Apartment Living Program

Like all high school students, VSDB students are excited at the idea of independent living at college or in the community after graduation. But for them it may pose additional challenges compared to other populations.

Our ILA (Independent Living Apartments) program is designed to help older students build the skills and confidence they need to optimize their potential through

• Fostering highest level of independence possible for the individual

• Real-world apartment living experience in a safe environment

• Personalized assessment, skill-building, and instruction

• Enhancement of personal strengths in independent living

• Addressing areas of needed improvement

Launched in October 2016 the Independent Living Program allows four cohorts of students to spend nine weeks living on their own in this hands-on learning environment.  Designed to take all the student’s experiences during their time at VSDB, these five apartments allow students to have instructional supervision that teaches self-care, home care basic skills like laundry to budgeting, and use of transportation for shopping and meals.  The setting will allow students to learn living skills within a community and care for and interact with neighbors.