Riverside Receives High Marks from Department of Developmental Services

This spring, fifteen homes that receive supports from Riverside were visited by five surveyors from the Department of Developmental Services’ (DDS) Office of Quality Enhancement as part of a routine, bi-annual quality assessment.

The process allows DDS insight into the health, safety, human rights, and quality of services for the people served by Riverside. The homes were a combination of group residences, individual support residences (the person served lives alone with the oversight of Riverside), and shared living (the person served lives with a community member with the oversight of Riverside).

Riverside was very pleased to be given a two-year license–the highest possible–following this Survey & Certification process.

The final report stated, in broad terms, the strengths of these homes: “Organizationally, Riverside continues to have good systems for ensuring the safety, well-being, and satisfaction of individuals … Riverside continues to develop residential program models that add quality to people’s standard of living.”

In particular, surveyors complimented Riverside on helping residents stay safe and healthy, and commended the staff on encouraging individuals to schedule and attend medical appointments and to follow healthy diets.

Also noted was Riverside’s commitment to promoting choice and independence.  The report stated that “individuals were supported to have choice in the completion of household routines, and to use free time. People were supported to develop skills, and to use assistive technology to maximize their independence.”  It continued to mention Riverside’s commitment to self-determination, “People were supported to maintain relationships with families and friends, and to express their desires in many areas. Generally across all settings, the review found that staff engaged with individuals and were mindful and attuned to people’s rights to self-determination.”

Riverside is committed to creating safe, comfortable homes that support individual choice, and it is reaffirming to have an outside auditor recognize our efforts.

~ Loren Singer, Vice President for Developmental & Cognitive Services