Since 1979

Like most success stories, it started with a vision. As the Association of Retarded Citizens of Denver (ARC) watched a strong push for de-institutionalization, they realized that many of the individuals who were moving into the community had never lived with their families or experienced family life. While the transition from large institutions to group homes in the community was a positive one, it lacked something.　

People in Michigan began using a residential model they called a "host home" in which individuals with developmental disabilities moved in with families to get their support needs met while living in a family environment. Using these basic principles, ARC’s Board of Directors provided funds for the start of Colorado’s first host homes.

Implementing the host home model was a controversial venture. For years, parents of children with developmental disabilities were told by doctors and other professionals to give up their children at birth. Many professionals working with individuals with disabilities thought these children would never be able to live and grow in community settings or contribute to society. They believed, and told families, it was best to put these children in institutions where they could be cared for and not be a burden. When ARC presented the idea of putting people back in the community, into family settings, it went against everything families had been hearing from professionals for years. It promoted guilt in family members and made professionals look like liars! In the midst of this controversy, ARC moved forward with their vision.

In January of 1981, Family Living Project, Inc. (FLP) became its own entity apart from ARC. The Residential services were extended to individuals in Arapahoe, Adams, Jefferson and Denver counties. By the end of 1981, the agency was serving 35 individuals in host homes.　

In April of 1986, FLP changed its name to Community Living Alternatives, Inc. (CLA).　 The program had been in existence for seven years and had plans for continued expansion. In January of 1987, an apartment program called "Alternatives in Supported Living" was started to further enhance CLA’s focus on living alternatives. In April of 1988, the "Community Employment Alternatives’" program began. During that same year, CLA provided services to 105 individuals in the residential program, 12 in the employment program, and four in a retirement program. Quite a contrast to the ten individuals served in one program just nine years earlier!

In trying to meet the variety of needs that individuals with developmental disabilities had, CLA may have grown too large too fast. In July of 1991, CLA stopped providing services to individuals in Arapahoe, Adams and Jefferson counties. There was a need to get back to its roots, get reunited with its service recipients, and step up its quality.

Since that time, CLA has made a conscious decision to focus on quality of services rather than the quantity of people served. CLA’s mission of "enhancing the lives of individuals with developmental disabilities towards fulfillment of their life goals through choice and support in homes, employment and community activities" is a powerful one. Its focus is to support each individual through a personal and career exploration. Once goals are discovered, CLA is committed to expand its array of services to meet those goals. It will continue to struggle through some of those programmatic changes, but like most success stories, it maintains a strong vision for the future.