For many intellectually and developmentally disabled people, large campuses or farmsteads may be better options than small group homes. But new state laws could make it hard for big facilities to survive. In December , I watched year-old Andrew Parles fit wood shapes into a simple puzzle in the new vocational building at the Bancroft Lakeside Campus, a residential program in New Jersey that serves 47 adults with autism and intellectual disabilities. A staff member stood nearby—not hovering, exactly, but close enough to intervene if Andrew suddenly started to hit himself in the head. I toured the campus, admiring the cathedral ceilings and brightly painted exteriors, thinking how perfect a place like this would be for my year-old son Jonah, who is also severely autistic and will require round-the-clock supervision his entire life. In , the federal government asked each state to define exactly what types of vocational and residential settings would be eligible to receive federal funding.

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Group homes are homes in the community where a disability service provider both maintains and controls a household as well as coordinates the supports for those who live in the home. What has been made clear is that the quality of the service provider, the training of their staff, and their commitment to the residents is largely dependent on the particular group home provider. A: Group homes aka Adult Residential Facilities are homes for adults with developmental disabilities. In California, these homes are licensed by Department of Social Services and are vendorized by one of 21 Regional Centers.