Common Questions and Answers About MRSI's Programs Residential Living What is the Residential Habilitation program? Most of the consumers of the MRSI, Day Habilitation. program are also involved in the Residential Living program. Residential Habilitation provides consumers the opportunity to live in a natural community setting similar to other members of the community. Consumers help to maintain the household and participate in community activities with the assistance of staff. What does the consumers' residence look like? All residences are located in regular neighborhoods throughout Evanston and Cheyenne. The houses are similar to others located in the neighborhood with only the most necessary accommodations added to enhance access for those clients needing them. How many people live at the house? The number of consumers living at the house varies from 1 to 6. This allows consumers the opportunity to choose the type of setting with which they are most comfortable. What's an average day like at Residential Habilitation? Consumers and staff take care of all the daily routines such as cooking, cleaning, and shopping. After meals and chores are completed consumers engage in activities of their choice such as shopping, movies, community events etc. Do the consumers ever get time to themselves? Each consumer has their own personal living space ( bedroom ) where they may spend time alone, as deemed appropriate. Consumers also participate in home visits, Special Olympics, and individual community outings, where they may be free of MRSI staff supervision. Does anyone ever leave the Residential Habilitation Program to live alone? Yes! Several consumers have progressed and left the supervised living setting to live independently and self-sufficiently, with only minimal support from MRSI staff.   Day Habilitation What is the Day Habilitation Program? Consumers of the Day Habilitation Program participate in a variety of activities and therapies during the work week. Consumers meet at the MRSI center from 9 am to 4 pm, during which time they attend scheduled appointments with Psychologists, Case managers, Nurses, and other professionals on an as needed basis. When not visiting professional staff for appointments, consumers are involved in "Life Skills" curriculum, as well as community integration activities, supported employment, volunteer work, and preferred leisure activities. What is the "Life Skills" curriculum? The Life Skills curriculum offers a convenient way to conduct life skills instruction in a group discussion format.  The eight topics in Volume I are divided into categories by indexed tabs, cover 800 questions with answers and include 800 practice activities.  All questions are high interest level, easy to comprehend and have suggested answers to encourage group discussion in case the participants are new to the life skills topics. How many consumers participate in Day Habilitation? There are approximately 70 comsumers in Evanston and 40 comsumers in Cheyenne involved in Day Habilitation. What kind of training do staff receive? After the initial week long orientation staff receive on the job training from Community Support Supervisors, most of whom have long experiences with the persons served. Staff are also involved in on-going Staff Development training and Recertifications in CPR, First Aid, CPI, Critical Incident Reporting, etc.