New Avenues to Independence supports over 200 people to live, work and engage in their communities in Cuyahoga, Lake, and Ashtabula counties. New Avenues envisions people living in smaller settings in the community and embracing new technology. With this vision as a guide, implementation began with the development of a Facility Transformation pilot project for one of the nine Intermediate Care Facilities (ICFs) operated by New Avenues. In September 2021, New Avenues launched a pilot project with the purchase of a home in Cuyahoga County and a commitment to incorporating assistive and smart technology into the home to increase independence, communication, and community engagement for the people who will live there. The successful implementation of the pilot project will provide a blueprint for moving forward with the acquisition of five new homes by 2024.

To support this project, New Avenues applied for and received DODD’s ICF Supportive Technology Project grant funding. The project team is identifying people who want to move to the new home and will work in collaboration with the Cuyahoga County Board of Developmental Disabilities Assistive Technology Specialists to identify specific technology solutions to increase their safety, independence, and control of their living environment. An integral component of this Pilot Project is to benchmark and document reduction of staff interventions with clients due to technology while serving as a case study for other projects throughout the state to incorporate innovative technology solutions into ICF settings.