Colorado Host Home Setting

Host Homes and Shared Living 

Host Homes are residential settings in which an individual receiving Overture services lives in the community with someone of their choosing that is available to help provide supports when needed. Host homes come in all shapes in sizes depending on what the person is looking for in a living companion. Overture has host homes throughout the state of Colorado in various cities, suburbs, and more rural areas. Home means something different to everyone and some of our host homes have families that the person can live with, other host homes may be just two people living together. We support host homes with 1-2 people receiving services living in the home with a designated Host Home Provider. On some occasions, if it is the persons’ choice to live with three people receiving services, Overture and the Case Management agency may work with that host home to get a three person waiver to allow for this living arrangement.

Please contact us today and we can discuss whether we have someone that matches your specific preferences.  

A Host Home Provider is an independent contractor that opens up a room in their own home to provide access to up to 24/7 supports to a person receiving waiver services. The duties and responsibilities of being a host home provider vary greatly based on the person in their homes distinct needs and wants. There are a number of daily tasks that a provider may support, examples include but are not limited to:  daily living skills, social skills development, behavioral support, or medical support.   

Want to become a host home provider?

It is our philosophy that choice, experience, and participation are fundamental to the personal growth and fulfillment of people in our care. We believe that people with developmental disabilities are part of the community, not simply recipients of services.  We offer individualized trainings, on-going support, and 24-7 assistance. 

Our Host Home Providers: 

  • Have an available bedroom in their home 
  • Have a genuine interest in helping others and want to share their space with a new housemate 
  • Work well with others, such as family members and a team of professionals 
  • Must complete and pass criminal and motor vehicle background checks. 
  • Must be able to pass classes such as Medication Administration, CPR, and First Aid at a minimum, there are other training provided that enhance providers ability to successfully perform their job duties 
  • Must be at least 21 years old.  
Host Home Provider Admission of Interest
Back Up Service Provider Admission of Interest
Submit admission of interest for Colorado

FAQs for New Host Home Providers (HHPs)

If you have completed the entire Host Home Provider application and interviewed with Overture in person, you only need to submit your 1st aid, CPR, and Medication Administration (QMAP for DD) certificates to HR and have a home inspection completed and on file before being considered available through our agency.

Anyone over the age of 18 living in the home requires a background check before someone can move in.

Other trainings are required by the state of Colorado and Overture upon placement. See trainings resources.

We do not cover the cost of HHP trainings until after you reach 1 year of being an active HHP with Overture.

It is all about finding the right fit for the person seeking residential services, as well as for you and your individual home. Timelines may vary from a few weeks to a few months or longer. Applying with Overture does not guarantee placement.

If we sent you a referral and you responded with interest, Overture submitted a positive response for that person seeking services. However, once that response is submitted, timelines vary due to a variety of reasons, including but not limited to: individual/family schedules and selections for meetings, Case Manager response times, etc. Usually if you haven’t heard back, we have no new information. Please feel free to contact your Intake liaison to request an update and we will contact you when we have a chance.

Host Homes serve up to 2 people in the home, with an option to provide temporary/backup service for a 3rd if there is another available bedroom in your home.

Rates vary. The rates are based on what we receive from the state of Colorado, based on each individual person’s Supports Intensity Scale (SIS). The SIS assesses their level of support need, which determines reimbursement rates. Every person is different so please contact Intake with specific questions.

While the person newly placed in your home might already participate in these activities, it is likely that they have not yet found a program. Between moving to new areas and brand new enrollments, day services are often not selected until after residential placement is established. This can take 1-3 months for a new intake.

Ultimately it is your responsibility to provide a welcoming, habitable bedroom with a bed and either a closet or dresser for their use. Sometimes people come with their own furniture, so you can choose to wait until you know who is moving in and what items they already have. However, if they do not have these items you are responsible for acquiring them before the move in date. Please note: if you want to be on our backup service provider or emergency placement contact lists, you need to have these items already in place.

Absolutely! This is a great way to gain connections in our community, as well as experience. Rates for backup service providers are negotiated directly with the current Host Home Provider requesting backup, and all trainings are required.

The main differences between an internal move and a new (external) placement are that the person moving into your home already has care established with Overture and other professionals, and your main point of contact is that person’s Overture Program Coordinator instead of Intake. 

Emergency placements move much faster than a typical placement timeline. We may have a meeting or receive a call and move the person the same day/week. We could also have had meetings earlier on and then receive a call out of the blue for an urgent move. The person may not have all of their belongings and will very likely need a bed already available in their room. You may not have all the information you would like to have about the person in services, especially if this is a new/external placement or emergency enrollment. In this instance, Overture will partner with you to learn more, and will share new information as it becomes available.

Please note: if you are accepting an emergency placement, you are making a commitment to work with that person for the interim while the Overture team assesses options. If the placement turns out to not be a match for you, it takes time to find another Host Home so please factor this into your acceptance of the emergency placement. If you are interested in becoming the long term placement, please communicate this desire with the Overture Program Manager assigned to you. Take this opportunity to show us what a great fit your home is for that person. This does not mean that the placement will automatically become a permanent.

Overture does not pay for backup service providers (BUSP). You will negotiate a rate of pay with that provider and then notify the Overture team on our BUSP request form. The agreed-upon rate of pay will be pulled from your check and paid to the backup service provider.