40 Years of Service 1970 - 2010 - Rappahannock Area Community ...

New Group Home Welcomes Residents in Stafford County
The Rappahannock Area Community
Services Board (RACSB) began
welcomeing residents to its ninth
group home for adults with intellectual
disability in June 2010. The new
six-bed home is located in the beautiful
Scottsdale Estates community
in South Stafford County.
RACSB has been providing residential
services for adults with intellectual
disabilities in our community
since 1977. Group homes allow individuals
to remain in the community
near their families and natural
supports. This is important as aging
parents are no longer able to provide
long-term care to their child
with an intellectual disability. Without
local residential options, many
families are forced to send their
loved ones to a state institution several
hours a way. There are currently
147 individuals with
intellectual disability waiting for residential
services in our area.
RACSB staff members provide 24-
hour structured support to residents.
All RACSB group homes are licensed
by the Virginia Department
of Behavioral Health and Developmental
Services
(DBHDS).
They are inspected
annually
by the
local fire
marshall as
well as
health department.
Under Section 15.2291 of the Code
of Virginia, licensed group homes of
eight or fewer individuals qualify
under local zoning ordinances as a
single family residence, which is
consistent with the requirements of
the Federal Fair Housing Act.
RACSB has broken ground for a
tenth group home also located in
Stafford County in the Clearview
Heights neighborhood. This will also
be a six-bed home.
RACSB recently was notified of receipt
of another HUD Section 811
grant to fund construction costs of
an 11th group home to be located in
Waverly Village in Spotsylvania
County.
In addition to community group
homes, RACSB also offers Supported
Living arrangements that
allow an individual to live in housing
of their own with staff providing support
in the home. The Sponsored
Placement Program matches individuals
with foster families who provide
room, board, and supervision
while teaching independent living
skills. RACSB currently operates
two Supervised Apartment Programs
that offer a greater level of independence
for adults with
intellectual disability.
Car Seats Distributed to Low Income Families
Healthy Families Rappahannock
Area once again joined forces with
GEICO and the Virginia Department
of Health Low-Income Safety Seat
Distribution and Education Program
to host the third annual “Safety First
Regional Car Seat Campaign” on
June 12, 2010 at GEICO’s office in
Stafford.
A total of 202 car seats were distributed
to area children receiving Medicaid.
All families receiving the free
car seats participated in a training
on proper car seat use and received
installation assistance from trained
volunteers. Children received either
a free convertible or booster seat.
Founded in 1997, Healthy Families
Rappahannock Area is an
interagency program which provides
support to at-risk firsttime
parents with free home
visitations, and referrals to
other community resources.
Their goal is to reduce child
maltreatment and increase
school readiness. The program
assisted 763 families in Fiscal
Year 2010 (July 1, 2009 through
June 30, 2010). The Rappahannock
Area Community Services Board
serves as the fiscal agent. Healthy
Families Rappahannock Area is a
partner agency of the Rappahannock
United Way. To learn more,
please contact Healthy Families at
540-288-1937.
For information about child passenger
safety, please visit Safe Kids
Virginia at www.vcuhealth.org/virginiasafekids/.
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www.racsb.state.va.us Summer 2010