Residential and Personal Supports Services

The Friends Aware Residential Program provides creative and individualized community living services to people with intellectual disabilities. We serve individuals in Alternate Living Units and Group Homes located in apartments or homes in the Allegany County area.

We offer a broad range of options from homes for individuals with multiple disabilities who require 24-hour supervision and assistance, to homes for individuals who are much more independent and need drop-in support.

We encourage individuals to learn and improve skills that lead to increased independence.

Friends Aware provides assistance and training with the following:

  • Financial management
  • Meal preparation
  • Housekeeping
  • Laundry care
  • Medication administration
  • Behavioral support
  • Transportation
  • Medical care
  • Hygiene
  • Relationship building
  • Socialization
  • Grocery shopping
  • And more…..

Personal support services assist people who live in their own or family homes with acquiring and building the skills necessary to maximize their personal independence. These services include: – In home skills development; – Community integration and engagement skills development; AND – Personal care assistance services.

To learn more about our Residential and Personal Supports services, Contact us directly.

Meaningful Day Services

Friends Aware offers an Adult Day Program for individuals with intellectual developmental disabilities on our main campus, Monday- Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. This program provides a safe, educational, and fun atmosphere for members of the community needing daily support. The needs of each individual are assessed and personalized plans are developed to encourage social and intellectual growth. Area Lead, Kelly Washington says “Making them feel able to complete everyday tasks and teaching these individuals to keep their skills going, are the moments we take pride in.”

Groups within the program allow our individuals to express their creative ability, critical thinking, and overall education growth. Our groups include:

  • Education
  • Food
  • Writing Skills
  • Sign Language
  • Dancing
  • Fine motor skills
  • And more….

On a typical day, we start the morning reading newspaper articles, checking the weather, and reading horoscopes. Morning stretches help us get moving for the day and always get ourselves in good spirits. Each individual brings their own lunch and the Friends Aware staff provides assistance if needed during lunch time. If individuals cannot attend in person, they do have the ability to join us virtually, which many have done.

Friends Aware also provides outings for our Meaningful Day Service attendees. On any given day, you can find us at the local farmers market, eating at our local restaurants, observing the animals at the zoo, or smelling the lavender at the lavender farm.

Our family-like approach allows this program to provide one on one time with our individuals to really get to know each person and help them grow. The moment they walk through our doors, they are “home”.

Friends Aware provides Transportation Services to and from our Meaningful Day Services. This service operates 5 days a week, providing door-to-door transportation for all those receiving supports in programs at Friends Aware, Inc. Our specially-equipped vans and buses are maintained to meet various physical needs. In addition to trained drivers, aides also accompany all vehicles to ensure the safety and well-being of the passengers.

Other day services Friends Aware provides include; Community Development and Follow Along Job Supports.

Follow Along Job Supports
Services to ensure an individual has the assistance necessary to maintain employment in a setting which meets the criteria of competitive integrated employment.

Community Development
Community based services that provide an individual with development and maintenance of skills related to community membership through engagement in community-based activities with people without disabilities.To Learn more about our Meaningful Day Service program, Contact us directly.

Other Services

Respite Care – Short-term care intended to provide both the family or other primary caregiver and the person with a break from their daily routines. Respite can be provided in: – The person’s own home, – The home of a respite care provider, – A licensed residential site.

Transportation Services – improve the person’s and the family caregiver’s ability to independently access community activities within their own community by assisting the person to access – Transportation services including: public and community transportation, taxi services, and non-traditional transportation providers; – Purchase of prepaid transportation vouchers and cards.

Social Security Representative Payee service – Assist persons within the residential program who receive Social Security or Supplemental Security Income to manage their money.