Riverflow Community is committed to serving a growing number of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Vermont. We would like to learn more about you and your interest in an Intentional Lifesharing Community dedicated to inclusion.
Please note that we are currently working on establishing and opening Riverflow, moving from vision to reality for our three Founding Friends. Our goal is to open our first home in October 2024, and additional interested persons will be added to a pool of potential applicants. If you are interested in being added to an admissions list, please send a note with contact information, name of prospective community Friend, age, and where you are coming from to info@riverflowcommunity.org. Someone will be in touch with you by November 2024. We are excited to grow our community and want to get to know you!
Riverflow is a social therapeutic community which includes adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, known at Riverflow as “Friends”. There is no limited catchment area. Applicants will not be discriminated against because of race, creed, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin.
Applicants should be at least 21 years of age. Under extraordinary circumstances a person under the age of 21 may be admitted if it has been determined by the relevant education authorities that this individual will not benefit from any further academic education and the requisite emotional maturity has been developed to warrant placement in an adult setting.
People can remain at Riverflow for as long as the above requirements hold true and as long as they continue to meet the initial admission criteria. Thus, placements may vary in length from stays as short as a year to others that last a lifetime.
An initial telephone conversation with a member of the Admissions team will establish whether or not a visit and interview are appropriate. Riverflow considers applications within an applicant pool and does not maintain a formal waiting list.
The applicant comes to Riverflow for a visit, accompanied by parent, guardian, or advocate. Following the visit, the applicant (or parent/advocate) may write or call to request a trial visit.
If Riverflow agrees, a trial visit of 2-4 weeks will be scheduled during which the person will experience every aspect of community life. Near its end, we meet with the individual to talk about the experience, and to consider what the best next step would be.
During the trial visit every effort is made for the applicant to spend crew, studio, and meal times with all members of the community. After the visit, the hosting householders complete the trial visit report and share it with the Admissions Office. Once a decision is made, the Admissions Office will reach out to the applicant and family/guardian/advocate within two weeks.
Prior to a trial visit, Riverflow requires the following background materials:
If you would like to be added to an admissions list, please fill out this contact form and someone from Admissions will be in touch with you after November 2024
