutes
- Module 3 - The process and next steps: 14.43 minutes
Community Support Providers Offering Shared Living
RHD-SD Shared Living
2204 S. Minnesota Ave.
Sioux Falls, SD 57105
(O): 605-377-6490
Kristin Groenenboom
Kristin.Groenenboom@RHD.org
Black Hills Works - Shared Living
Amanda Diers
Director of Shared Living
605.718.6288
adiers@bhws.com
Center for Independence
258 3rd St SW, Huron, SD 57350
(O) 605-352-5698
LifeQuest
804 N Mentzer
Mitchell, SD 57301
(605)990-7813
jlang@lifequestsd.com
Contact: Jessica Lang
LifeScape
4100 S Western Ave / Sioux Falls, SD 57105
605-444-9550
Admissions@lifescapesd.org
https://www.lifescapesd.org/
Northern Hills Training Center
625 Harvard Street
Spearfish SD 57783
605-642-2785 ext. 216
sharedliving@nhtc.org
Publications
Contact
Augusta Wiese
Augusta.Wiese@state.sd.us
Sucess Stories
Tammy Gries has enjoyed a new chapter in her life with the Shared Living program. Since day one, she has been a strong advocate of the program. Tammy moved from a group home setting to a large acreage and became a part of a family. Her new arrangement gives her an opportunity to ride her trike and helps in the flower garden. Tammy also has taken up embroidery. She has sewn many kitchen towels and pillowcases that she likes to give to others. Tammy loves what Shared Living has given her in new opportunities and skills.