Ask the Experts: Creative Housing Models

[Guest guest]

Laurie,

Thank you so much for welcoming me into the group. I have worked in the field

since 1991 and in Illinois since 2000. One thing I’ve learned is that one

choice is no choice. I’ve seen people happy in many different living

situations and I’m just thrilled to be part of Illinois MENTOR’s Host Home

program.

You asked about our model. Our model is a shared living model, where

individuals live in regular family homes in the community. The “homes†can

be single family homes or any other version of a home as long as it’s able to

pass inspection by the Fire Marshall and DHS. Our “Mentors†are trained as

DSPs and can be single, married, empty nesters, parents…any way a family

looks. The Mentor Network, our parent company, has been doing this model since

the 1980s, starting in Massachusetts.

Currently, Illinois MENTOR has offices in Matteson (Chicagoland), Rockford,

Peoria, O’Fallon and n (Southern Illinois). Some of our programs have

been around for many years and others are new to serving adults with

disabilities. Our goal is to help people find homes in the communities in which

they want to live so we will surely grow and expand in the future.

The Host Home model in Illinois is one option for individuals with CILA funding.

So we follow the same rules and regulations as CILA group homes. Obviously, the

services could be paid for in other ways, if individuals had other funding or

private funding. CILA funding has just been the best fit for this model so far.

Please let me know if anyone has additional questions!