Companion Services

Companion Services are provided to individuals living in private residences for the limited purposes of providing supervision and necessary care and minimal assistance that is focused solely on the health and safety of the adult individual (18 years of age and older) with mental retardation. This service is not available to people who are residing in Unlicensed or Licensed Residential Habilitation settings.

 

Companion Services are used in lieu of habilitation services to protect the health and welfare of the individual when a habilitative outcome is not appropriate or feasible (that is, when the individual is not learning, enhancing, or maintaining a skill). This service can be used for asleep hours when only supervision or non-medical or non-habilitative care is needed to protect the safety of the individual with mental retardation. For example, a companion can be used during overnight hours for an individual who lives on their own but does not have the ability to safely evacuate in the event of an emergency.

 

This service can also be used to supervise individuals during socialization or non-habilitative activities when necessary to ensure the individual‘s safety. Companions may supervise and provide necessary care and minimal assistance with daily living activities, including grooming, health care, household care, meal preparation and planning, and socialization. This service may not be provided at the same time as any other direct service.