How do I know when I’m ready to become a Sponsored Residential Provider?
Is becoming a Sponsored Residential Provider right for me?
Are you a compassionate and caring person who wants to make a difference in the lives of others? Is it important to you to have a career that is fulfilling and purposeful? Would you like to be able to work from home? Do you want a job that pays well and provides you with support and training to succeed in your career? If you answered ‘yes,’ then becoming a Felts Sponsored Residential Provider could be a great fit for you!
What is a Sponsored Residential Provider?
Sponsored Residential Providers open their homes (and their hearts) to individuals with Intellectual and/or Developmental Disabilities. At Felts Supports for Living, we work to match individuals with providers to create a long-term living situation where everyone benefits. Providers welcome the individual/s into their home, their family, and their community. The goal is to make every individual feel supported and like part of the family, while helping them live a safe, healthy and happy life.
By helping individuals create healthy daily routines and important connections with others, Sponsored Residential Providers have a positive impact by making individuals feel valued and like they belong.
Providers are independent contractors, and at Felts Supports for Living, we help you find support staff you may need like nurses or back-up workers, and equip you with training so you can be successful as a Sponsored Residential Provider.
What are the basic requirements to become a Sponsored Residential Provider?
You must be at least 21 years old with a valid Virginia driver’s license and a good driving record. Everyone who lives in the home who is over 18 years old must have a background check and a TB screening that shows they do not have tuberculosis.
Am I qualified to be a Sponsored Residential Provider?
At Felts Supports for Living, we require a resume and three professional references as well as a minimum of 6 months work experience with individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities or a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology, Social Work, Special Education or a related field. If you don’t have this type of experience, we may be able to help you gain the experience you need.
People who have worked in fields like teaching, counseling (mental health), hospitals or nursing (RN or LPN), adult day cares (senior citizen centers), nursing homes, etc often have many of the skills needed to become a Provider.
We’d love to hear about any volunteering you’ve done with organizations that support people with disabilities or knowledge you have about how to care for or support people with disabilities.
These services/skills are not mandatory, but it can help us match interested parties much easier.
What training is required to be a Sponsored Residential Provider?
Training requirements include Therapeutic Options , CPR/First Aid, and 32- hour medication administration. Felts Supports for Living offers all trainings at their locations in Galax, VA and Floyd, VA.
How will I know if I’m ready to become a Sponsored Residential Provider?
You will be opening your heart and home to another person that will be living with you and depending on you. You should be ready to introduce your family members, friends and neighbors as well as encourage the individual to develop their own friendships within the community. You may need to transport and accompany them to appointments. As an SRP, you are promising to care for, support and enrich another person’s life and invest your time helping them grow and discover their own talents and gifts. You will be listening to their concerns, supporting their pursuits, and helping them create healthy routines.
If you want to welcome a person with disabilities into your life in order to enrich their life, being a Sponsored Residential Provider might be your calling!
Is my house ready?
The people we serve must have their own room that is at least 80 square feet with a window and/or air conditioning, have access to a bathroom that is not accessed by going through another bedroom, have a clean, uncluttered environment, and have access to all public areas of the house. Do you have one bathroom for every four people in the house? Do you have fewer than seven people living in your house or staying over regularly?
How are individuals matched with Sponsored Residential Providers?
At Felts Supports for Living, our goal is to provide individuals with long-term placement within a family. We work to match the interests and needs of the individual with the interests and experience level of home providers. There will be visits at a neutral location as well as visits to your home to make sure it’s a good fit.
Do I have adequate finances to become a Sponsored Residential Provider?
For consideration as an SRP, you must be able to show proof of funds that you can support your household for three months. This means you need to have enough in savings, checking or credit to cover all of your living expenses and bills for three months. These resources have to be owned/possessed by the person being licensed to be the SRP — they cannot be in anyone else’s name.
If I have a family member with an Intellectual or Developmental Disability, can I become a Sponsored Residential Provider for them?
In areas that lack appropriate services for your family member, you might be able to become a provider for him/her. If services are not available in your area, or if you’ve tried them and found them to be inadequate, family members — such as parents or siblings — can become providers if the individual has the Community Living Waiver and the support team feels that this would be the best fit.
If you have more questions or are interested in becoming a Sponsored Residential Provider, we’d love to talk with you!
