Evergreen Elm Bradford Link

A Training Program Designed to Make Apartment Living A Dream Come True

Transitional Apartment residents picture

Over the years Evergreen Elm has been continually confounded by the needs of a small population of individuals whose most ardent desire is to live on their own in their own apartment. However, past attempts, even with assistance, have met with dismal failure. Evergreen Elm, Inc. has established this program based upon an educational-goal-consumer driven module developed by State College Area High School, State College, PA, the nationally acclaimed "Life Links" program. The Bradford Link was established in March 1998 by a group of 16 determined future apartment dwellers. The orginial "16", following the State College High School prototype, discussed their needs individually and as a whole. They then set about making up their own homework assignments and formed committees to research possible apartments, develop rules of living, budgets, and obtain furnishings. They met every six weeks to assess progress while seeking grants for a site in which to practice their "apartment skills". In the fall of 1998 they secured pilot project funding from the Blaisdell Foundation and in 1999 a Federal Home Loan Bank Grant to pursue this endeavor. The program is a reality today due to countless hours of work by numerous people who believed in the dreams and desires of the original "16".

Empowerment
- The Bradford link seeks to give our target population the opportunity to learn acceptable housing skills at their pace in increments that they are capable of handling with an array of domestic educational supports. All participants must prove through their course work and current living situations their readiness for each step, which is formally assessed by a team consisting of their peers, residential support staff, tutors, trainers or casemanagement. A key to this program's success is that flexibility of the available apartment units allows each person to adjust gradually to independence.
Components
- Apartment Lab
  - The Lab can be utilized for as little as 1 hour or up to 2 weeks at a time. The participants work on 13 assessed areas. The Lab program also includes structured classes, homework and assignments. As many as fifteen individuals can partake in a module at one time.
- Transitional Apartment
  - Participants are assessed in the same 13 areas of daily living skills as used in the Lab. Then, with the assistance of a trainer, the person works on those needs. The participants, within the framework of their own comfort and security level may eventually move into the community at large. All take part in a tenant's council for ongoing development and input in program direction.
Supervision
- A "trainer" supervises and manages the apartment 24 hours a day, if the trainer is off site, participants are informed as to where the trainer will be and given alternative phone numbers should a problem arise.

Residential Homes

Programs and Services

Home and Community Habilitation