A home for someone you love
The right home for the person you love.
We know this is not a decision you make quickly. Harmony House places adults with developmental disabilities in the homes of trained sponsor families around Hampton Roads. We start by listening to you, and we stay close long after move-in.
In their words
What families and sponsors say about us.
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A comment from a sponsor goes here.
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For sponsors
Share your home. We handle the rest of the structure.
A sponsor opens their home to one or two adults and provides day-to-day support as a household. You are paid for that work, and Harmony House covers licensing, paperwork, training and oversight so you are never doing it alone.
Who tends to do this well
- Family caregivers who want to support their own relative at home.
- Nurses, aides, direct support professionals and teachers looking for steadier work.
- Retirees and military-connected households with a settled home and time to give.
- People who are patient, organized, and comfortable with routines and paperwork.
What we look for in a home
- A safe, clean home that passes an environmental and safety inspection.
- A private bedroom for each person who will live there.
- Background checks for every adult in the household.
- Enough financial stability to cover your own expenses between payments.
Virginia's licensing rules set the final requirements. We confirm every detail with you on the first call.
From first call to first move-in
Talk with us
A short call about your household, your home and what you hope for.
Apply and visit
You apply, and we visit your home to walk through what is needed.
Checks and training
Background checks, safety inspection and sponsor training.
Meet and match
We introduce you to people whose needs and personality fit your home.
Ongoing support
Regular visits, a team to call, and backup care when you need time away.
How sponsor pay works
- A daily rate
- Medicaid pays a set rate for each day a person receives sponsored residential service. Sponsors receive a share of it.
- Set by support needs
- Virginia assigns each person a support tier, from 1 to 4. A higher tier means a higher daily rate.
- Room and board on top
- The person pays a monthly amount toward rent and food from their own income. This is separate from the waiver rate.
Get the current pay schedule
We share our exact sponsor pay by tier in writing before you apply, so you can see what a placement would look like for your household.
Rates are set by the Commonwealth and change from year to year. Pay depends on days of service and the person's assigned tier.
For families and support coordinators
A real home for the person you love.
You know their routines, their favorite foods, what calms them and what does not. In sponsored residential care, an adult lives in a trained family's home where those details matter every day. We begin by learning them from you.
Who it is for
- Adults, 18 and over, with an intellectual or developmental disability.
- People who hold a Virginia Community Living waiver. Sponsored residential service is part of that waiver.
- People who want a family setting and daily support that fits them.
Do you not have a waiver yet? Your local Community Services Board is the first step. It screens people, keeps the waiting list and assigns slots by urgency of need.
What helps us get to know them
- The person's first name, age and current living situation.
- Waiver type and the name of the support coordinator and Community Services Board.
- The person's support tier, if you know it.
- Preferences: area, pets, activities, routines, and anything that must stay the same.
- Medical or behavioral supports the home would need to provide.
What happens after you contact us
We listen
Tell us who they are, what a good day looks like, and what worries you most.
We share homes
We tell you honestly which sponsor homes may fit, and where they are.
You visit
Your family member and you meet the sponsor and see the home, as many times as you need.
Move-in plan
Together with the support coordinator, we plan the transition.
Service area
Hampton Roads and the region around it.
Our license covers sponsor homes within 100 miles of our Hampton office. That reaches the whole Hampton Roads region, the Peninsula, the Eastern Shore, the Northern Neck and the Richmond area.
We are working to reach more of the state, including Central and Northern Virginia. If you live outside the ring and want to be part of that, tell us.
Questions
What people ask us first.
What is sponsored residential service?
An adult with a developmental disability lives in the home of a trained sponsor and is supported as part of that household. The sponsor provides daily help and support, and the service is available around the clock.
How many people can live in a sponsor home?
Up to two people receiving services at one time. Other household members can live there too.
Does it cost the family anything?
The service itself is paid through Medicaid's Developmental Disabilities waiver. The person contributes a monthly amount toward rent and food from their own income, such as Social Security.
How does someone get a waiver?
Contact your local Community Services Board. It screens the person, adds them to the statewide waiting list if they are eligible, and assigns waiver slots based on urgency of need. Sponsored residential service is part of the Community Living waiver.
Can a family member become the sponsor?
Often, yes. Virginia allows approved family members to serve as sponsors. The home and the household still need to meet the same requirements, so call us and we will walk through your situation.
Do I need to own my home to be a sponsor?
Many sponsors do, and it is often preferred. Tell us about your situation and we will tell you plainly whether it can work.
How is a sponsor paid?
Sponsors receive a share of the daily rate Medicaid pays for each person, based on the person's support tier. We provide the exact schedule in writing before you apply.
What if I need a break?
Every sponsor needs time away. We help you plan for backup care so the person in your home stays supported while you rest.
Talk to us
Start with a conversation about them.
There is no application to fill out first. Tell us which describes you and what you would like us to know.
I am looking for a home for someone I love
Tell us about them and what home means to them.
- Their first name and age
- Where they live now
- What a good day looks like
I am a support coordinator
Send a referral and we will respond about openings.
- Community Services Board
- Person's tier and needs
- Timeline for placement
I want to open my home
Mention where you live and who is in your household.
- Your city or county
- Who lives in the home
- Any caregiving experience