Dungarvin Connecticut Now Offers Community Companion Home Services

In April, Dungarvin Connecticut added Community Companion Homes to its Residential Services offerings for supporting people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). The Connecticut team launched the new service as an alternative for individuals and families who prefer a private home setting to a group home.

In Community Companion Homes (CCH), a state-licensed provider working with Dungarvin welcomes a person with disabilities into their home and provides the support they need to live independently. Each day, they assist and support individuals to learn and develop daily living skills to reach personal goals and lead a safe, healthy and fulfilling life. Depending on the individual, this can include practical skills, such as personal hygiene, cooking, cleaning and transportation; as well as emotional, social and problem-solving skills.

Dungarvin staff train and supervise CCH providers to ensure they – and their homes – adhere to state and/or county regulations. They guide them through the often bureaucratic licensing process and provide ongoing support.

While group homes are the perfect model for many individuals served, some are better supported in a CCH, said Robert Gallant, Dungarvin’s Connecticut State Director. “For some, living in a group home doesn’t give them as much independence or access to the community,” Gallant said, adding that the state of Connecticut is moving away from the group home model for people with I/DD.

Dungarvin Connecticut’s first CCH provider is Peter Pettola, who has been supporting people with I/DD since 1992, beginning with working in group homes. He became a licensed CCH provider in 1996. Currently, Peter lives with and supports three men – ages 60, 64 and 68 — in his East Haven home.

One of the three men has lived with Pettola for 24 years; the others, 19 years and eight years, respectively. All three of the men now use wheelchairs and Pettola, or someone else, must be with them 24-7, he said.

Pettola said he finds working with “his guys” rewarding and has enjoyed becoming part of all of their families. “At this point, their families are like my family. They come over to have dinner, they visit us, they come to cookouts … It’s wonderful,” he said, adding that he prefers the CCH model over group homes because “it’s a real home setting.”