High Country Supported Living

TO CREATE AND SUSTAIN A COMMUNITY LIVING/LEARNING CENTER FOR NEW MEXICANS OF ALL ABILITIES.

RESIDENTIAL SERVICES: HIGH COUNTRY SUPPORTED LIVING (HCSL) IS CURRENTLY PROVIDING RESIDENTIAL SERVICES TO TWO YOUNG ADULTS WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES. ONE RESIDENT LIVES ON THE PROPERTY FULL-TIME IN A TWO-BEDROOM CASITA WITH HIS PARENTS, BECAUSE HE NEEDS FULL-TIME SUPPORT. THE OTHER RESIDENT LIVES IN A STUDIO CASITA. HE LIVES THERE PART-TIME WITH HIS PARENTS. TWO OTHER RESIDENTIAL CASITAS ARE CURRENTLY BEING RENTED BY INDIVIDUALS WITHOUT INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES. ONE OF THESE RESIDENTS HELPS WITH MAINTENANCE ACTIVITIES ON HCSL'S PROPERTY IN JACONA. THE OTHER CASITA IS RENTED TO HCSL'S GARDENING COORDINATOR WHO HELPS THE ORGANIZATION WITH PLANTING, MAINTAINING AND HARVESTING PRODUCE FROM ITS GARDENS AND ORCHARD.ALL RESIDENTS PAY MARKET RATE RENTAL FEES. RENTING LIVING QUARTERS TO INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE NOT DISABLED IS WITHIN HCSL'S MISSION, WHICH STATES: "THE MISSION OF HIGH COUNTRY SUPPORTED LIVING (HCSL) IS TO CREATE A COMMUNITY LIVING AND LEARNING CENTER FOR NEW MEXICANS OF ALL ABILITIES, WHERE CULTURE, ART, LAND AND DIVERSITY ARE CELEBRATED. THROUGH ITS PROPERTY IN NORTHERN NEW MEXICO, HCSL PROVIDES A BEAUTIFUL PHYSICAL SETTING WHERE DISABLED AND NON-DISABLED MEMBERS OF THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES CAN COME TOGETHER TO GROW, LEARN AND SHARE."NUMBER OF PEOPLE SERVED: 9 (INCLUDES BOTH DISABLED AND NONDISABLED RESIDENTS)

DAY PROGRAMS: DURING THE SUMMER AND FALL OF 2022 AND MAY AND JUNE OF 2023, HCSL PRESENTED NINE DAY PROGRAMS IN JACONA AS WELL AS TWO PROGRAMS IN THE KIVA CLASSROOM. EIGHTY-TWO INDIVIDUALS ATTENDED HCSL'S DAY PROGRAMS DURING THIS TIME PERIOD, INCLUDING 52 YOUNG ADULTS WITH AN INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY AND 30 CAREGIVERS, PEERS AND FRIENDS. HCSL'S 2022 DAY PROGRAMS INCORPORATED THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT OF ITS RURAL PROPERTY IN JACONA WITH VISUAL ART, MUSIC AND MOVEMENT ACTIVITIES THAT WERE ENGAGING, FUN AND APPROPRIATE FOR YOUNG ADULTS WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES. THE PROGRAMS WERE CREATED BY VISUAL ARTIST AND EDUCATOR LUCY RANNEY, HCSL'S DAY PROGRAMS COORDINATOR. DAY PROGRAM ACTIVITIES INCLUDED CREATING FELTED EGGS AND WALL HANGINGS; MAKING CLAY SUNS TO CELEBRATE THE SUMMER SOLSTICE; MUSIC SESSIONS FEATURING PERCUSSION INSTRUMENTS; A MOVEMENT/DANCE ACTIVITY LED BY THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF ASPEN SANTA FE BALLET; LEARNING ABOUT BURROWING OWLS AND TURTLES WITH A STAFF MEMBER FROM THE NEW MEXICO WILDLIFE CENTER IN ESPANOLA, AND OTHER PROJECTS. IN JUNE OF 2023, HCSL OFFERED ITS FIRST COOKING PROGRAM. THE PARTICIPANTS PICKED FRESH BASIL FROM THE GARDEN TO MAKE PESTO SAUCE. WITH HELP FROM THE COOKING INSTRUCTOR AND VOLUNTEERS, THEY ALSO MADE THE PASTA NOODLES FROM SCRATCH AND ENJOYED A DELICIOUS PESTO PASTA LUNCH.IN ADDITION, HCSL PRESENTED TWO PROGRAMS AT THE SANTA FE PUBLIC SCHOOL'S KEEPING INDEPENDENT VISIONS ALIVE (KIVA) CLASSROOM. KIVA IS THE SFPS'S TRANSITION-TO-WORK/LIFE SKILLS PROGRAM FOR STUDENTS WITH LEARNING DIFFERENCES AND SPECIAL NEEDS. IN THE FIRST PROGRAM, THE KIVA STUDENTS USED FLOWERS FROM JACONA TO TALK ABOUT FLOWER ARRANGING AND MAKE SPRING BOUQUETS. IN THE SECOND PROGRAM, HCSL BOARD MEMBERS BROUGHT TOMATOES AND CHILES FROM THE GARDENS IN JACONA TO MAKE SALSA WITH THE STUDENTS AND DISCUSS THE IMPORTANCE OF EATING FRESH, HEALTHY FOOD.CLIENTS FROM ALL INDIVIDUALS FIRST IN LOS ALAMOS, AS WELL AS CLIENTS FROM SANTA FE-BASED AGENCIES COMMUNITY OPTIONS, RAINBOW ROAD THERAPIES, VISIONS CASE MANAGEMENT & CONSULTING, AND RISE SPEECH AND LANGUAGE THERAPY PARTICIPATED IN HCSL'S 2022 DAY PROGRAMS.OTHER PROGRAMMING EVENTS ARE PLANNED IN JULY, AUGUST AND THE FALL OF 2023 AT HCSL'S PROPERTY IN JACONA. A PROGRAM AT THE SANTA FE PUBLIC SCHOOL'S KIVA CLASSROOM IS ALSO PLANNED FOR THE FALL OF 2023. ALL HCSL'S DAY PROGRAMS ARE FREE TO THE PARTICIPANTS, MAKING THEM AFFORDABLE TO A WIDE RANGE OF ADULTS WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES, THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS AND CAREGIVERS.NUMBER OF PEOPLE SERVED: 82