Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Life Services Alternatives provides exceptional community living and programs for adults with developmental disabilities. We offer a nurturing, safe environment where residents can grow and thrive. Through the person centered planning process, we discover what is important to and important for each individual and assist with creating opportunities to reach their goals and live their best life.
Since 2002, we have been committed to creating homes for developmentally disabled adults. With 15 residential care homes, LSA currently is home to over 70 residents and provides a community based day program for another 15 individuals. Over the years LSA has had a significant impact on the lives of the developmentally disabled adults we serve. Please learn more through Our Impact page.
Dignity: We respect and trust our employees, those we serve, and their families. We are a kind and caring community. We embrace person centered thinking and believe everyone deserves the right to live a full and self determined life.
Involvement: We are an active part of something special. We encourage family and community involvement. We take a collaborative partnering approach.
Quality: We invest in training and development of our staff. We strive for long-term stability. We embrace a quality improvement process and are open to ideas and suggestions that will enhance or improve our programs and the lives of the men and women we support.
At LSA, we strive to make each house a home for the individuals who live there. A day in the life of an LSA resident is much like that of the lives we live. Residents participate in a day or work program either in the community or one in the home, for those that have chosen to retire or whose needs can not be met in a traditional day or work program setting. Individuals frequently enjoy their community through outings and celebrate holidays and birthdays with their housemates, families as well as those who live in other LSA homes. We use a person centered approach to ensure the men and women living in our homes are supported in doing what’s important to them and assist them with living their best life. LSA also utilizes consultants such as dieticians, recreational therapists, physical and occupational therapists and other professionals to provide residents with support to maintain good health.
We offer 15 residential care homes which are licensed as community care facilities (CCF) by CA Dept. of Social Services, Community Care Licensing Division. We have 9 Level 4 Homes, 1 Residential Care Facility for the Elderly (RCFE), and 5 Adult Residential homes for Persons with Special Health Care Needs (ARFPSHN) homes. These homes are located in Santa Clara County, CA: Campbell, San Jose, Santa Clara, and Morgan Hill. Each home is occupied by 4-6 adults age 18+ with developmental disabilities with 24/7 care and support provided by LSA’s compassionate and trained staff. Individuals typically have their own bedroom. Our staffing levels correspond to the support needs of residents, but are generally 1:3. Check out Our Homes page.
LSA also offers a community-based day program for adults aged 18+, called the Community Integration Training Program (CITP). This program provides job training and volunteer opportunities based on the individual’s area of interest and identified needs with staff assistance. Learn more about CITP on Our Programs page.
You can help and get involved by volunteering, making a donation, or spreading our mission here at LSA. Learn more about how you can get involved and support LSA through our Get Involved and Ways to Give page.
Qualifying for LSA Housing & Services
Eligible individuals are clients of the San Andrea Regional Center (SARC) or one of the other regional centers in CA. They have been through an intake process and have been deemed eligible for services. LSA is one of many providers of various types of services that have been vendorized by SARC. Further information is required to determine whether or not an eligible individual would qualify for an opening in a specific home or program.
Read SARC’s Eligibility qualifications.
If you’re not currently a SARC client, contact the regional center to see if you’re eligible for our services.
You can contact the San Andreas Regional Center through their contact form on their website www.sarc.org
We have 9 Level 4 Homes, 1 Residential Care Facility for the Elderly (RCFE), and 5 Adult Residential homes for Persons with Special Health Care Needs (ARFPSHN) homes. Residents with special healthcare needs are placed in the ARFPSHN homes so they can be provided with appropriate nursing care and have a higher staff to resident ratio. You have to work with your SARC service coordinator to determine what level of home would be appropriate for your developmentally disabled adult.
You can find out more about our homes and programs through our Family Interest Form. You can also email info@lsahomes.org if you have any further questions regarding LSA services.
You can ask your regional center service coordinator about LSA services to determine whether or not you qualify and if there are openings.
If you still have questions or would like to speak to someone please contact us via email at info@lsahomes.org with Attention: Interested Family in the subject line.
Finding the right home or day program can be a lengthy process, so begin researching options as soon as you start to think about a day program or housing outside the family home.
General Disability Information
If you are seeking information about job accommodations for specific disabilities, please visit the Job Accommodation Network’s (JAN) A to Z of Disabilities and Accommodations index. To find out more information on the varying ways disability is defined and the origins of those definitions is available on DisabilityStatistics.org, a comprehensive online resource maintained by the Employment and Disability Institute at Cornell University.