Building the Path to Home

Questions to ask when looking for housing

When you enquire about a housing option for a person, assess the fit with the person's needs and preferences. You may want to consider some of the following questions in addition to the checklist results and questions that are more specific to supporting people with a dual diagnosis.

Questions about support levels

• Are staff available on site? If yes, how often?
• Do staff provide support functions, or just property management?
• Can the support level be increased or decreased depending on person's need at that time, or is it fixed?
• Is the support level offered in line with the intensity of the person's needs?
• If someone takes medications, is there any supervision of medications? How is this handled?

Questions about services

• What services are provided in the house? Cleaning, cooking?
• Who is responsible for cleaning and maintenance? How are these organized? Can residents get help with these tasks, or do they need to be able to manage independently? Can they have outside supports come in to help?

Questions about size and privacy

• How many people live in the house?
• How much privacy do residents have (personal space as well as use of shared space/cooking areas)?
• Are the rooms single or shared? What about bathrooms?

Questions about resident culture

• Can you tell me about other residents in the house (e.g., do they have developmental disabilities or mental health problems, or is there a mix of people)?
• If you have had people living there who have developmental disabilities, have you had any problems? Please explain.
• How much freedom do residents have?
• What are the household rules?

Next page >>

Back to top