FACES: For People
with Developmental Disabilities

FACES - Facilitating, Advocacy, Care, Education, & Shelter
LSG has developed programs designed to keep adults , adolescents and children with disabilities in their communities.  Primarily serving individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, these programs seek to provide participants with a meaningful life by giving them guidance, encouragement, and support. This is accomplished in one of the following models:

• Host Homes: provided by Companions wishing to open their home to welcome individuals with disabilities who might not have family or the means to support themselves in their own home. The Support Companion makes every effort to help the individual feel that this is his or her home and offer a nurturing home setting. The Support Companion becomes a catalyst strengthening the individual's family and other support networks.  This generally assures the person is the singular focus of the Companion and helps the participant become part of the community readily.

• In-Home Supports:  in some areas, Participants; services are provided in their own or their family's home.  Often these individuals still have family or have the means to live in their own home if they receive basic support services.  The in-home Companions offer basic personal support care and by working together assist the Participant in developing strategies and supports to become active participants in their communities.  Some examples could be, but are not limited to, social outings, attendance in clubs or other activities of interest, trips to the library, or out shopping.

• Licensed Home Supports:  on a limited basis we provide supports in a licensed home where individuals with challenges share the home environment. We desire to have the primary Support companion live in the home with only limited addition of other direct support persons. Some individuals desire the activity and interaction of housemates being in the home; this can also mean less individualized focus at times.

• Day Support Services:  for some persons, we offer community based day supports to encourage their growth and the development of skills in the areas of employment, recreation, social, and independent living.  These services would be offered primarily in the community where the Participant lives or wants to become involved. For others in our program they may receive day services in facility based programs or school settings provided by other agencies or entities.

• Employment and Volunteer opportunities:  some of our participants hold jobs in the community either part time or full time depending upon their interest and job demands. Others have opportunities to volunteer in organizations or settings where they build relationships and develop skills that help them become valued members of those respective communities.

• We desire that our Participants have personally meaningful, fulfilling lives of their choosing. We accomplish this by cultivating and honoring their choices about where and with whom they live, spend their time and develop their interests in life and work.

Stories:  Changing lives, different thinking, and supportive companions.

The last year or so has had an impact on the staff with FACES and those we serve. Some interesting notes include:

• Nearly one third of our participants now are individuals under 21; several having come to us from institutional settings; there are also adults from hospitals. for all of them, and us, we have had exciting times learning how to acclimate to one another and the needed supports for life in the community.
• Several adolescents with Autism spectrum disorders have come to be served by LSG Companions. We have helped them access additional specialized services for folks with ASD, perhaps unavailable to them in the past, as well as participate in the communities where they live.
• Several of our Participants have been able to obtain jobs in restaurants, in movie theaters and beauty salons. Others are going to school, learning with other students from their neighborhoods, riding the bus and being involved.
• Some have been on vacation to the mountains, to Disney World, or the beach. Still others are going to concerts, hockey games and attending a Braves game at Turner Field.
• Notably, it is difficult to notice Participants; they appear as groups of friends or family members together enjoying each other and the stuff they're doing.