CFC/UNITED WAY #8164

Otis House -- A Residence Program for Deaf Persons

Otis House is a program of Deaf-REACH.

Otis House is a community residence for deaf adults with mental illness who are in need of learning independent living skills. Its goals are to reduce or prevent hospitalization, to outplace deaf persons from institutions and to assist these persons to live and function within the community.

The Facility:
Otis House is a comfortable large home which serves seven members. It is a fully-licensed community residence facility. The house includes various modifications to accommodate the deaf residents. These include flashing lights for the doorbell, telephone, and smoke detection systems. It also has a telecommunication device for the deaf (TTY) that makes telephone conversation possible for deaf people and a decoder for the television to provide captioning of TV programs.

The Program:
The Otis House program assists each member to develop the necessary life skills that will enable him or her to survive and function in the community. These skills include menu and food preparation, personal hygiene and grooming, housekeeping, managing money, banking, using the phone and TTY, traveling by bus and subway, purchasing clothing, socializing, participation in recreation and leisure activities, and developing work-related skills. Skills are informally and formally taught during everyday living.

Staff persons communicate in American Sign Language and provide case management services, life skill training, and individual and group supportive counseling. Members are required to participate in a day activity outside the home such as employment, training or volunteer work and to receive on-going therapy. Otis House makes use of both in-house program services and existing community support services for its members.

Funding:   Funds for the support of the Otis House program come from resident program service fees, gifts and donations, United Way, and the Commission on Mental Health Services.

For additional information, contact: 202-832-6681