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Chenango Community Residences, Inc.
Chenango Individualized Residential Alternatives

The Chenango Individualized Residential Alternatives are residential programs sponsered by the Chenango County ARC. It has been operating and growing since 1978 when it opened its first Community Residence on Broad Street in Norwich. At that time it served 11 developmentally disabled adults in a 24 hour supervised living situation. Its staffing consisted of live in House Manager with weekend Relief Managers. Since that time, not only did the program grow, but the staffing pattern changed to shift patterns. Now the program has what is referred to as a continuum of care: from 24 hour supervision to as little as 2.5 hours a week in an apartment living situation.

Supervised Individualized Residential Alternatives:

The Chenango County ARC currently operates four homes that are considered to be Supervised Individualized Residential Alternatives. These are located in Norwich and the others aer located in Oxford, NY. The homes have 24 hour staff supervision, which operate on a shift pattern. Residents receive residential habilitation, which assists the individuals in their activities of daily living, such as cooking, cleaning the home, laundry, banking, personal hygiene and home and community safety. They receive service coordination that assist in the coordination of medical, dental, recreational and mental health appointments. Service Coordination also provides advocacy when needed at these appointments. Individuals receive other services in th areas of rehabilitation, dental and nursing. The individuals residing in the home attend a day program that may be educationally, recreationally or vocationally oriented, depending on the need of the individual. The residential goal of the IRA is to prepare the individuals to reside in their least restrictive, ost supportive residential environment.

Supportive Individualized Residential Alternatives:

Currently the Chenango County ARC currently operates five apartments which are considered to be Supportive Individualized Residential Alternatives within the city limits of Norwich, NY. Though the areas of residential habitation, service coordination and other service remain the same as in Supervised IRA, the services change to meet the more indipendent need of the individual. The individuals in this living situation can receive up to 21 hours per week of residential staff assistance to maintain their lifestle in this less restrictive environment. They are encouraged to do as many activities of daily living as independently as possible. These activities include, but are not limited to: grocery shopping, making appointments, transportation arrangements and participating in recreational events, which they have selected. They receive training in the area of safty as it pertains to apartment living. The goal of the supportive apartment is to prepare the individuals for more independence in the community. The structure of this program is such that intensive support is available as needed by the participant.

At-Home Residential Habilitation:

This program allows for staff to provide residential training in the person’s home, whether that be an apartment or at home with Mom and Dad. Services which are common across all programs are still available in this living situation. However, with the additional support of the family, it would require less staff involvement, allowing for a more dependent individual to continue to live in the most familiar living situation to him/her.

Supplemental Group Day Habitation:

This program allows individuals to receive community integration opportunities that family may not have time to provide. Staff asist and monitor recreational and community outings of the individual’s chosing allows for acquisition of new community skills in an entertaining and fun fashion. This program is available in the evening and on weekends when participants are not involved in other programming options.

For more informationContact:

Chenango County ARC / Chenango Community Residences, Inc.
17 Midland Drive
Norwich, NY 13815