ROI has been providing high-quality services to southwest Michigan for over a quarter century.

MR: The Future is Now. A Report on the Mental Retardation Service Needs in Kalamazoo County, October 1, 1976. A report of the Greater Kalamazoo United Way, Kalamazoo Community Mental Health and Kalamazoo Association for Retarded Citizens; Project Director: Pamela Blevins Kingery (Kalamazoo Association of Retarded Citizens)

Ten recommendations were created through this community planning process. They covered the areas of case management, advocacy, adult education and training, residential alternatives, counseling, public information and education, legal services, health care, recreation and socialization, and special education.

"Recommendation #4: The widest range of community residential alternatives should be provided from skilled nursing to independent living; each individual should have the choice to live in the least restrictive setting possible designed to maximize growth toward independence without sacrificing any of the ancillary supports available in more dependent settings.

Action: Residential alternatives to mentally retarded people in Kalamazoo County should be expanded and improved through:

1. Development of ongoing respite care for mentally retarded children and adults for all degrees of disability.
2. Creation of supervised apartment settings for those adults who can and need to move to more independent living without the total loss of supportive services.
3. Expand foster care for community children whose families are in crisis and can no longer manage their care.
4. Development of foster care homes specially equipped to deal with the more extensive needs of the severely or multiply impaired adult.
5. Increase the daily living and community survival skills training available in existing programs (inside and outside the residential setting).
6. Expansion and revision of the opportunities for training natural parents as well as foster parents dealing with disabled children and adults
7. Expand the supportive and supervisory services available to foster care providers.
8. Recruiting and training additional high caliber foster care providers."

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"The 1970s were a period of accelerated movement toward de-institutionalization of mentally handicapped individuals and the development of alternative community programs. The Kalamazoo County Community Health Board (PA258) was formed during this time and McKercher was one of the first contract agencies. As a result of de-institutionalization and the availability of funding, McKercher Rehabilitation Center became involved in the establishment of group living homes in Kalamazoo. The first homes they operated were Heersma House on Gull Road and Wisner House on Race Street in what had previously been the St. Joseph Convent."

"In order to apply for funds through the Michigan State Housing Development Authority and to protect the financial stability of the workshop, a decision was made to form a new organization called McKercher Non-Profit Housing Corporation. The first group homes they operated were Stanton House, Douglas House and Hoard Manor. Due to the volume of work and the difficulty in running the workshop and the group homes, it was decided to separate McKercher from the operation of the homes. In December of 1977, Residential Opportunities was incorporated for the purpose of operating the group homes in the area."

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From ROI's 10 Year Anniversary Report & Original Grant Application
to Kalamazoo Community Foundation

This new corporation came into being as a result of a merger of management and/or ownership functions of three corporations originally responsible for the homes:

McKercher Rehabilitation Center, Inc.
McKercher Non-Profit Housing Corporation
Wisner House, Incorporated

The development of the group homes came about as a response to a need arising out of changing patterns in care services for the retarded. Responding to the philosophy of normalization and the attempt to make living as normal as possible for the retarded, institutions began looking for community based placement for their residents. Parents also began to look for suitable care facilities within the community which would enable their retarded son or daughter to move into a more independent living situation as they reached adulthood. One of the alternatives to meet these needs is a group living home.

McKercher Rehabilitation Center, Inc. was instrumental in initiating group home residences in Kalamazoo. Wisner House and Heersma House were established and later Stanton House was acquired. When funds became available through the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA), McKercher Non-Profit Housing Corp. was formed and Douglas and Hoard Manor were built. The Non-Profit Housing Corp. contracted with McKercher Rehabilitation Center for the management of these two homes. In the meantime, Wisner House felt the need to operate independently and established a separate corporation for the management of that home.

While the concept of the group homes was well received by residents, parents and the community at large, some very serious concerns developed regarding the management of the homes.

These concerns generally centered around:

1. standards of care within the homes
2. lack of personnel
3. lack of case management or long tern planning for residents
4. financial inadequacies

It was in response to these concerns that the three corporations felt the need to jointly explore some solutions. A committee -comprised of two members from each of the three corporations was formed; Greater Kalamazoo United Way served as expediter for the committee and the Kalamazoo County Mental Health Board and the Kalamazoo Association for Retarded Citizens provided professional assistance.

It was the consensus of that committee that a merger be completed wherein a new corporation be formed to take over the assets and liabilities of the five homes and assume management responsibility. Thus Residential Opportunities came into being and the merger committee became the initial Board of Directors. In the Spring of 1978 general meetings were held for the election of additional Board Members and in June, 1978 the Board reached its full complement of 12 Directors.

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Timeline of Events

1. Group Homes: 21 group homes, capacity of 152, currently serving 148
2. Supported Living: serving 29 people
3. Respite Program (an Alliance program): provides 63 hours of support per week to approximately 20 children/adults
4. Home Health Aide: provides 183 hours of support per week to 13 children
5. Payee services: 134 - 104 of whom are living in group homes, we are reimbursed for the other 30
6. Low-income Rental Units: 71

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1977 Merger Committee Betty Deschler - Wisher House, Inc. Fran Hoard - McKercher Non-Profit Housing Corp. Dick Johnston - McKercher Rehabilitation Center Dick Sherman - Wisner House, Inc. Shirley Stanton - McKercher Non-Profit Housing Corp. Elizabeth Lawrence-Patterson - McKercher Rehabilitation Center		1977-80 Community Consultants Nell Belenky - Greater Kalamazoo George Martin - Association for Retarded Citizens Pam Kingery - LCC
1978 Board of Directors Elizabeth Lawrence-Patterson, Pres. James H. Kaye, Vice Pres. Richard W. Sherman, Treas. Betty Deschler, Sec. Fran Hoard Arthur Markle John Ceru, Chair Fran Flynn Sr. Anne de Paul Lynne Haley Kim Thomas E.L. Marietta		Advisory Committee Paula Naessens Ruth Eva Anable Mike Doonan Mary Kiel Marge McBride Paula Milbeck John Mitchell Maxine Vandenberg Carol Peelen Donna Stuart Dorothea Tompkins Shirley Verdan Susan Jameson Genevieve Markle
1979 Board of Directors James H. Kaye, Pres. Betty Deschler, Vice Pres. E.L. Marietta, Treas. Lynne Haley, Sec. Elizabeth Lawrence-Patterson Sr. Anne De Paul Rivard Arthur Markle Fran Flynn Richard W. Sherman Fran Hoard Judy Switzer Kim Thomas   Nominating Committee Betty Dreschler Buzz Milbeck John Ceru		Advisory Committee Ciro Mazzala, Chair Ruth VanderRoest Eric J. Hayes Jack Richardson Jeff Ashby Paula Milbeck Virginia Wheeler Donald Overbeek Don Milbeck Pat Wheeler Susan Pyle John Ceru Ken Mutz Rodney Hite Chuck Richey Sonja Bungert Rob Ober
1980 Board of Directors James H. Kaye, Pres. Betty Deschler, Vice Pres. E.L. Marietta, Treas. Lynne M. Haley, Sec. Elizabeth Lawrence-Patterson Sr. Anne De Paul Rivard Donald Overbeek Arthur Markle Fran Flynn Richard W. Sherman Judy Switzer Kim Thomas Paula Milbeck		Advisory Committee Ciro Mazzala, Chair Jack Richardson Virginia Wheeler Eric J. Hayes Jeff Ashby Paula Milbeck Sonja Bungert Rob Ober Pat Wheeler Chuck Richey Susan Pyle Ruth VanderRoest John Ceru Ken Mutz Rodney Hire
1981 Board of Directors James H. Kaye, Pres Betty Deschler, Vice Pres. E.L. Marietta, Treas. Lynne Haley, Sec. Elizabeth Lawrence-Patterson Sr. Anne De Paul Rivard Leo A. Swia Jeff Ashby Fran Hoard Judy Switzer W. Joseph Mills   Nominating Committee Betty Dreschler Ciro Mazzola Pat Wheeler		Advisory Committee Donald Overbcek, Chair Rodney Hite Virginia Wheeler Eric J. Hayes Gaye Grathwol Chris Horn Eyrcel Linderman Sandra Beiter John Futymoski Chuck Richey Jan Anable Ruth VanderRoest Rodney Hite Pat Wheeler June Vandenberg

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