Group Homes for Adults with Disabilities in the Idaho Falls Area
If you're searching for a group home for an adult with a developmental disability in eastern Idaho, here's the honest answer: Idaho's Medicaid DD waiver does not fund large congregate group homes. It funds something better — supported living in regular homes (up to three residents with 24-hour staff) and certified family homes — delivered by ResHab agencies like Empowering Human Services, LLC.
What "group home" usually means — and what Idaho offers instead
What families searching "group home" usually want is a safe, supervised residence for their adult son or daughter, with staff, structure, and a real life in the community. Idaho delivers exactly that, just through different structures:
Why no congregate facilities? Idaho, like most states since the Olmstead decision, moved away from institutional and large-group settings because smaller settings produce dramatically better outcomes: real community inclusion, individualized support, and skill growth.
- Supported living residences — regular houses or apartments, up to three individuals, staffed 24/7 by a ResHab agency's DSPs. This is the closest thing to a group home in Idaho's system, and it's what most people actually picture.
- Services in your own or the family home — staff come to you, from a few hours a week up to intensive schedules.
- Certified family homes — an adult lives with a licensed caregiver family, with agency oversight.
Where Empowering Human Services fits
Empowering Human Services, LLC is a certified Residential Habilitation agency based in Idaho Falls, serving all nine counties of Idaho Region 7. We were founded by two leaders with 32 combined years in the field — Angel Fell (agency administrator, 18+ years, started as a direct support professional) and Julie Virgin (QIDP, MSW, trauma-informed care certificate, 14+ years).
We provide residential habilitation in each of these settings across Idaho Region 7 (Bonneville, Butte, Clark, Custer, Fremont, Jefferson, Lemhi, Madison, and Teton counties). Whether your family member would thrive in a supported living residence with roommates, or would do better with staff support at home, the assessment process determines the level of support — and you choose the setting and the agency.
What to do next
If your family member is already on the DD waiver: call (208) 537-1463 — we'll tell you within one business day what settings and staffing we can offer for their support level.
If you're starting from scratch: read our Start Here guide — it covers Medicaid, DD eligibility, the assessment, and how placement choices work, step by step, with the Region 7 office phone number.
Frequently asked questions
Are there any group homes in Idaho Falls?
Not in the traditional institutional sense. What exists in Idaho Falls are supported living residences (homes of up to three people with 24-hour agency staffing), certified family homes, and hourly in-home support — all funded by the DD waiver and delivered by certified agencies.
My adult child can't live alone. What are the options?
Depending on the assessment: a supported living residence with 24/7 staff, a certified family home, or 24-hour staff support in your home. The level of support (hourly, high, or intense) is determined by the independent assessment, not by the family's budget.
How much does a group home or supported living cost the family?
Nothing for covered services — the DD or A&D waiver pays. The participant contributes from income toward room and board in some settings, but services themselves are waiver-funded.
What about adults with difficult behaviors?
That is specifically our strength — our clinical director is a QIDP with an MSW and a graduate certificate in trauma-informed care, and we deliberately serve individuals other agencies decline. Ask us directly about your situation: (208) 537-1463.