Clausen House

Residential program - Clausen House provides coeducational housing for adults with developmental disabilities in our three group residences, which are spacious older homes in the adams point neighborhood near lake merritt in oakland. Our homes serve a total of 37 men and women, all of whom either work, volunteer in the community, or attend a day program or community college. We emphasize independent living skills, responsible decision-making, and developing the ability to get along well with others. Functional skill training is provided in cooking, household chores, money management, effective use of leisure time, community safety, and other activities of daily living. Applicants who are considered for our residential program typically have mild to moderate mental retardation and may have an additional diagnosis. They must be ambulatory, capable of performing basic self-care tasks, able to interact appropriately with others, and exhibit no aggressive behavior.

Adult education & activity program - Clausen House offers classes for people with a range of developmental disabilities with the goal to challenge students intellectually, stimulate their creativity, and help them maximize their functional level. Students gain competency in essential life skills by taking part in classes, cultural events, and volunteer experiences. By learning adaptive social behaviors, students are better able to achieve inclusion in the community. Students entering the program may have limitations in spoken and written communication, interpersonal skills, accessing the community, task completion, money management, self-care, or the ability to pursue leisure activities. All instructors have a bachelor's degree or higher, and the instructor-to-student ratio is 1:7. Classes are taught year-round year-round and held at the Clausen House community center and at other locations. Our curriculum includes the following skill areas: functional academic skills; social skills, communication, and self-advocacy; community integration and volunteer work experiences; cultural enrichment; and health and wellness.

Independent and supported living programs - Clausen House's independent living services (ils) and supported living services (sls) are programs that allow people with developmental disabilities to live as independently as possible in their own homes in the community. In both ils and sls, clients are given training and assistance with essential life skills including money management, nutrition, housing and benefits issues, medical self-management, and more. Independent and supported living are very similar. The difference is in the volume and type of service provided. Independent living may provide up to 40 hours per month of training and assistance and the need for services are expected to diminish to approximately 15 hours per month. In supported living, the client may obtain a significantly higher number of hours of support and instruction and does not necessarily assume a decrease in service volume over time. Since 1977, Clausen House has provided independent living services to people living in community-based apartments. Our lenox apartment building can accommodate adults who are transitioning from their family or group home into greater independence. Since 1993, Clausen House has been vendorized by the regional center of the east bay (rceb) to provide supported living services.