The clients utilizing Shared Living services receive a safe and structured home to live in their own room, the necessary level of support as determined on a case-by-case basis, life skills training to increase independence, and introduction and access to community activities to help them form strong community relationships.

KVC Nebraska also has a team of designated professionals to help clients with any mental health/medical questions or concerns 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Shared Living providers offer individuals with developmental and/or intellectual disabilities intensive social and independent living skills training in a family setting. Individuals living with a Shared Living provider help to determine their own goals for habilitation and independence. Additionally, individuals receiving Shared Living services may have a mental health diagnosis and/or severe behavioral impairments that need to be addressed through therapy, behavioral management strategies, or other means that the team deems necessary.

You can also take a look at our blog for more information about becoming a Shared Living provider and stories from real KVC Shared Living providers.

First, we recommend that you read all the information provided in this FAQ to educate you on the full process and requirements for becoming certified. Next, you can complete this form to request a meeting with a KVC Shared Living Program Support Specialist who will answer any additional questions you have and provide you with all of the paperwork you need to complete to begin the process. The required paperwork includes a screening form, background checks, direct deposit dorm, voided check or bank form with routing and accounts numbers, W-9, and a list of references.

Additionally, you will need to provide copies of the following: your driver’s license, current car insurance, homeowner or renter’s insurance, completed E-Verify, and training certificates.

The rest of the process includes:

1. Online KVC Trainings: You will receive an Shared Living provider binder that includes: Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services regulations, KVC Guidebook (Policies & Procedures), incident reporting information and PowerPoint trainings. You will receive the binder from the KVC Program Support Specialist. You will be emailed links to quizzes over the information in the binder to determine competencies on the topics.
2. Formal Trainings: Once you have completed the online quizzes with 100% accuracy, KVC’s Training Coordinator will arrange for you to attend the following trainings: MANDT (a two-day training on crisis de-escalation and relationship building), Medication Aide Training, and CPR/First Aid/Universal Precautions.
3. Home Visit – Walkthrough/Interview: Once all training is complete, a KVC Licensing Specialist will visit your home to conduct a walkthrough and interview to better assess your strengths, limitations, physical environment, experience, knowledge of the client population and support needs.
4. Reference Checks: KVC will call references from your reference list.
5. Certification as a Shared Living Provider!

Learn more by reading this blog about the Steps to Become a Shared Living Provider.

Nope. You must be at least 21 years old with a valid driver’s license and/or reliable transportation. We are looking for energetic, caring adults who want to make a positive impact on an individual’s life. You can be single, married, any sexual orientation, a homeowner or apartment renter. Shared Living providers are eligible to serve up to two individuals in their home. Each individual must have their own room.

Everyone living in your home must undergo an initial background check and then annually. You will also need to meet all the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services certification requirements and complete the required training program. If you are married, both partners must complete training as well as anyone else living in the home that plans to have a caregiver role.

If you have a criminal history or history of child abuse and/or neglect, the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services regulations will determine if your criminal history allows or prohibits certification. If you have been convicted of a felony involving abuse and/or neglect of a child, spousal abuse, a crime against a child/children, or a crime of violence you are ineligible to be a Shared Living provider. A person who is identified as a perpetrator on the Central Registry or equivalent in any state is ineligible to be a Shared Living provider.

Shared Living Providers need:

• a desktop or laptop computer with internet access
• general computer knowledge such as, but not limited to, learning new systems, sending emails, adding attachments to emails, etc.
• a functioning home phone or cell phone
• access to a functioning printer
• access to a functioning scanner or the ability to download the free AdobeScan app

Per KVC policy, Shared Living subcontractors are not allowed to subcontract with other agencies and/or provide Shared Living services to individuals not receiving oversight with KVC. This policy is in place to ensure accurate and timely care coordination, reducing communication issues that may arise, reducing confusion related to differing policies and expectations, and reducing the risk of placing individuals that may not be compatible in the same home.

An exception to this would be if you are providing Shared Living services through KVC or another agency while being a licensed foster home with a different agency. In that case, all current placements and/or possible Shared Living or foster care placements should be disclosed to KVC before placement. The client’s team always has a right to refuse services in your home if they are not comfortable with another individual living in the home.

Timelines for placement are hard to determine. Much of the determination for placement is based on the individual’s supervision, support, and habilitation needs and the experience, skills, ability, and willingness of your home to provide what is needed. Other factors that often influence placements are guardian specifications, home location, medical needs, the need for handicap accessible housing, etc. Referrals can be received frequently for a period of time and then ebb off for a period of time and quantities vary.

Yes. KVC will contact you to either request placement of an individual in your home or to schedule a “meet and greet” with the individual and their guardian. This is an opportunity for you to ask questions and find out more about the individual. You may say “No” to a placement for any reason. Placements are usually mutually agreed upon so the individual and their guardian have as much say in the process as the provider, and an individual can deny you as the provider.

This varies greatly for each client, but the goal for Shared Living placements is that the individual would be with you long-term and/or until they have met their habilitation goals for a more independent living situation.

Providers are reimbursed by KVC for the provision of habilitation services, supervision, and support which is paid on the 10th and 25th of each month. The amount of reimbursement is determined by the intensity and severity of supervision, support, and habilitation/behavioral needs to the individual being served and is predetermined by the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services prior to placement. Reimbursement typically ranges from $60-$300 per day.

The individual being supported contributes to the provider’s costs via a room and board payment. Typically, individuals in KVC’s care pay $600 per month but this amount can vary. This payment accounts for their portion of the living space, food, and household utilities. If the individual requires or desires additional utilities (i.e., an extra tier of cable) their room and board can be adjusted when the team is in agreement. The room and board fees do not apply to individuals that are contracted through a letter of agreement (LOA) with Probation, Child and Family Services, or Saint Francis Ministries.

For youth in foster care needing the support of a Shared Living provider, all other costs and expenses the individual incurs (i.e., food, hygiene items, afterschool programs, participation in outings and activities, etc.) are included in the reimbursement rate and paid for by the Shared Living provider.

The certification process to become a Shared Living provider with KVC can vary depending on recruitment needs, training needs, schedule availability for trainings, etc.

Alternate care provides a short-term break when the provider needs time away from the individual being served or can’t provide care for a period of time. Alternate care can be arranged when the Shared Living provider is going out of town, has personal matters to attend to, or just needs a break for self-care. KVC staff is more than happy to assist providers in finding alternate care options from within our pool of Shared Living providers. Alternate care providers must have background checks completed and have gone through the Shared Living provider training with KVC before providing care for an individual in KVC services.

Support staff is also an option for Shared Living providers and assist in caring for the client. Support staff are expected to comply with the same background check and KVC training requirements that Shared Living providers must complete prior to providing care for an individual. A spouse, or other competent individual living in the home, would need to be approved as a support staff prior to independently providing care for the individual in the home.

This is typically determined by the individual’s team and communicated to the Shared Living provider. If an individual is allowed alone time in the community, or for extended periods of time, it is noted in the Individual Support Plan created by the client’s Services Coordinator.

For youth in the foster care system living in a Shared Living provider’s home, this is typically determined on a case-by-case basis. Reasonable and Prudent Parenting Standards apply.

A Shared Living provider is not able to deny the individual contact or visits with family for any reason, including as a consequence for challenging behaviors. Parameters around family visits (phone calls, supervised/unsupervised, location, etc.) are determined by the individual’s ISP team to include the service coordinator, case manager, guardian, and/or the judge assigned to the case.

In most cases, the Shared Living provider is responsible for transporting the individual to appointments, school/vocational programs, and any other activities outside of the home. While we understand that things may come up, please contact your Shared Living Specialist if you are not able to provide transportation to a necessary appointment, school/vocational program, etc. due to a special circumstance.

Typically, clients coming into care will have their own bed, bedroom furniture, and other personal belongings. For youth in the foster care system living with a Shared Living provider, they typically do not have a bed, furniture, or other major personal belongings. These items will need to be supplied and provided by the provider.

Shared Living providers are required to provide habilitation and/or behavioral interventions and electronically document daily progress on goals set by KVC staff. These goals are based on the needs and desires of the individual being served. Daily documentation is done electronically and is required in order for KVC to bill for services, which also makes it a requirement for the provider to be reimbursed for their services. Once an individual is placed in your home, your assigned Shared Living Specialist will train you on the required daily documentation.

Once you have an individual placed in your home, you will be assigned a Shared Living Specialist to provide any support needed 24/7. We do ask that you do your best to keep non-emergent calls to Shared Living Specialists limited to regular business hours Monday to Friday from 9 am to 5 pm. In the case of an emergency, you can contact your Shared Living Specialist. Our Shared Living Specialists are on a rotating on-call schedule for weekends so there is always someone available to assist.

KVC Nebraska also has a team of designated professionals to help clients with any mental health/medical questions or concerns 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.