CLO's
Organizational Background
Our mission is to help adults and children with severe developmental disabilities achieve personally satisfying and fulfilling lifestyles.
Community Living Opportunities is a non-profit organization formed
in 1977 by a group of parents in Johnson County, Kansas whose
children have severe and multiple disabilities.
The agency was created as an alternative to state institutions
and became one of the pioneers in providing community-based services
to people with developmental disabilities. The parent group organized,
incorporated, and recruited a board of directors,
advisors, and consultants that included professionals such as James Sherman, Ph.D. and Jan Sheldon, Ph.D., from the
Department of Human Development and Family Life at the University
of Kansas).
CLO's services are based on dignity, respect, and positive reinforcement, with family
style interventions provided in the home community, close to family
and friends. In the last 30 years CLO has grown dramatically and
its expansion continues steadily as the state of Kansas systematically
downsizes its institutions. Today CLO implements several
unique treatment models developed in partnership with the Applied Behavioral Sciences Department at the
University of Kansas, including the Family Teaching Model, the
Quality of Life Planning, Early Childhood Autism Program and the
Family Enhancement Program.
Currently, CLO serves over 300 children and adults with developmental disabilities primarily
in Douglas and Johnson Counties and employs over 400 staff members.
We provide targeted case management, residential services, which includes family-teaching and extended family-teaching homes, day
services, behavioral consultation, children's services, health
care services, training and staff certification and organizational
behavior management consulting.
