A Home, A Community, A Life of Their Own

For most of us, having a place to call home is something we rarely stop to think about.

We decide what to eat for dinner. We choose what time to get up in the morning. We visit friends, go shopping, head to work, attend appointments and participate in our community.

For people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, having those same choices has not always been a given.

For generations, many people with disabilities were separated from their families and communities and placed in large institutions. Over time, our country moved toward a different model, one that recognizes that people with disabilities deserve the opportunity to live, work and participate in the communities they call home.

That is the heart of Supported Living.

At Valley Residential Services, Supported Living helps individuals with developmental disabilities live in their own homes while receiving the assistance they need to be successful and as independent as possible.

That support looks different for every person.

For one individual, it might mean help preparing meals, managing household responsibilities or getting to an appointment. For another, it may include more extensive assistance with personal care, transportation and everyday activities.

The goal is not to create one definition of independence. It is to give each person the support they need to live the fullest life possible.

Today, home and community based disability services across the country are facing growing financial pressures. Washington is also preparing for changes in federal programs, including Medicaid, that help fund services for people with disabilities.

When we hear words such as Medicaid, state budgets and funding formulas, it is easy for the conversation to become about numbers.

But behind every number is a person.

It is someone who wants to decide what is for dinner.

Someone who wants to go to work.

Someone who wants to see friends.

Someone who wants to decorate their bedroom, celebrate a birthday, go to a community event or simply relax at home at the end of the day.

In other words, someone who wants the same things most of us do.

Organizations like Valley Residential Services help make those everyday moments possible.

Government funding is an essential part of providing these services, but funding does not always keep pace with the real cost of providing quality care. That makes community partnerships, donations and fundraising increasingly important.

When our community supports Valley Residential Services, it is helping provide something much bigger than a program.

It is helping provide a home.

It is helping provide independence.

And most importantly, it is helping ensure that people with disabilities continue to have a place in the community where they belong.