An increasingly large body of
research is emerging that supports the expectation
that people experience better outcomes when they have
choice, control and flexible tailored supports.
The following is a list of articles from both
Australia and Overseas:
Research articles:
Stancliffe RJ & Keane S (2000). Outcomes and
costs of community living: A matched comparison of
group homes and semi-independent living. Journal of
Intellectual and Developmental Disability, 25(4),
pp. 281-305.
This study compared outcomes for people
with comparable profiles in the low to moderate
support needs range. It was found that where
differences were significant, on five indicators,
participants in semi-independent community living
had significantly better outcomes than participants
in group homes. This finding was deemed consistent
with previous research findings cited which report
superior outcomes in semi-independent settings.
People living in the community had lower social
dissatisfaction, more independent use of community
facilities and more empowerment.
Kappell B (1995). Making
the Impossible Possible: Reflections on Individualized
Approaches With a Focus on Ontario. Journal of
Leisurability, 22(4).
This provides a discussion of lessons
learned after 20 years of advocacy for and
initiatives in individualised support in Ontario,
Canada. Kappell argues that after "ongoing
attempts, reviews, research, and policy
development, the idea of what 'individualized
approaches' is all about is becoming clear" and
concludes, "Individualized approaches should lead
to the following outcomes: having a physical
presence in the community; being involved with
community activities/groups; having personal
relationships and friendships; learning &
developing skills and abilities; making decisions
and taking control of one's own life; being
respected and having a good reputation." He then
identifies some trends and issues that arise from
the last fifteen years' experience in Ontario.
Lucyshyn J, Olson D & Horner RH (1995).
Building an ecology of support: A case study of one
young woman with severe problem behaviors living in
the community. Journal of the Association for
Persons with Severe Handicaps (JASH), 20(1), pp.
16-30.
This study used quantitative and
qualitative measures to evaluate the outcomes for a
young woman with life-threatening self-injurious
behaviours before and after her move from an
institution into community living. Authors note
that challenging behaviours are the most common
reason for people being placed in institutional
living arrangements, and say there is a common
presumption that the problem behaviours need to
improve before community living is viable. However,
the study found that outcomes for this young woman
were significantly improved after the move. After
the move 'substantial improvements in Emma's
behavior, community participation and social
relationships' were observed and after 2½
years of community living Emma was 'more alert,
verbally assertive, conversational and
affectionate… more independent, socially
competent and happy.' She was not 'cured' of
challenging behaviours, but these significantly
reduced at times when staff was stable and knew her
well, and they increased at times of major
disruption to staffing patterns, indicating that
the behaviours were 'contextually bound'. Authors
note: "Her problem behaviors may require continual
adjustment of the type and quality of support she
receives but not the elimination of her opportunity
to work, play and learn in the community."
Gruhn R (2005). Everybody
Needs a Home. People from a non-English speaking
background with disability and their families living
in communities - a research project about their
concerns and hopes and their implications for public
policy, Multicultural
Disability Advocacy Association of NSW
This paper documents the hopes and
concerns of people in NSW from a non-English
speaking background (NESB) with disability and
their families about their accommodation and more
broadly the circumstances in which they live. 53
people were interviewed about what they most
wanted. The report concludes, "What participants
reported about their current accommodation
confirmed the need to change the way support for
living in the community is currently provided. As
we explore later, the challenge for providers and
funders of support programs such as supported
accommodation is to create systems that strengthen
meaningful relationships and networks which form
the foundations for community support within local
communities.”
Berkman K & Meyers L (1988). Alternative
Strategies and Multiple Outcomes in the Remediation of
Severe Self-Injury: Going "All Out" Nonaversively.
Journal of the Association for Persons with Severe
Handicaps (JASH), 3(2), pp. 76-86.
The case study describes various
treatments implemented over a three-year period to
reduce and eliminate multiple and severe
self-injurious behaviours in a 45-year-old
institutionalized man with intellectual disability
and psychotic illness. Community involvement and
eventual community living, with the increased
control over his circumstances this gave him, was
associated with positive behavioural change in the
individual studied.
Roeher Institute (1994). Violence
and People with Disabilities: A Review of the
Literature.
Among the systemic changes recommended to
reduce the likelihood of abuse of people with
disabilities are "support services that are more
widely available, affordable, portable and subject
to consumer control so that people with
disabilities are not required to participate in
delivery sites that may involve risks (e.g.,
sheltered workshops, group homes, special care
homes, multi-service institutions) and the
"deinstitutionalization of people with disabilities
and integration into the community".
Joseph Rowntree Foundation (1998). Supported
living and supported employment: opening up
opportunities to people with learning
difficulties. Ref 728.
This article examines barriers to
inclusion of people with learning disabilities in
the community and suggests solutions. It
recommends, among other things, "A clear national
strategy and framework for specialist services to
enable more people with learning difficulties to
access supported living and employment options."
Online articles, manuals and reports:
Queensland Disability Housing Coalition (2005).
A
home of my own: right, rhetoric or reality?
Croft D (2006).
Innovation in the provision of accommodation support
services for Western Australians with a disability. A
Discussion Paper. Accommodation Think Tank ACROD
WA.
Connections for Information and Resources on
Community Living (CIRCL) (2000). Developing
Supported Living Services: A Guide to Essentials for
Service Agencies and Regional Centers.
This is a comprehensive manual for those
seeking to set up a Supported Living Agency and
ensure good practice.
Allen Shea Associates. Supported
Living Service Quality Review Process.
Self-Assessment for SLS Service Providers.
This is an evaluation checklist for
service providers to check whether they are
implementing good practice in supported living
services.
National Resource Center on Supported Living and
Choice (2004). "Community
for all" Tool kit resources for supporting community
living. Syracuse University
A full copy of the 405 page 'toolkit'
(15Mb) can be downloaded from this site.
Hulgin K, Shoultz B, Walker P & Drake S (1996).
Innovative
practices in supported living: an overview of
organizations, issues, and resource materials.
Center on Human Policy Syracuse University.
Describes innovative agencies around the
USA and addresses a number of issues that are
important to continue to address in the effort to
develop supported living services.
O'Brien J (1995). The
Transition to Supported Living. Realizing the Moment
and Moving On. Report of an Evaluation of
Supported Living Services at Jay Nolan Community
Services.
O'Brien J & C with Brost M (1999). Guiding
People Home. The Role of Wisconsin's Supported Housing
Specialist.
Cyr B Full
Inclusion or Full Disillusionment: Including People
With Disabilities In Our Communities, University
of Maine, Machias.
Taylor S J Chapter 15. 'Supporting Adults to Live
in the Community: Beyond the Continuum' in Pueschel S.
M. (Ed.) Adults with Down Syndrome. Paul H
Brookes. Baltimore.
Useful websites
Family
Advocacy: Inclusion Collection - Family Advocacy
houses
a range of articles for personal study on
supported living and other subjects related to
inclusive lives for people with disabilities.
Community
Resource Unit
Kendrick
Consulting: Michael Kendrick's website contains a
large number of articles on person centred supports
and service transformation.
The
Center for Human Policy, Law and Disability
Studies: Has a page of Supported
Living links
Paradigm
UK Articles
Links
to pages on supported living at Pardigm UK
Connections
for Information and Resources on Community Living
(CIRCL)
Inclusion
Press
