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Calgary Alternative Residential Services

Who are we?
CARS is a division of Calgary Alternative Support Services (CASS) and has been providing a variety of ‘residential services’ since 1988.

Who uses our services?
Persons 18+ years of age and who have a developmental disability and need support to live, work and/or access the resources available within their communities. Participants must be eligible through the criteria outlined by Persons with Developmental Disabilities (PDD).

Contact Details

Program Director
Tracey Reece

Phone: 403.283.0611
Fax: 403.283.0691

Email us using our contact form.

Intake
CARS is currently closed for intake.

Intake for CARS is by referral from Persons with Developmental Disabilities (PDD).

Program Goals and Objectives:
To assist individuals with developmental disabilities to become more independent through skill acquisition, empowerment and full inclusion in society, thus improving their quality of life. Our program focuses on ‘person centered planning’ – people supporting people – based on the individual’s needs.

Support Processes
Through a self-directed process, the individual will be assisted in identifying areas of support that are important to them and will contribute towards their personal goals. These goals will be formally reviewed annually, but will remain flexible and can be modified at any time to suit the needs of the individual.

Support Models
CARS provides support through the following services:

Overnight Staffed Residences
This arrangement provides support to individuals with complex needs, within their own home in the community. The support is provided by staff during the day and night while sharing a seven day schedule. Although the staff provide overnight supports, they do not live in the home of the individuals receiving this level of support.

Support Homes (supportive roommates)
Individuals in these arrangements receive support from their ‘supportive roommate.’ The individual may live with a single roommate, a couple, or a family, depending on which setting is most suited for the needs of the individual.

Supported Independent Living (outreach)
We support those individuals living by themselves or with roommates by meeting in their home or community, for a set number of hours per week, or per month, to work on their specific needs and goals.

Individualized Community Access
Supporting individuals in the community.

Support within these models includes but is not limited to:

  • Informed healthy lifestyle choices
  • Recreation and leisure pursuits
  • Personal and community safety
  • Advocacy and self-determination
  • Creating community connections