Who is eligible for residential services and community housing?

1. Children and adults with intellectual, developmental and physical disabilities (including visual and hearing impairments)
2. Adults with low vision and blindness

Eleanor A. Brooks Blindness Related Supports Center at Oak Hill

How are residential service programs structured?

Oak Hill program participants live in group homes and supported apartments in communities across Connecticut (link to site map)

Each program is tailored to meet his or her needs, interests and abilities.  The program is designed and monitored by the program participant's planning and support team (which includes: support staff, supervisors, and nurses); and may include certified/licensed speech and language, occupational and physical therapists, behavior therapists, social workers, program participant's parents or guardians and program participant.

Our community programs work closely with other Oak Hill programs:

• NEAT Center at Oak Hill
• Oak Hill Camp
• Oak Hill Center for Relationship & Sexuality Education (CRSE)
• Oak Hill Day Services
• Oak Hill School
• Oak Hill Adult Social Club

Group Homes features

• Individualized program plans
• Highly qualified professionals
• Daily activities designed to enhance learning and personal competencies
• Leisure time activities that encourage the pursuit of hobbies and development of friendships
• Emphasis on community integration
• Safe, comfortable and personalized environments 

Individualized Home features

For people with independent living skills, individualized home supports provide regular, but not live-in assistance.  People are provided with supports necessary to learn, grow and be a part of their community.  Staff provides help with

• Schedules and keeping appointments
• Health and nutritional issues
• Household budgeting and personal finances
• Companionship
• Retention of daily living skills 

People live in areas that provide easy access to community amenities.

Monitored by the State

Oak Hill Community Programs are monitored by the Connecticut Department of Developmental Disabilities (DDS) and/or Department of Public Health.

Learn About DDS

Oak Hill is a recognized private provider by the Connecticut Department of Developmental Services (DDS) Self Determination Program (Comprehensive Waiver and Individual and Family Supports Waiver) designed to help people with disabilities and their families to choose and design an individualized program that will encourage growth, independence and quality of life.

How do I get started?

Individuals must be enrolled in the Connecticut Department of Developmental Services (DDS) Comprehensive Waiver Program [link to application process] to receive residential services.

For more information, please contact Stan Soby, vice president, Oak Hill Community Programs (860) 769-3822 or email at stans@ciboakhill.org 

"Each time you develop a home, you must look at the needs of the individuals.  Each home must be planned out so that the emotional and the physical needs of each program participant is taken into account." - Stan Soby, vice president, Oak Hill Community Programs

What ages are the people you serve?

We offer homes for children and adults and work with each program participant's planning team to provide a successful transition.  Homes for children under 21 are dedicated to supporting children with medically complex needs or behavioral challenges and to providing continuity of learning from school to home.

How many program participants live in each home?

Adopt-A-Home

Give your time, your financial resources or both.  Established in 2005, based on the success and enthusiasm of “Day of Caring” projects, the program asked local civic organizations, religious groups youth groups and employee volunteers to “adopt” a home.   

How it works:

1. You decide which group home you would like to adopt
2. We set up a meeting with you to get to know each other and discuss the needs of the home.
3. You determine how much time and/or financial resources you would like to invest.

What you will receive in return:

1. An expanded understanding of people with disabilities living in your community.
2. The satisfaction of knowing you have inspired, enriched, and deeply touched the people to whom you have given a part of yourself.
3. A tax deductible contribution
4. Recogition by Oak Hill in the Adopt-A-Home program.

Learn How to Adopt-A-Home