Residential Services provide people with intellectual and developmental disabilities a variety of supports using a Person-Centered and Trauma-Informed Care approach. There are numerous homes throughout Erie, Chautauqua, Niagara and Monroe Counties. Each has qualified staff available 24 hours a day. There are a variety of unique homes for people looking for particular services, including homes for children, specialized homes for people with complex medical needs, several apartment options and so much more. All residential services are certified through the New York State Office for People with Developmental Disabilities.
Additional residential programs include family care in which families open their home to individuals with developmental disabilities; and supportive apartments designed for people who are more independent yet require some guidance on a regular basis. In addition to more traditional group homes and supportive apartments, innovative “person-centered” housing is being developed. Persons with a developmental disability are eligible.
Hours: 24-hour supervision or dependent on the needs of the person
Services
Individual Residential Alternative (IRA)
Erie, Niagara, Monroe and Chautauqua (Northern)
Community-based certified housing
Age: Varies
Designed to accommodate each person's unique residential needs, IRAs provide people with developmental disabilities a variety of supports using a person-centered and trauma-informed care approach. Staff are specially trained to encourage the highest level of independence and decision making through 24-hour care (or less if needed) in urban, suburban and rural locations. Residential staff provides support with daily living skills, goals, medical and behavioral health care. Staff also support and encourage community activities and building relationships with natural supports. During the day, a person may attend a day program, school, or work in a supported employment placement.
Individualized Service Environment (ISE)
Provides self-directed, individualized assistance and support to people living on their own, either alone or with roommates, in their own home or apartment. The program provides residential habilitation, along with natural supports, to assist people with activities such as money management, nutrition, socialization, laundry and other activities of daily living, necessary to successfully live independently.
Intermediate Care Facilities (ICF)
Erie
Community-based certified housing
Eligibility: Significant need in the area of adaptive behavior and/or self care.
Age: 18+
Residential settings designed to meet the needs of people with developmental disabilities requiring more support and/or training in their home to live in the community. ICFs provide enriched staffing ratios to accommodate the varied needs of the residents, including social workers, OT/PT/Speech therapists, nursing, nutritional services, behavioral services and recreation staff. Residential staff assist with daily living skills, goals and medical and behavioral health care. During the day, a person may attend a day program, school, or work in a supported employment placement.
Children's Residential Services
Erie
Children’s Residential Services aim to provide a structured, nurturing environment with clearly defined expectations and an individualized plan of services that gives recognition to unique learning styles. Each child is supported in the areas of social-emotional and character development, academics, self-management and play. This residential setting supports children and their families to prepare children for an adult residential setting. The involvement of family is valued, and ongoing communication is viewed as essential.
Age: Under 18
On Our Way @Wayside
The “On Our Way @Wayside” residence provides people with intellectual and developmental disabilities a space to live and build important life skills. Three tenants at a time will live at Wayside for a three- to nine-month period and their progress will be tracked monthly through an assessment process. The residence consists of three separate pods/en suites. Staff will be present at limited, set times to work on skills for independent living. The larger common spaces will allow for group learning activities on cooking, cleaning, laundry, budgeting and mobility training. Located in Hamburg, “On Our Way @Wayside” will help provide people with intellectual and developmental disabilities the chance to gain independence by being progressively responsible for all aspects of their “next step” community apartment, while living in a safe practice model.
Features include: Utilities, air conditioned, accessible/barrier-free with walk-in showers, laundry facilities on site, Wi-Fi and cable in the common area and located near a bus line.
Admissions >
Supervised & Supportive Apartments
Erie, Niagara, Monroe and Chautauqua (Northern)
People Inc. offers safe, functional living environments for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities through supervised and supportive apartments. Supervised and supportive apartments are ideal for people transitioning from a traditional Individualized Residential Alternative (IRA) who aspire to move towards independent community living. These certified residential settings ensure that people receive the supports they need while also being empowered to become independent and self-sufficient members of the community. While living in a supervised or supportive apartment, they work on developing skills such as medication management, cooking, budgeting, mobility and problem solving. People Inc. currently operates 15 certified apartment programs for people with developmental disabilities in Buffalo and the surrounding areas and one in the greater Rochester region. Both supervised and supportive apartments are for those age 18 and older.
Supervised Apartments
At a supervised apartment, trained staff members are available 24 hours a day to assist in refining daily living and community skills. With the goal of working towards more independent living, people in supervised apartments work on skills, including:
- Managing their own medications and medical appointments
- Being independent in the home
- Independently evacuating in the event of a fire or other emergency situation
- Learning about modes of transportation including the bus, bicycle, cab, paratransit and walking
- Being competitively employed, working with a job coach or participating in a works skills or other day activity
- Participating in menu planning, grocery shopping, and/or cooking basic meals with staff support
- Basic budgeting
Supportive Apartments
A supportive apartment is a more independent residential setting for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities who need limited support and guidance on a regular basis. Supervision and guidance are based on the resident’s individual needs, requiring less than 24-hour support. Those in supportive apartments must have the ability to:
- Be at home for unlimited amounts of time
- Independently evacuate in the event of a fire or other emergency within three minutes or less, and be self-preserving
- Manage medication with support for medication refills and other changes as needed, as well as attending their own routine appointments
- Independently manage own personal hygiene or need general reminders
- Take public transit or be willing to utilize other modes of transportation
- Maintain competitive employment, working with a job coach or participating in a works skills or other day activity
- Plan basic menus, grocery shop and cook with minimal staff support
- Exercise basic budgeting skills, return receipts if requested, show basic understanding of rent responsibility and payment and be their own payee or working towards becoming their own payee
Apartment tours available upon request. | Admissions
Perfect Fit
Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Monroe, Niagara and Orleans
"I truly believe I receive and benefit just as much, if not more, from providing care to someone who needs it." -A Perfect Fit Provider
What makes Perfect Fit different? Sharing a home with people you care about is a dream for many. Different than group homes and Intermediate Care Facilities, Perfect Fit is a loving family that has opened their home treating the person who comes to live with them like one of their own.
People with developmental disabilities can find their place to call home through the People Inc. Perfect Fit program. A unique blending of an existing family home who has opened their doors providing a safe, natural, family setting for people to receive the care and support they need, with the independence to explore their own interests. Perfect Fit’s distinctive residential settings welcomes people with warmth, compassion, and encouragement, enabling them to gain a genuine feeling of acceptance through stable relationships and community participation. You have an opportunity to truly be part of family living.
Seeking new Perfect Fit providers! If you have room in your home, as well as in your heart, then the Perfect Fit Program may be right for you. Contact us to explore how to become someone’s “second family.”
Current Openings
North Buffalo Perfect Fit Family Care Location
You may find your Perfect Fit in this two story yellow North Buffalo home, with a beautiful enclosed front porch. There are four steps into the home, where the bedrooms and bathrooms are on the second floor. The back yard is fully fenced in and is the place for yummy barbecues in the summer. The Perfect Fit Provider and her husband love music and often in summer months, the husband can be heard playing his guitar on the porch. There are so many fun things to do in North Buffalo that are even in walking distance of the house. This couple loves to be out and about whenever they can and they are looking forward to having someone join them who would like to spend time with family and friends.
Does this sound like you or need more information? Check out our Perfect Fit flyers below or call 716.345.6161.
