Promoting Growth and Independence - Community Living Care, Inc.

By Kevin Brown

“You can’t give care, without caring,” was a familiar expression of Hayes E. Treasure, the founder of Community Living Care, Inc. (CLC). It perfectly sums up the mission and vision of CLC, a Greensburg-based provider of residential and support services to those with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I.D.D.). Mr. Treasure founded the non-profit in 1987, envisioning a long-term dedication to promoting and enabling community membership for those with I.D.D. Sadly, Mr. Treasure passed away earlier this year, but his vision and dedication to serving others lives on in CLC.

The reins of CLC are now in the hands of Sharon Roskovich, CEO, Jason McIntosh, CAO, as well as the rest of Mr. Treasure's strong administrative team.

“We provide the individual with the support necessary to establish and continually expand a lifestyle that promotes individual growth, independence, autonomy, and community integration,” Jason said in describing the CLC mission. “And it's our vision, that we are a company that's passionate about the success of the people that we serve, and the development of our employees,” he added.

CLC serves about 330 individuals with home-based supports, residential services, two day programs, transportation, behavior support, and medical environment support in long-term care facilities. The services are goal-oriented and tailored to each individual’s needs, skills, and desires.

Home-based support includes services such as Companion, In-Home & Community Support, Family Aide and less than 24-hour Respite Care for family members caring for an individual with I.D.D. “Our home-based waiver director and our staff will meet with that family along with the support coordinator and they will determine what services that person needs to be successful,” Sharon said.

Residential services are provided by CLC for adults who do not live with family. CLC provides 24-hour supervision and assistance with daily living skills, medical appointments, relationship development, and meaningful community experience. CLC operates 24 group homes in the Greensburg area, according to Jason.

“We strive to provide as much as possible, a family setting in a non-traditional family circumstance,” Sharon said.

The day programs serve approximately 75 people Monday through Friday and are located in Greensburg and New Florence. “The day program provides services to all different levels of support, so you can come to our programs from your family home, from a personal care home, or from other residential providers,” Sharon explained. “The service is open to everybody across the community, as long as you meet the appropriate diagnostic requirement, which is that you have to have an intellectual or developmental disability.”

CLC operates a fleet of vehicles to provide transportation services to assist individuals in getting to their day or employment program.

Behavior support services are provided by CLC to support the emotional well-being of individuals as well as training and education to the support teams providing services to individuals.

Finally, CLC provides Support Medical Environment in long-term care facilities to assist individuals with I.D.D. residing in those facilities. This service is designed to provide additional support based on need.

CLC has weathered the pandemic and its programs are becoming fully active again. “The pandemic has affected us in so many ways,” Sharon said. “Each day, throughout the pandemic, when you came into work your job duties could be different . We ask ourselves every day, ‘What do we need to strategically put in place to keep people safe?’”

CLC has a number of open positions. Jason stressed key qualities about CLC for attracting new employees include their family atmosphere and a generous benefits program.

“When Hayes founded this company back in 1987, he did so as a family man, and he was always a huge proponent of family,” Jason said. “Family is so important and that carried over into everything he did and the way he ran this place. He always made it a priority for our benefits package to be the best in town. That's a huge thing that sets us apart from some of the other service providers. Our benefits package is phenomenal.”

As a testament to that family atmosphere at CLC, Jason added that 91 of their 216 employees have been with CLC for longer than 10 years.

Community Living Care, Inc.

1. What is CLC’s core service?
Residential supports for individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities was the first service started by CLC founder Hayes E. Treasure in 1987. It remains at the core of CLC’s services today. CLC provides 24-hour care and supervision to the residents in their homes. Each home provides the opportunity for people to live independently and participate in community activities. CLC operates 24 residential homes in the Greensburg area.

2. What is a waiver program?
A waiver program allows individuals covered under Medicaid to receive services in a home or community-based setting rather than in a long-term care or institutionalized setting. The federal government “waives” medical assistance rules for institutional care to allow Pennsylvania to use these funds for home and community-based services (HCBS). Those covered under the waiver program must meet eligibility requirements and diagnostic criteria. CLC offers a home and community-based waiver program that enables individuals to live at home and continue to receive covered services to support their care and development.

3. Why is goal-setting important?
Goal-setting provides individuals with the support necessary to establish and continually expand a lifestyle that promotes individual growth, independence, autonomy, and community integration. Working with CLC support staff and a team of family members and friends, each individual participates in setting goals that take into account his or her needs, skills and desires in order to maximize life-fulfilling potential. Goal-setting is important whether the individual participates in the home- and community-based waiver program, residential services or the day program.

4. How do teams impact the care that CLC provides?
Teams are essential to the individual’s growth and development. The team functions as a support for the individual to develop goals that will enable him or her to achieve the fullest potential. Team members include family, friends, supports coordinators and anyone the individual deems important in their life. The team members are familiar with the individual and his or her needs, skills, and desires. The team also serves as a partner with the CLC support staff to identify opportunities for the individual’s growth.

5. What sets Community Living Care, Inc. (CLC) apart from other service providers?
CLC treats its employees like family, and offers a generous benefits program. Hayes E. Treasure stressed the importance of family when he founded CLC in 1987. That carried over into everything he did and in the way that he built CLC. Staff treat each other and their service recipients as family. One result of this is that 91 of 216 employees have been with CLC for ten years or longer.

6. Does CLC offer career opportunities?
Yes. CLC has many career opportunities for those interested in working for an organization that provides a valuable service in the community. CLC offers all training and education necessary to be successful in providing services to its service recipients. For more information about career opportunities with CLC, visit their website at www.communitylivingcare.com or call the Greensburg office at (724) 836-8747.

To learn more about CLC’s services and employment opportunities and become part of the CLC family, visit their website at communitylivingcare.com or call directly at (724) 836-8747.