Residents

Each of Community Living’s residents and clients is qualified to receive support and services from the State of Maryland’s Developmental Disabilities Administration, which also oversees all aspects of resident and client care. Some of those we serve require "light" supervision only a few hours a week, and this supervision may include assistance with finances, housekeeping, job training, etc. Others with profound and/or multiple disabilities will have round-the-clock staff companions who provide full support for all the minute details of daily living at home and in the community. Most of Community Living’s residents, though, fall somewhere in the middle of these two extremes, and with staff assistance, make choices that support independence through individual’s strengths and desires.

All CLI participants work a regular job, attend day programs, or are retired and involved in the agency’s Retirement Our Way day program.
Community Living carries out its name in that all of its people participate as fully in their community as abilities allow. This means these folks are on the go! With staff help as needed, residents do their own shopping, go to public events, walk in the park, attend worship, cheer on their favorite teams, and picnic at the playground. They like the treats of going to McDonald's, the movies, getting a haircut, and playing bingo at the senior center.
And at home, time goes quickly. Meal planning and cooking, videos, personal housekeeping, gardening, sometimes fighting with a housemate, craftwork, soaking in the tub, and just hanging around…there’s never enough time to do it all.

Residents maintain and decorate their own rooms. This involvement establishes personal pride and independence. Helping with all-house chores also builds a great deal of pride, and residents often invite community members to their homes for meals or picnics because they are so proud of where they live.
The Community Living staff provides assistance ranging from drop-in visits of a few hours a week for clients requiring a minimum of assistance to 24-hour coverage for those with difficult problems requiring constant care and monitoring. Staff members are fully trained for all medical, behavioral, household, nutritional and other needs.

Community Living strongly adheres to the belief that each individual has the right to live in the community, and will continue to develop and implement new ideas and programs to make this happen.

How to apply for services
All individuals interested in applying for services provided by Community Living should contact the office and request an application form. The application is attached to a brief program description. Community Living staff will assist individuals, when necessary, to complete applications and obtain required records and reports that are needed to be considered for admission.
Upon receipt of an application for services, an appointment will be arranged to meet with the applicant and/or his or her family or representative in order to answer questions and review the application. The applicant may visit homes and meet other agency residents. All applicants are encouraged to visit at least one agency home when applying for residential services.

To be eligible for services, an applicant must:

• Be eligible for a government-funded placement
• Have an etiology of developmental disabilities
• Not presently be able to function in a less restrictive environment
• Must endorse the Community Living mission and philosophy.