A Shared Living Provider opens their home to a person living with a developmental disability, providing them a caring place to live and teaching daily activities of living and independent living skills. A person living with the disability moves into the home of the Shared Living Provider and becomes a part of their family. The Shared Living provider is responsible for attending to everyday daily living needs, transportation, and accessing the community.

Shared Living Providers are independent contractors with training provided prior to service delivery. Danelle Hayes, Developmental Disability Services Director with Goodwill Industries of Greater Nebraska encourages the community to learn more, “I have seen first-hand that when individuals live in a shared living environment, there is more consistency and one on one attention, which helps individuals thrive in their everyday lives. Improvements in health, hygiene, communication and forming positive relationships are what we see. A shared living environment is so person centered that people really get a chance to work on their goals and become as independent as possible.”