Community Options is a nonprofit agency dedicated to developing residential and employment supports for people with disabilities utilizing technology and training.
Community Options strives to help people with disabilities achieve their choices -- whatever those choices may be. These choices have included independent living arrangements within the community, steady work for a reasonable wage and a variety of recreational activities. Community Options’ has the goals of increasing the awareness of its organization within the community, doubling the number of those they assist, and expanding a supported employment program to find productive work for people with severe disabilities.
Community Options will meet their goals of increased awareness, increased assistance, and supported employment through a variety of strategies. Awareness of Community Options will be increased by establishing a public relations committee within the Community Options Business Advisory Council and holding three main events which will appeal to the community and media. Community Options will double the number of those it serves by seeking out new sources of funding to assist those unable to tap government reimbursements. Fundraising events with targeted needs will help raise money for specific programs. Lastly, Community Options will establish a supported employment program to develop opportunities for people with developmental disabilities to find work within the business community through specific and individualized job development and recruiting.
Community Options is a national nonprofit organization founded in 1988. The mission is to develop housing and employment opportunities for people with disabilities. With an annual budget of $25 million and a staff of over 1000, Community Options supports 600 people in ten states: Colorado, District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, south Carolina, Texas and Wisconsin.
The Texas office of Community Options was formed in 1992 by a grant from the Texas Planning Council for Developmental Disabilities to move people with severe physical disabilities out of nursing homes. Community Options supports more than 100 people in Texas and has five offices statewide: Amarillo, Austin, Dallas, El Paso and Nacogdoches. Texans with disabilities are supported through a variety of programs funded by the Texas Mental Health/Mental Retardation, the Texas Rehabilitation Commision (TRC), the Texas Department of Health, the Texas Department of Human Services and the Texas Planning Council for Developmental Disabilities.
