The Residential Program

The following options for residential care, services, and support include residence in a JFGH owned (or rented) and maintained home. Jewish traditions and Kashrut (Jewish dietary laws) are observed in these homes; however, those residents who are not Jewish are encouraged to practice within their own faith.

Common characteristics of these options include:

• Residents participate, as they are able, in many group activities such as house meetings, meals, meal planning, and scheduled social activities. Each resident may also have his or her own recreational schedule, and participate in many community activities.
• Each Maryland site is licensed by the Developmental Disability Administration (DDA) or the Mental Hygiene Administration (MHA). Virginia sites are licensed by the Community Services Board or the Department of Social Services. These agencies update and review the licenses by making annual visits.
• Individuals in these programs can be funded through DDA (in MD) or CSB (in VA).
• Individual goals are developed as part of the Individual Plan.
• Each home has a van, some of which are lift-equipped, to transport residents to work, medical appointments, and group outings such as the grocery store, recreational and cultural events, and community activities.

Group Homes
Each group home is staffed with counselors who work in shifts 24 hours a day/ seven days a week. The supervision that the counselors provide includes, but is not limited to, medication monitoring, assistance with activities of daily living, help with household chores, food shopping and preparation, transportation, and accompaniment to medical appointments. The counselor to resident ratio varies and is dependent on the needs of each home. In each house there is a senior counselor who works daily during the week and supervises all counselors within that house.

• Each house serves 4 to 6 men or women, and some houses are co-ed. Most residents have their own bedroom and share a bathroom.
• owns 20 Group Homes, 18 in Montgomery County and 2 in Reston, Virginia.
• Homes with individuals with mobility issues are wheelchair accessible.

Alternative Living Unit (ALU)

• ALU homes, apartments, and condominiums are distinguished from Group Homes in that there are 3 or fewer individuals live together in these JFGH owned and maintained residences.
• ALU residential settings are offered just in Maryland.
• Counseling hours maybe be available 24 hours a day or, in some cases, there may be only morning and/or evening hours.
• ALUs follow the same licensing requirements Group Homes.

Community Supported Living Arrangement
In Maryland, JFGH provides residential services to individuals in Community Supportive Living Arrangements.

• In a CSLA, the individual and/or family own or rent the dwelling and therefore oversee costs associated with room, board and maintenance.
• There are three or fewer individuals living together.
• JFGH’s CSLA services may be qualified for payment through DDA funding.
• JFGH oversees the management of staff and counseling services.
• The amount of funded support services provided to each individual will generally extend to less than 24 hours a day. The hours of support and focus are determined by the needs of the individual and outlined in their Individualized Plan (IP). In some cases, the total supervision hours in the household can be coordinated to extend over a 24 hour period.

The Mary and Charles Oshinsky Apartment Program (OAP)
OAP currently serves residents with learning disabilities, mild mental retardation and mental illness (schizophrenia). Secondary and tertiary disabilities include cerebral palsy, Down Syndrome, autism, seizure disorder, muscular dystrophy, head injury and dual diagnosis (developmental disability and mental illness). Ages of residents range from the early 20's through late 60's. Some residents have valid driver's licenses. Nearly all others access public transportation independently. Two thirds of the OAP residents are competitively employed; several participate in supported employment or regular volunteer work and several are currently unemployed.

Individual Support Services (ISS)

• Individuals receiving ISS own or rent their own apartments/condos and therefore, are responsible for room and board costs, or in helping to acquire living arrangements. Some apartments are owned by the client or client’s family while others are rented or leased.
• OAP is designed for adults with developmental disabilities or chronic mental illness who can live independently but can benefit from drop-in support. JFGH offers up to 3 “drop-in” visits a week through the OAP. Each visit is between 2 and 2.5 hours.
• FGH provided services typically include: money/budget management, food shopping/preparation, organization/maintenance, assistance with entitlement applications, support during medical appointments, and socialization activities.
• JFGH offers many social and recreational events to individuals receiving OAP services such as “Game Night,” a writing workshop, and a current events discussion group. Additionally, individuals in OAP often attend athletic events and theater performances courtesy of donations to JFGH.
• OAP clients may live with a peer roommate or by themselves. Some of OAP clients are married.
• OAP is a service option which conforms to funding available to individuals receiving Maryland State DDA ISS funds. There are usually 1-2 residents in an apartment, which is own or rented by the individuals.
• Residents in OAP generally receive up to 10 hours of counseling a week.

Gildenhorn Chronically Mentally Ill (GCMI)

• The GCMI program provides full case management for individuals with Chronic Mental Illness.
• he GCMI program is generally privately funded.
• The counseling hours are structured according to need of the individual.
• Services generally include financial management in addition to residential counseling.