Adult Foster Home
A family sized home licensed for up to five adults. The person who runs the home is the provider, and they help with meals, medication support, personal care, and getting to appointments. Daily life tends to feel like living in someone's household. Staffing is lighter than in a treatment home, and what each home offers can vary.
In Oregon, adult foster homes are licensed by the state. Some focus on people living with mental illness, while others serve older adults or people with physical or developmental disabilities, and different state offices license different kinds.
Residential Treatment Home
A home for up to five adults, with staff on site around the clock. Staffing is higher than in an adult foster home. Days center on shared meals, medication support, familiar routines, and help with the practical side of running a household. Some homes offer extras, such as case management, so ask each one what is included. Melrose Residential is this kind of home.
In Oregon, these homes are licensed by the Oregon Health Authority, and they are generally not locked.
Residential Treatment Facility
The same kind of around the clock support, in a larger program for six to sixteen adults. A larger setting can feel busier, with more residents and more staff coming and going.
Secure Residential Treatment Facility
A residential treatment facility, or part of one, with approved locks on its doors and gates, so residents cannot leave on their own. It is usually for people whose safety needs call for a secured setting.
Supportive Housing
A person lives in their own apartment or housing unit and gets visits from a case manager or support worker. Staff are not on site around the clock. People who are ready for more independence often look at this option.
The person usually has a lease in their own name, and the housing itself is generally not licensed as a care setting.
How to Choose
- Think about daily support. How much help does the person need with medications, meals, and personal care?
- Think about independence. Some people want to manage more on their own. Others do better with more structure.
- Think about the setting. A small home feels different from a larger program, and some people prefer one over the other.
- Ask questions. Visit if you can, and ask what services are included, who is on site, and how decisions are made. Our guide to questions to ask when touring can help.
No setting is right for everyone. What matters is a good fit today, and a fit can change as needs change. Your county mental health office, your coordinated care organization, or the person's own provider can help you sort through the options.
In Oregon, the right level of care is usually worked out with a case manager or county mental health program, and there is often an assessment before a placement is authorized.
