Wildwood, located in the metropolitan Albany area, received a grant
from the Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental
Disabilities (OMRDD) to increase the capacity of families, who
would otherwise seek alternative living situations, to support
their children at home. In addition to this goal, Wildwood
Programs wanted this to be a family controlled effort. Therefore,
they selected six families, representing differing needs as well as
leadership potential, and helped them to form the Family Support
Cooperative. Given full responsibility for a budget of $12,000,
the parents developed a charter to guide them in meeting the needs
of each family. They agreed that priority should be given to
keeping their children at home and involved in their communities,
and that this be accomplished as much as possible through generic
services. It was decided that for the first year, 1993, the money
should be divided equally among the families. They identified a
list of expenditures that do not require prior approval. If a
family has a need that does not fit the predetermined categories,
approval can be granted over the telephone by other Coop members.
The only paperwork involved is submitting vouchers or a statement
of their expenditures. Families are pleased with this arrangement
and feel they are getting their needs met. Wildwood views the
Family Support Cooperative as an opportunity to shift from their
role as a provider to that of a facilitator.
Melissa used to live in a group home, and the possibilities of
having her own place had not been considered because of her
"dangerous seizure disorder," with as many as 80 seizures a day, as
well as her "aggressive behavior." However, as a result of person-
centered planning, Melissa moved into a house with a support
person. In exchange for her support, Annette receives free rent
and utilities. The agency pays another staff person to provide
back-up and support when Annette is not there. Melissa's house, a
duplex, is in a quiet residential neighborhood, close to where her
mother, stepfather, and grandmother live, so they can all easily
visit one another.
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