Residential - Disabilities Board of Charleston County : Disabilities Board of Charleston County

LIVING ASSISTANCE

No matter their age, background or special needs, every individual longs for independence in their life. Our residential support provides individuals with the opportunity to live on their own, with assistance from our residential services team.

We offer five different residential settings based on the level of support and assistance an individual may need. Whether that includes daily assistance from a medical professional or just an occasional check-in from a caregiver, we offer individuals with the support they need to live their most independent life possible.

Intermediate Care Facilities (ICF): DBCC operates one eight-bed Intermediate Care Facility. ICFs are licensed by SCDHEC, under strict federal guidelines. A Qualified Intellectual Developmental Disability Professional (QIDDP) manages and administers the facility, assuring 24-hour-a-day services and supports. The ICF provides services designed to meet all identified needs of the individual. A team of professionals assesses each individual’s strengths and needs for support in order to design programs and to instruct direct care staff in the implementation of programs. A full array of professional services is available based upon the individual’s needs, including dietary services, physical, occupational, and speech therapies, behavior support, psychiatry, assistive technology and nursing. Our medical director visits the home regularly and acts as the primary care physician for each resident. Our ICF residence provides a private bedroom for each individual, a large common area and family-style dining. Individuals who live in our ICF home participate in adult day programs five days a week, unless medically contraindicated. Our staff members provide transportation to work, recreational activities and medical appointments. Funding for services in ICF homes is from a combination of federal and state funds. People in an ICF do not qualify for the Medicaid Waiver program, but are funded through state Medicaid funds.
Community Residential Care Facilities (CRCF): The CRCF homes operated by DBCC are state and federally funded facilities that are staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Our CRCFs are 8 bed homes. Most people have private bedrooms, and the residents share family-style living and dining areas. A state-licensed administrator manages each home, providing staff supervision and assists with development of the individualized support plan. Room and board is paid by the resident from public benefits and covers basic needs, including meals and snacks, rent and routine household and personal hygiene supplies. Menus are developed by a registered dietician and prepared by the facility staff. Individuals receive help with activities of daily living as needed. Nursing oversight of medical needs is provided in these facilities. Individuals who live in our CRCF homes participate in adult day programs five days a week, unless medically contraindicated. Our staff members provide transportation to work, recreational activities and medical appointments. The administrator assures that routine and special medical needs are met. CRCF homes are monitored by the SC Department of Health and Environmental Control and by SCDDSN. Residents also pay room and board fees, which cover meals and snacks, rent and routine household and personal hygiene supplies.
Community Training Homes II (CTH II): The largest residential program operated by DBCC is the CTH II program. A community training home is a single family home in a residential neighborhood that is licensed by SCDDSN and designed to provide training and support to individuals with disabilities that will allow them to live in and participate in the community. The CTH II homes are three- to four-bed group homes located in all parts of Charleston County. Residents of CTH II homes have private bedrooms and share the living areas of the home. The homes are staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by trained staff. A CTH II coordinator supervises and directs the activities of the staff and assures that an appropriate individualized support plan is implemented to fulfill the needs of each resident. Meals, assistance with activities of daily living, transportation and housekeeping are provided. Residents of CTH II homes may hold competitive employment, attend center-based adult day programs or participate in non-vocational day programs, depending on the skills and needs of the person. The CTH 2 homes operated by DBCC are state and federally funded. Residents also pay room and board fees, which cover meals and snacks, rent and routine household and personal hygiene supplies.
Community Training Home I (CTH I): CTH I placements operate under the same licensing regulations as the CTH II program, and homes are licensed by SCDDSN just as in CTH II. A CTH I placement, however, is a licensed private home. The caregiver contracts with DBCC to provide live-in supports to one or two individuals with disabilities. The caregiver provides a comfortable, well-furnished private bedroom for each resident and supervises, trains and assists the individuals with routine activities, including activities of daily living, doctor’s appointments, medications and recreational activities. Great care is taken to ensure that the caregiver and the individual are a good match. Many individuals in our CTH I program have lived with the same caregiver for many years. A CTH I coordinator monitors the individuals and the conditions in the home, visiting at a minimum once a month, and assuring that an appropriate individual plan of care is implemented. The CTH I coordinator assists the caregiver with accessing community support, including medical care, as needed. Individuals in CTH I placements typically participate in day program activities five days a week. Residents also pay room and board fees, which cover meals and snacks, rent and routine household and personal hygiene supplies.
Supported Living Program (SLP): The SLP Program is an apartment-living program that provides supported living for individuals who have a greater degree of independence. These SLP placements are not staffed 24-hours daily, due to the skill level and degree of independence of the people who live in them. In the SLP I program, the residents rent their own apartment in the community, living in their own homes and holding competitive employment. The individual is responsible for managing day-to-day activities independently, but the SLP Coordinator helps with tasks as needed, to assure that the person’s needs are met. The people who live in the SLP I setting are very independent and require minimal support to ensure success in that environment. DBCC’s SLP II program is located in North Charleston. DBCC owns 12 condominiums which are rented by two or three individuals each. There is an onsite office and a DBCC staff member is always available within a 15-minute response time to provide assistance if needed. The staff and the SLP coordinator help the residents improve their independent living skills and provide support for more complex tasks, such as assuring appropriate medical care, ordering medications and balancing checkbooks. Some transportation is available, but residents are encouraged to use public transit. The residents are responsible for much of their personal household and operating chores, like paying bills, washing dishes, preparing meals and managing daily needs.