About US
Alternative Pathways is a non-profit service provider located in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The members of Alternative Pathways have various types of disabilities, and live independently. Homes are owned by individuals with disabilities and rented by four or five other people. The homes are all located in roughly the same area. The office is attached to the back of the director's home and is accessible to clients throughout the day.
How are you different from an Adult Foster Care (AFC) home?
AFC homes are licensed homes for people with disabilities. The homes are licensed and monitored by the state. The residents do not own their home. Some AFC homes state that the residents must be out of the home for a certain number of hours during the day, forcing residents to leave and find somewhere to go during this time.
At Alternative Pathways people with disabilities own their homes and rent out rooms to other individuals. Unlike licensed AFC's, Alternative Pathways enjoys the freedom to explore many options for the consumers during the day. Some have jobs, some attend a day program, while others work on job readiness skills at home and in the community.
Tell me more...
There are currently ten homes and close to forty consumers in the program. Resident's ages vary from early 20's to mid 60's.
Alternative Pathways has been in existence for fifteen years and is unique in its ability to give our consumers independence as well as structure.
Right now Alternative Pathways has twenty-two staff members but that number seems to always be changing. No matter the level of
independence, staff are always available to someone in need.
