Causes: Developmentally Disabled Centers, Disabilities, Group Homes, Human Services

Mission: Mission: To provide life-long, high-quality support services, ensuring that people with developmental disabilities lead fulfilling lives and realize their vision of a desirable future. Vision: People with developmental disabilities will live within a community that sustains them and benefits from their participation. Mainstay Life Services will be regarded as the region’s provider of choice for individuals and families seeking services, and as the region’s employer of choice for qualified and committed professionals. Values: Compassion* Dignity * Respect * Responsiveness * Sensitivity

Results: Mainstay is a nonprofit organization providing residential services and other supports to people with developmental disabilities, and their families, in Allegheny and the surrounding counties in Western Pennsylvania. We are committed to assisting each person we support to reach their full potential within their community. Services are provided through homes with 24-hour supports, life sharing, supported living, home and community supports, and more. We also provide behavioral and employment services. We currently support 300+ individuals. Mainstay began in the late 1960s as two separate agencies that merged in 1999.The organization operates 40+ community homes. Mainstay owns its residences, which include several specialized homes designed for those with behavioral health issues, physical disabilities, autism, and diminishing physical capacity and increasing medical needs due to aging. Eight (8) of our community homes support 11 adults with Prader-Willi Syndrome, a rare genetic disorder. Our Behavioral and Clinical Supports are provided to people who are seeking help to overcome barriers to integration into their home, community, or coping with daily life. We work with people and the people that support them on strategies that can address any barrier to the person living their best life. In July, we were licensed as a Behavioral Health Clinic to offer specialized therapeutic supports by a Licensed Clinician to augment psychiatric care. Employment Supports include job development and on-the-job supports for adults with a disability. We work with each person through job development to obtain a position in the community, on-boarding and learning the job, relationship building and encouraging an inclusive environment for job success. Our goal is to fade away to promote job independence. Mainstay established an Advocates Advisory Board in 2019, which is comprised of a group of people receiving our supports. The group is working to improve the quality and satisfaction of Mainstay’s services by assessing programs and making recommendations to both the executive team and the board of directors.

Target demographics: people with developmental disabilities to thrive and live their best life

Direct beneficiaries per year: 334 people.

Geographic areas served: Allegheny and the surrounding counties

Programs: residences with 24-hour supports, life sharing, supported living, Prader-Willi Syndrome supports, in-home and community support, community participation support, behavioral and clinical supports, employment supports, companion services, technology supports.