While the world and our Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) community have been dealing with the pandemic's unpredictable circumstances, specifically the many obstacles to find appropriate supported living, the Texas Prader-Willi Association has managed to open a new PWS specific group home.
The Texas Prader-Willi Association purchased and renovated a three-bedroom house to serve as a PWS specific group home. The association continues to serve as the landlord and made updates and modifications to the house allowing it to be licensed to serve three individuals with PWS. Once the home was licensed through the Texas Department of Human Services - Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services, the chapter contracted with Integrated Life Choices to operate as a PWS specific group home. Integrated Life Choices pays the rent to the Texas Chapter and is responsible for staffing the home and all daily operations. The current residents are three women with PWS who are funded under the HCS Waiver.
Texas Prader-Willi Association now plans to open a second home to serve three men with Prader-Willi syndrome. However, despite there being an extensive waiting list for housing under the HCS waiver, they are having difficulty finding three adult males diagnosed with PWS who have the HCB waiver to fund the home.
Integrated Life Choices requires residents to be funded through the Texas HCB waiver and does not accept out of state funding at this time. With the on-going shortage of residential or supportive living options for individuals with PWS, purchasing a home and contracting with local providers is one way to increase the options for those with PWS across the country.
For more information on group homes operated by Integrated Life Choices please contact Bill Arrants at 402-580-2456.
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Jennifer Bolander has been serving as a Special Education Specialist for PWSA (USA) since October of 2015. She is a graduate of John Carroll University and lives in Ohio with her husband Brad and daughters Kate (17), and Sophia (13) who was born with PWS.
Perry A. Zirkel has written more than 1,500 publications on various aspects of school law, with an emphasis on legal issues in special education. He writes a regular column for NAESP’s Principal magazine and NASP’s Communiqué newsletter, and he did so previously for Phi Delta Kappan and Teaching Exceptional Children.
Evan has worked with the Prader-Willi Syndrome Association (USA) since 2007 primarily as a Crisis Intervention and Family Support Counselor. Evans works with parents and schools to foster strong collaborative relationships and appropriate educational environments for students with PWS.
Dr. Amy McTighe is the PWS Program Manager and Inpatient Teacher at the Center for Prader-Willi Syndrome at the Children’s Institute of Pittsburgh. She graduated from Duquesne University receiving her Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Education with a focus on elementary education, special education, and language arts.
Staci Zimmerman works for Prader-Willi Syndrome Association of Colorado as an Individualized Education Program (IEP) consultant. Staci collaborates with the PWS multi-disciplinary clinic at the Children’s Hospital in Denver supporting families and school districts around the United States with their child’s Individual Educational Plan.
Founded in 2001, SDLC is a non-profit legal services organization dedicated to protecting and advancing the legal rights of people with disabilities throughout the South. It partners with the Southern Poverty Law Center, Protection and Advocacy (P&A) programs, Legal Services Corporations (LSC) and disability organizations on major, systemic disability rights issues involving the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and the federal Medicaid Act. Recently in November 2014, Jim retired.