PWSA Blog

A Look into Camelot Society’s Group Home

Contributed by PWSA | USA Alterman Family Support Counselor, Kim Tula, MS, CSW 

Camelot Society is an adult residential provider in the State of Washington that serves individuals diagnosed with Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS).  They currently operate one Group Training Home (GTH) and eight Supported Living (SL) homes. Group training homes are community-based, residential facilities that typically serve 5-12 adults. The homes provide 24-hour instruction and support services. This includes services based on individual need and shared support within a household.  The SL homes offer person-centered instruction and support to help adults live in their own homes with one to three other residents. Individuals pay their own rent, food, and other personal expenses. Services can vary from a few hours a month to up to 24 hours per day. The services include support for personal power, choice, and full access to the community. Both the GTH and the SL homes are certified through the state of Washington Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS).

Camelot Society receives state and federal funding for their programs. Funding for the programs at Camelot Society is provided through the Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) Core waiver. They currently do not accept private pay or have contracts to support individuals from out-of-state. An individual must be qualified to receive services from the Washington Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA) in order to receive services from Camelot Society.

According to Karen Adams, Associate Director of Camelot Society, the Group Training Home can support up to seven individuals. The SL homes support anywhere from one to four individuals, depending on the needs of each person. The programs at Camelot only serve adults, but they hope to serve individuals throughout their life.

While the PWS programs at Camelot Society support a different number of individuals in each setting, they do staff the homes 24 hours a day with awake staff to ensure safety and prevent elopements. They also ensure food is kept secure to avoid temptation or increased anxiety. The staffing ratio depends on the needs of the individual and the time of day. There are generally more staff scheduled during the busier times of the day, or during times that individuals have activities going on. Karen also indicated the staffing ratio may vary if a house has higher behavioral needs.

When asked about supporting individuals with high behavioral needs, such as physical aggression, elopement, and theft, Karen told us they “absolutely” support these individuals. She stated, “We support individuals with high behavioral needs and try to meet them where they are at. We have been successful at assisting multiple individuals to reduce their intense behaviors and increase their quality of life. To help improve individuals quality of life and decrease maladaptive behaviors, Camelot Society staff implement Positive Behavior Support Plans (PBSP) for individuals with behaviors, as well as an Exception to Policy (ETP) when needed. We assist individuals in meeting with counselors as needed and encourage proactive strategies to coping with behaviors to decrease occurrences."

Currently, Camelot Society doesn’t have any non-conventional group homes for PWS, but they do have two SL sites that are in a condo setting. When asked where she sees the future of PWS-specific group homes and support, Karen said, “As an agency, we see PWS-specific residential services continuing to evolve. With more people affected by PWS living in the community independently, with supports from agencies like ours."

For more information regarding PWS supported living at Camelot Society, please contact Karen Adams, Associate Director at karena@camelotsociety.org or (425) 771-2108.

Website: http://camelotsociety.org/history

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This spotlight on Camelot Society is the fourth spotlight in PWSA | USA's residential series.

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