Residential services which can be community living supports or specialized residential, provide staff support to help with activities of daily living in the home setting of your choice. This can include meal preparation, medication distribution, personal care, and more depending on medical need. The services that you specifically need are outlined in the Individualized Plan of Service (IPOS). Residential services can be provided in a number of housing settings like a rented apartment or house, a home owned by Jarc or even in a family home. This staff support can provide bed checks in overnight settings, and transportation to social activities, grocery shopping, and vocational programs.

About 20% of the federal budget is dedicated to Medicare and Medicaid. Those dollars are spread across all 50 states to help fund a variety of healthcare programs, including behavioral health which serves adults and children with developmental disabilities. Some State dollars are matched with the federal dollars that flow to the Prepaid Inpatient Health Plans (PIHPs). In Jarc’s case, Oakland County Health Network (OCHN) disburses the dollars to the providers of all the different services available. Only those providers with a contract with OCHN can bill for services, there is no way for an individual to bill directly to Medicaid.
 

As Jarc is part of the Community Mental Health system in Michigan, the only way to start receiving services is through official channels. If you think Jarc might be a good fit for residential services for you or your family member, have your support coordinator send a referral packet to Jarc. The intake team at Jarc will then review the packet and determine if there is an appropriate placement across all programs. If there is, the intake will officially begin with services usually starting within 60 days. There is limited space in housing options that Jarc owns but if the person is a good fit for a community living placement, staffing should be available pending a review of the referral packet. If there are no openings or if Jarc isn’t the best provider option, we will let the support coordinator know directly. Jarc operates in a very narrow sliver of the behavioral health world, and we want to help as many people as we can, but not everyone with a developmental disability is a good fit for Jarc. And Jarc is not a good fit for everyone with a developmental disability. We want everyone to be in the best environment to support them

Jarc operates three main programs that serve adults and children with developmental disabilities with residential supports. The first and most common is the Community Living Program that supports adults with needs from 1 hour per week to 24 hours per day. Some live in homes owned by Jarc, some live in homes owned by family members, and some live in rented apartments or homes. The second program is the group home model which is comprised of our 9 licensed adult foster care homes. These homes are licensed with the state of Michigan and are the most restrictive housing environment for an adult with a disability while still providing access to the community. The main difference between this program and the Community Living Program is that in a licensed home, staff do something for the person served and in the community living program, they do something with the person served. Jarc’s last program is the respite program. Respite is for adults and children still living in the family home to receive some hours per week to give the primary caregivers a break. All of Jarc’s services fit into one of these three programs.
Visit Jarc.org for more information

Click here to see our Support Report!

After several decades of sporting a house on our logo, it was time for a change. One that would better reflect the work that we do. 

Background of Jarc’s Brand Evolution

Prior to the 1970s, it was a common belief that people with developmental disabilities belonged in institutions. There were few laws around housing rights and many landlords refused to rent to people with disabilities, leaving them with two options: move into an institution, or stay in the family home. 

The parents that started Jarc chose the latter. They feared what would happen when they could no longer care for their children and were determined to create something better. Their young adult children would need a place to live to receive residential support. 

And thus, Jarc was revolutionary in opening group homes.

As mental health services modernized, housing opportunities widened. Thanks to advocates like Jarc, it became illegal to refuse housing to adults with developmental disabilities.

Since then, Jarc has provided residential support to adults with developmental disabilities in the home setting of their choice. Jarc continues to provide the same level of personalized care, whether someone lives in an apartment, a leased home, a home owned by a family member, a home owned by Jarc, or anywhere else they choose to live.

We are excited that our new look represents our present and future.

While JARC used to be an acronym, our legal name has been four letters for 36 years. To reflect this and display a more friendly look, our new brand includes a capital J and lowercase -arc. 

The overlap of our letters represents the importance of unity and connections. Jarc is committed to creating a supportive, interconnected environment for those in our care, our staff, and within the larger community.

Tagline: Care that Connects

Our tagline is the essence of what Jarc strives to be. At our core, and what we are funded to do, is provide care. Through that care, comes connections between those we serve, caregivers, and the larger community. These connections build relationships, foster inclusion, and create a future where everyone belongs.

Jarc and every other provider recommends leveraging government benefits to support adults and children with developmental disabilities. The out-of-pocket cost for an entire life is too much, especially when these benefits are available. Medicaid pays for important services like staff support for anyone with a disability. Some examples of qualifying disabilities include Down’s syndrome, cerebral palsy, autism, and many other intellectual and cognitive impairments. Michigan has 10 Prepaid Inpatient Health Plans (PIHP) that manage these services. Click the link in the transcript to find the PIHP that serves you. Once you are approved for benefits, you will be assigned a support coordinator to help you navigate the services you need. Click here for Michigan map of PIHPs.

Hi. My name is Shaindle Braunstein and I am the CEO of Jarc. As a provider of residential services for those with developmental disabilities, people often ask Jarc how to begin receiving services for a loved
one. This video series was created to help answer questions about how to receive services in the state of Michigan. Additional resources can be found in the videos’ transcripts.
I hope you find this series helpful. Find us on YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram for more videos and information. Or visit our website Jarc.org.