This is the living situation for 75% of people with IDD in Georgia. An individual with IDD lives in the family home with parents and siblings and family members typically provide most needed support services. While living in the family home keeps an individual together with their loved ones and the family avoids the cost of hiring caregivers, there are disadvantages as well. People with IDD, like their neuro-typical peers often seek independence, which they may lack when living with family. It's also worth thinking through what happens when parents age and can no longer provide care, and planning for that transition ahead of time.

In linked-living situations, individuals with IDD have their own accessory dwelling unit (ADU) located on the family property. Such arrangements are less costly than purchasing a second home and can be customized to fit individual needs. There is also the potential to turn the space into a short-term rental when no longer needed. However, the family must have property to accommodate linked-living arrangements and the financial resources to fund construction and maintenance. Also, stand-alone configurations may not be allowed under local zoning regulations. While linked living provides a gradual step toward independence, it still may be isolating for the individual with a disability.

Also known as a Community Residential Alternative (CRA) in Georgia. In this model individuals with disabilities live together in a single residence, typically a single-family home. The homes are licensed by the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD), the state agency that oversees services for people with IDD and mental health needs. DBHDD sets a maximum of 4 residents per home. Group homes are “provider controlled.” This means one organization controls both your housing and your support services, so if you want to change providers you may need to move. In essence, residents are purchasing a bundle that includes both housing and support services.

The group home model has a long history in Georgia. The first group home for adults with developmental disabilities in Georgia opened in 1981. As of 2000, there were 3,231 Group Homes operating in Georgia. Given the large number of group homes, they may be the only viable option for some families, particularly in non-metro areas where there are few alternatives. Group homes may also be isolating, as many are in locations that are not walkable to amenities and residents must rely on transportation services provided by the group home operator. Also, while there is great variation among group homes, many provide little personal autonomy. For example, residents may have limited say about who their housemates or caregivers are.

In Georgia, a host home is a private residence where an owner or renter provides housing, food, and personal support care for one or two adults with developmental disabilities who are not related to them. As with group homes, they are “provider controlled” and are subject to regulation by the DBHDD. However, unlike group homes, the host who provides support care lives with the individuals with IDD. Ideally, the host home can provide a family setting where the individual with a disability feels like a “member of the family.” However, like living in one’s own family home, there may be relatively little opportunity for independence. As of 2000, there were 1,401 Host Homes operating in Georgia.

Community living includes all the familiar independent living arrangements, like apartments, condominiums/townhomes, duplexes, and single-family homes. These are described in detail in the “Do It Yourself” Housing Options section. There are also various types of planned communities that specifically focus on serving the IDD population. Key features of all such communities in Georgia are summarized on the Housing Directory page along with links to detailed profiles of each community.

One community living option that does not currently exist in Georgia is “Disability-Forward” housing. This relatively new concept combines affordable apartments that are designed to be accessible with residential services in the form of an “inclusion facilitator” who builds community within a development and connects residents to the larger neighborhood. Typically, 25% of units are set aside for people with disabilities. Residents provide their own individual support services, which are funded through Medicaid HCBS waivers. In this model, residents with disabilities have much greater control over daily routines and living arrangements than in traditional group homes.

While there are currently no examples of disability-forward housing in Georgia, many successful disability-housing projects have been built across the U.S., including: Patuxent Commons (Maryland), Prairie Haus (Wisconsin), Main Street (Maryland), The Kelsey (California), and Trailhead Community (Colorado).