Start a Career Working with Adults with Disabilities in Arlington, VA

Residential Care Providers are given the opportunity to work with individuals who have a large range of disabilities and/or diagnosed mental health conditions such as:

• Mild, moderate, severe, or profound cognitive limitation
•  Autism
•  Cerebral Palsy, Spina Bifida, and other physical disabilities
•  Borderline Personality Disorder
•  Major Depression
•  Schizophrenia
•  Bipolar Disorder

Wall Residences takes your experiences into account when placing an individual in your home. You will always be paired with a resident whose needs you are able to meet.

Caring for another person takes a village. That’s why you will get the chance to hire backup workers to assist you when needed.

Wall Residences wants to make sure you have a positive work-life balance, which is why all providers are required to have designated backup staff before starting residential care. This alleviates possible stressors of finding backup help later on and provides a consistent team of caregivers for the individuals living in your home.

In addition to backup workers, many households work as a unit to offer residential care to adults with disabilities. Wall Residences partners with many couples or families who work together as residential providers.

Rosita Usuah and her son Howard are providers in Alexandria, VA. Together they have spent 10 years caring for individuals with disabilities in their homes. Their life as providers is vibrant and includes fun vacations, exciting holiday parties and community engagement.

In Manassas, VA, the Benjamins also work as a family to help adults with disabilities. Christopher and Christine act as primary care providers while their adult daughter helps serve as a backup worker.

It is not necessary or a requirement to work as a household, but many providers prefer this approach.

Wall Residences works with experienced RN staff to make medical care and advice accessible for adults with disabilities.

Before Wall Residences helped introduce residential care in Virginia 25 years ago, many adults with disabilities had very little options. They either needed to live with family or they were sent to live in institutions. These institutions did not offer the person-first and compassionate care that is so crucial for every individual.

Our mission is to maintain statewide availability for excellent semi-permanent living situations for adults with disabilities. Providers are essential to this goal. You will receive support from the application to training and through your resident’s time with you.

Wall Residences works to provide your training, answer questions, explain your contract, and pair you with individuals seeking a home.

Please submit a resume and letter of interest to Admissions Director Alex Jackson via email. If needed, you can also fax documents to the office at 540-745-5367.

If you’re interested in helping adults with disabilities, please join one of our Provider orientation sessions. These are usually held monthly.

Wall Residences helps new providers prepare for their role with part-time training. During this time, many soon-to-be providers keep working their current job.

When an adult with disabilities seeks residential support through Wall Residences our team  pairs them with available residential providers that can meet their needs.

It is hard to estimate how long it will take for an individual to be matched to your home. The timeline is based on new residents joining the program or residents moving from another provider’s home.

Wall Residences makes sure that your skill set and abilities match the needs of the adults with disabilities coming to live in your home. Your wait time will vary depending on the unique needs of the individuals waiting for residential support.

When matches are made, they are intended to last for a long time. This allows for you and the adults with disabilities you care for to have more stability.

Once an individual is eligible for your home, you’ll receive a notification prior to them moving in. For most providers the process takes around 3-6 months.

The following skills are desired:

• Previous work with individuals with disabilities in a regulated environment (at least 6 months)
• Ability to complete documentation (training is provided)
• Ability to use a computer
• Understanding of “person-centered” support

We are especially in need of providers with these skills:

• LPN / RN
• Ability to use and understand sign language
• Experience supporting individuals with significant behavioral challenges
• Accessible homes for individuals who utilize wheelchairs

The Wall Residences team includes many former foster parents, nurses, and social workers who made the transition into caring for adults with disabilities.

We are also interested in hiring residential care providers with experience in the following fields:

• Teaching and Education
• Military Service
• Mental Health Care

Every provider enters their role with a different level of experience. Wall Residences works with you to provide the training needed to confidently work with adults with disabilities. You’ll get the chance to partner with our helpful and compassionate team for a well-guided career transition.

If you haven’t previously cared for adults with disabilities, you will be given the opportunity to work as a backup for another provider. This requirement ensures you are fully prepared to offer residential care ahead of opening your home to individuals.

Starting as a backup worker gives you time to learn Wall Residences’ policies, procedures, and documentation requirements. Most importantly you will get to work with adults with disabilities in a residential environment.

You can transfer training paperwork as long as you include the certificate from the class including the instructor’s signature, date the class was taken, and the training expiration date.

If documents showing previous TB screenings are provided and there has been no disruption in care then this is also transferable.

Wall Residences makes becoming a provider more accessible by offering a lot of the training courses you need to start as a provider.

You can access our training calendar to find the upcoming courses you need. You can sign up for classes by contacting the program manager you’re working with or the training department.

Providers also need First Aid and CPR certifications which can be obtained through the American Heart Association or Red Cross.

Qualified applicants will be asked for a home visit, resume, references, background checks, and emergency plans.