Independent Living
Smart homes fitted with assistive technology for cueing, self-management and organization.
Services and training that are individually designed based on the student’s needs.
Focused training in meal planning, cooking, budgeting, healthy living, cleaning and home maintenance, shopping, community inclusion, and transportation.
Social skills training related to housemate, employers, teachers, making friends, and dating.
Focused assistance with reducing and helping students manage anxieties, including access to partnered counseling services.
SLLEA’s independent living program integrates self-management technology with direct supports and skills training in such areas as: home and housemate management, meal planning and cooking, shopping, budgeting and finance, self-care, healthy living, community inclusion and transportation. We also provide focused supports to encourage interactive participation at home and in the community.
SLLEA students may live in their own home, but most choose placement into one of SLLEA’s TAP training homes and then progress to a SLLEA Tier home (see below). All SLLEA homes are in pre-screened, affordable rental homes that are fitted with assistive technology and software for cueing, self-management, and organization. Students typically live with 1-2 other housemates, which helps reduce isolation and loneliness and offers affordable rent.
As students gain experience, skill, and confidence in their ability to live more independently, their goals and support needs evolve. SLLEA’s programming is uniquely designed to progress and evolve with our students, promoting them to maximize independence and enjoy the least restrictive and most normalized experiences in independent and social living. After progressing through SLLEA TAP and Tier home levels, as students feel ready, SLLEA supports transition to their own apartment or house and remains available to provide ongoing individualized supports as needed in their new home.
SLLEA TAP Program:
SLLEA’s Training and Assessment Program (TAP) is a live-in training program designed for adults moving away from their family for the first time. TAP includes more intensive supports, including high frequency monitoring and oversight in addition to comprehensive functional and home skills trainings and supports.
In TAP, a SLLEA provider lives in a separate but adjacent home, allowing for frequent check-in, monitoring and assessment, day or night, as needed. Given that autism frequently presents with general anxiety disorder - a condition that can become debilitating with heightened stress – the 24/7 capability of TAP is critical to provide a structured, safe and stable environment for students to find success in learning to manage life on their own for the first time.
SLLEA Tier Homes:
Individuals with higher assessed independent living skill may qualify for placement into one of SLLEA’s Tier Homes. Like TAP, Tier students typically share a rental home with one to two other housemates. Unlike TAP, there is no SLLEA provider residing next door, which requires greater self-reliance and independence.
SLLEA provides day and evening time supports in the home and community according to student needs and choice. Depending on the individual, SLLEA Tier home supports may include varying levels of training, prompting and cueing, executive functioning, time management assist, budgeting and banking, social interaction and networking, housemate and home management, task and medical coordination, shopping assist, meal planning and preparation, house cleaning, personal leisure, community integration, transportation assist, and more.