DBHDD’s Efforts to Provide Community-Integrated Living Arrangements for Developmental Disability Individuals are Reflected in Policy Revisions
The Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD) is continuing its efforts to offer an array of community-integrated housing options that meet the needs of individuals with developmental disabilities. DBHDD’s latest efforts are reflected in the revisions to its Policy #02-601: Community Integration in Residential Service Options and Supervised Apartment Living Arrangements for Individuals with Developmental Disabilities.
Dr. Charles Li, Assistant Commissioner for Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD), in a recent memorandum to Community Developmental Disability Providers regarding the revisions said, “The goal of DBHDD’s housing policy is to maintain stability where it exists and otherwise provide access, through informed choice, to a wide array of quality housing options in integrated settings that are appropriate to individual needs.”
Significant changes to the policy clearly delineate the forms of housing; specify that residential services administered through the HCBS Waiver Program and Comprehensive Support Waivers shall reflect the values of informed choice, autonomy and community integration and how these values coincide with federal and state laws (e.g., the Americans with Disabilities Act); and discuss DBHDD’s standards for integrated settings.
The policy revisions also include modifications of the definitions of supervised apartment living arrangements - Scattered Arrangements and Cluster Arrangements. The limitation - Up to 49% of all individuals residing in apartments located in one building can be individuals with developmental disabilities including individuals supervised by one agency - has been removed and the new definitions simply state:
- Scattered Arrangements - Individuals and others with disabilities reside in apartments scattered/geographically dispersed throughout the community
- Cluster Arrangements - Individuals and others with disabilities reside in apartments located in one building.
For complete information about the revised policy, visit https://gadbhdd.policystat.com/policy/437530/latest/.