The Don Guanella and Divine Providence communities are continuing the tradition of care for children with disabilities provided by the Don Guanella Village institutional care facility in Springfield since 1960, writes Gina Christian for CatholicPhilly.com.

Don Guanella Village started transitioning to the community-based, group-home model four years ago with cottages in both Delaware and Chester counties. The new communities are licensed by the state’s Department of Human Services as intermediate care facilities for individuals with intellectual disabilities.

While deeply rooted in their patron saint’s spirituality, the communities have also developed a strong strategic planning process, according to Don Guanella’s development officer Mark Bradford. This process includes ensuring the retention of the quality and risk management director, who has implemented strict protocols on security procedures, medication administration, and incident reporting.

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“I’ve never thought to worry about my sister being there,” said Cathleen Reis, whose sister Noreen is a resident of the communities.

This is because, according to spokesperson Barbara Jenkins, transparency and family involvement are among the communities’ best practices.

“We have great relationships with other providers,” she said. “We aren’t in a vacuum.”

Read more about Don Guanella Village at CatholicPhilly.com by clicking here.

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