There has been a welcome increase in advocacy for individuals with complex intellectual, developmental, behavioral, and mental health needs. Greater awareness has brought attention to long-standing gaps and disparities in services for this population. However, despite momentum, the system remains under strain. The Individual Advocacy Group (IAG), a forward-thinking nonprofit organization, presents a different vision. It frames stabilization as the gateway to long-term community reintegration rather than a stopgap before institutionalization.
IAG has always been committed to providing customized, outcome-focused services that support people in defining and achieving their life goals. Through its decades of experience, the organization has cultivated a profound understanding of the nuanced challenges facing individuals with complex needs, making it a respected voice in the broader conversation around disability rights, behavioral health, and systems-level reform.
The nonprofit has observed that the broader care landscape for people with complex needs has leaned heavily on institutional responses: psychiatric hospitals, state-operated facilities, or emergency room placements. These approaches are often driven by necessity rather than intent.
"There are very few services that can address the multidimensional needs of people who present with both developmental disabilities and behavioral health crises," says Dr. Charlene A. Bennett, co-founder and CEO of IAG. "They're usually overlooked, misunderstood, and poorly served. What happens then? They had to bounce between care settings, facing disruptions, regression, or even neglect."
Indeed, even though well-intentioned, many providers are simply not resourced or trained to offer the level of intensive support required. Staff burnout is common, and turnover remains high due to the emotional toll and complexity of care. The outcome is a cycle that doesn't serve the individual and doesn't deliver sustainable solutions.
IAG points to an alternative that meets people where they are, whether in crisis, in need of care, or in search of dignity. It advocates for Short-term Stabilization Homes (SSH), which introduces a community-based model that can interrupt the cycle of hospitalization and institutionalization and build a foundation for people to thrive long after the crisis subsides.
Behind Stabilization Homes is a transdisciplinary team that includes clinicians, licensed counselors, social workers, psychiatric support, RNs, Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs), Qualified Disability Professionals, as well as Direct Support Professionals (DSPs). The DSPs receive specialized training in trauma-informed care and behavioral intervention. Members of the team typically complete advanced certifications such as Registered Behavioral Technician (RBT) training. "The DSPs aren't just caregivers. They're active agents of change in each person's path to stabilization," Dr. Bennett states.
Currently operating four of these homes, IAG has designed an environment that prioritizes personalized, clinically informed care in a safe and structured setting. Every individual enters with a customized stabilization plan crafted in collaboration with the person, their guardian, care team, and future providers. This plan is revisited weekly, adapting as they progress.
During the stabilization period, individuals can build essential skills in areas such as emotional regulation, anger management, and self-awareness. They're also encouraged to participate in shaping their daily routines and long-term goals, including the eventual transition to a more permanent, community-based setting. For individuals who require more than the typical timeframe to stabilize, IAG has also contributed insights to the state-level planning in Illinois, which is now piloting long-term versions of these stabilization models.
IAG's homes also offer medical and psychiatric oversight. It partnered with a publicly assisted medical school so that each individual can receive comprehensive psychiatric evaluation, medication reviews, and medical monitoring from professionals who specialize in developmental disabilities. This helps ensure that stabilization is holistic, addressing the full spectrum of a person's health needs.
This intensive, collaborative, and individualized approach can result in transformation. Many individuals who were once considered "unplaceable" due to the severity of their needs can transition back into the community, with providers implementing learned strategies to support long-term stability. Others who need more time can benefit from extended stabilization with consistent, therapeutic support. "The experience of care itself, of being respected, involved, and treated as someone with agency, can be just as impactful as any clinical intervention," Dr. Bennett says.
There's still so much more to be done. Given that these homes represent a lifeline for individuals who might otherwise be lost in the shuffle of an overloaded system, it's essential to expand this model to bring more Stabilization Homes online, train more professionals, and embed this philosophy of care more broadly across the continuum of services.
