Group Homes in Maryland for Individuals with Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities

Discover Loving Care in our Maryland Group Homes

Contact Our Residential Services Team

What Are Residential Services for Adults with Disabilities?

Residential services for adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities provide housing and residential living support, assistance with daily activities, skill development, engagement, and supervision.

Our Residential Program provides group homes in Maryland for those with Autism Spectrum Disorders, Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome, Neurological Disorders, Traumatic Brain Injuries, Retts Syndrome, Muscular Dystrophy, epilepsy and/or seizure disorder, and more. Each home is staffed with trained caregivers and designed to foster independence, safety, and community living.

1,520,064 – The number of Residential Services hours we provided last year.

  • Families Love Our Residential Group Home Services

    “We’re very hands-on parents. We want to be involved in pretty much everything. Our son needs a lot of reinforcement and help, but that’s nothing new to Bello Machre. We were doing a FaceTime call and he typed in ‘I am happy.’ I never directed him to do that. It was something he said on his own.”
    Dave
    A Bello Machre Dad
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We put heart into every group home. Ready to see how?

Contact Our Residential Services Team
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About Bello Machre Disability Group Homes in Maryland

At Bello Machre, our housing options provide a place where your loved one with special needs will be cared for and can thrive.

Currently, we have 50 handicap accessible homes. Four are located in Carroll County and the rest are in Anne Arundel County. Each assisted living facility has three to four people living in it, plus the Family Living Director (FLD) who has their own apartment within the home. Some FLDs also have their families living with them.

Daily Life in Our Residential Group Homes

When your loved one is in a residential program home, they’ll be cared for by our Bello Machre staff. We’ll cook, we’ll clean, and we’ll invite everyone to participate and build a sense of community.

Everyone in Bello Machre’s Residential Housing Program has the option to participate in day programs outside in the community, like Community Development Services, in addition to activities already provided inside the group home. Combined services are certainly in our wheelhouse!

Common Group Home Activities

Our group home residents benefit from a range of creative and practical activities designed to match their needs, goals, and abilities. These can include:

  • Skill development: cooking, cleaning, hygiene, laundry, banking/budgeting, transportation, employment & job training
  • Socialization: group activities, games
  • Creative outlets: hobby time, art therapy
  • Wellness: exercise, wellness activities
  • Personal time: relaxation and down time activities
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Our Trained Group Home Staff

Our Bello Machre staff work tirelessly to provide clean, comfortable housing for your loved one with special needs.

Leading the charge are our direct support professionals (DSPs), the caring staff who provide daily, hands-on support in our homes. Each home is managed by a Family Living Director (FLD), a DSP who lives in a separate apartment within the home to support the residents and supervise the rest of the support team.

DSPs play a vital role in compassionate, quality care, handling a range of responsibilities from teaching independent living skills, to planning community-based activities, to implementing individual program plans.

Interested in a Bello Machre group home for yourself or a loved one?

Check Our Our Step by Step Admissions Process

Community Activities for Adults with Disabilities

Community activities for adults with disabilities focus on creating enriching and engaging experiences outside of residential group homes. 

At Bello Machre, we provide a number of community-based programs, outings, and events, including movie excursions, cultural outings, skill workshops and more.

Community Development Services

Our community-based day programs offer adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities the opportunity to grow, socialize, and explore the community in safe, structured group activities.

Explore CDS >

Employment Services

Our Employment Services guide adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in finding fulfilling jobs that match their interests. Through personalized coaching, hands-on training, and ongoing support, participants develop skills and confidence to succeed in the workforce.

Explore Employment Services >

Residential Group Homes Frequently Asked Questions

about group homes

A group home for individuals with developmental disabilities is a home in a residential setting that provides daily living support for disabled adults. At Bello Machre, our residential group homes provide so much more than a place to live, they offer the chance to improve socialization, increase independence, and develop life, job, and interpersonal skills.

Each residential group home will have three to four residents living in it. In addition, a Family Living Director (FLD) will have their own, separate apartment within the home. Some FLDs may also have their families living with them in their apartment.

Currently, we have 50 handicapped-accessible residential group homes in the state of Maryland. Four are located in Carroll County, with the remaining homes located in Anne Arundel County.

Our residential group homes are located throughout Maryland, specifically within Carroll County and Anne Arundel County. In neighborhoods such as Hanover, Pasadena, Severna Park, Finksburg, Westminster, and Hampstead. Each home is fully integrated within the community, where our residents are valued neighbors and active participants in local life.

Yes, we have an open-door housing policy and welcome you to visit your loved one in their residential group home. We encourage families to be active participants in your loved ones’ lives in addition to home visit–this includes attending doctor appointments and participating in community activities.

Yes, all of our group home residents are able to go home for weekends, holidays, and even family vacations.

Individualized Residential Care

Yes, adults in our residential care program are able to participate in a number of community activities outside of the group home as part of our optional Community Development Services. The activities they take part in will depend on their specific needs and capabilities. A few examples of community activities include bowling, art classes, and movies.

You can find a day program for loved ones with developmental disabilities by working with an organization that specializes in this service. As part of our Residential Group Home Services, our team — the Family Living Director (FLD), Program Director (PD), and other staff — works closely with your family to find an appropriate day program for your family member. At Bello Machre, we offer Community Development Services that provide customized day programs designed around social, recreational, and educational opportunities.

If your family member with developmental disabilities prefers not to participate in a day program, our Program Manager will work with our supportive housing facilities to schedule goal-based activities. This program focuses on personal development, independence, and meaningful opportunities that your loved one may enjoy with peers who have similar interests.

Whether an adult living in a residential group home is able to stay home alone depends on a number of factors, including physical and cognitive capabilities among them. A thorough assessment of all factors is conducted by their care team to determine if they can stay home alone. After all, safety is the number one priority.

Meals & Nutrition in Group Homes

The organization running the residential group home is responsible for cooking and cleaning. At Bello Machre, our staff provide these services, but the adults we support within our group home are invited to participate with our staff, as appropriate, if they would like to build these skills.

Adults living in a residential group home have the option to eat together. We encourage residents to come together for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, as it builds an engaged sense of community. If they choose to come together for meals, this is typically done around either a kitchen or dining room table.

Groceries are purchased in general for the entire residential group home, for staple meals based on individual preferences. If a resident wants a personal food item they are not planning to share, they must use their personal allowance to buy that item. Additional information on what is and isn’t covered is provided during the admissions process.

Healthcare & Nursing Support in Residential Services

Adults living in a residential group home are taken to their doctor appointments by staff. Family members are welcome to join in taking loved ones to medical appointments, if they so choose.

For adults living in our residential group homes, our licensed nursing professionals provide proactive medical support, training, and guidance to our Direct Support Professionals (also called Family Living Directors) , helping them deliver consistent, person-centered care every day. By working closely with families and staff, the nursing team enhances the timeliness of care, strengthens continuity across programs, and plays a vital role in ensuring the health, safety, and independence of our group home residents.

Residential Group Home Staff FAQs

Every residential group home for adults with developmental disabilities has a house manager who lives onsite. This house manager is typically called a Direct Support Professional, or DSP. At Bello Machre, they are also referred to as a Family Living Director, or FLD.

Every residential group home staff member must complete all Developmental Disability Administration-required training, and any additional training that is required based on the needs of the adults that they serve.

Background check requirements can vary by state and by group home. At Bello Machre, every staff member is required to undergo a complete background check and drug test prior to hire.

Staff is present at residential care facilities 24 hours a day. At Bello Machre, we have staff living in most of our residential program homes, as well.

Whether a residential group home has overnight staff depends on the needs of the residents living in that home. Sometimes, Awake-Overnight (AON) staff is assigned to provide added security and help ensure resident safety during sleeping hours, or  additional staff will be assigned to provide relief for other workers so those workers can also get rest.

If an issue comes up related to your loved one who is a resident in a group home, we recommend calling their Family Living Director (FLD) first, and then following up with their supervisor, the Program Director (PD).

Residential Group Home Costs & Funding

No, apart from rent, you do not have to pay for residential group home services. The services your loved one receives as a resident of our group home–including community services, employment services, a dedicated DSP and nursing team–are provided at no cost via Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA) funding, if the DDA approves these services.

Yes, those living in a residential group home are required to pay rent. This is considered a contribution to care. The exact amount is determined by the Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA). The Maryland Department of Health’s DDA pays for services in communities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities who meet DDA-established eligibility requirements, and sets policies and regulations about contributions to care.

Each person living in a residential group home receives a personal needs allowance from their social security. The amount varies person to person. This allowance can be used to purchase personal items, as well as for activities in the community.

For those living in a residential group home, Bello Machre becomes the representative payee for social security and benefits.

Residential Services Admissions Process

In Maryland the admissions process for residential services follows three main steps:
1) Apply for eligibility through the Developmental Disability Administration (DDA)
2) Get assigned to a Coordinator of Community Services (CCS) by DDA to coordinate service options
3) Review and choose a service provider (such as Bello Machre)

Visit our admission process page to learn more or read our detailed guide for more information.

Meet Our Residential Services Team

Director of Residential Services

Jackie Hutton

Program Directors

Ronita Brown

Anne Arundel County

Saa Fillie Faboe

Anne Arundel County

Michael Cruz

Anne Arundel County

Kendra Parker

Anne Arundel County

Crystal Edwards-Brownlee

Anne Arundel County

Joe Sumo

Anne Arundel County

Juanita Evans

Anne Arundel County

Tamara Williams

Anne Arundel County

Brenna Palmer

Carroll County

Meet Our Residential Services Team

Get to know the names and faces behind the people who make up our team of dedicated residential services providers.

Director of Residential Services

Jackie Hutton

Program Directors

Ronita Brown

Crystal Brownlee

Juanita Evans

Brenna Palmer

Kendra parker

joe Sumo

Nadine Vaughan-Davis

Tamara Williams

Contact Our Residential Services Team.

Contact us to learn more about our Residential Housing Services.

Contact Us

Learn About the Impact Our Group Homes Make in The Lives of Our Residents

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