Once you’ve jumped through a sufficient number of bureaucratic hoops, it may finally be time to establish your actual group home.  If you have not already identified a good location, do so now, while keeping in mind potential roadblocks.  Familiarize yourself with local zoning regulations, so you know where you can legally establish a group home.  Also look into local and state requirements for group home facilities; in Connecticut, for instance, there are specific square footage requirements for resident bedroom sizes.  You may face opposition from local residents who are not keen to have a group home in their midst.  They will often cite safety concerns, decreased property values, or even traffic and parking problems as reasons for opposition.  Even if you have verified your legal right to establish your home, be prepared to explain and defend (in a neighborly manner) the benefits your group home will offer to the community. As with any business, it pays to have a clear breakdown of your likely income and expenses in place well before you actually open your doors.  This process will likely make it more clear just how dependent your group home will be on government reimbursement for your services.  Although based on 1998 figures, the sample budget for a group home serving 8-12 children in Georgia provided at https://www.cga.ct.gov/2003/rpt/2003-R-0169.htm may prove a useful point of reference.  Note the estimated expenses of $250,000 per year for a relatively small group home, and the importance the 60% per diem reimbursement rate provided by the state of Georgia after the first year of operation. Basically, don’t expect to make big money by operating a group home.  Focus on the good work you are doing for those in need. Hopefully, you have already prepared yourself for the process of hiring employees, and now you can focus on finding the right people to fill the positions.  Hiring good employees is at least as much of an art as it is a science, but there are steps you can take to improve your odds of making strong hires for your group home.  Finding people with (positive) experience working in a group home setting is great, of course, but don’t automatically exclude everyone without experience.  Consider educational backgrounds and training, as well as temperament and personality traits.  Working in a group home setting requires lots of patience, perseverance, and compassion; it takes the right kind of person with the right kind of attitude to succeed. At the interview, asking questions like "Can you provide an example of a problem that you successfully solved?" may offer insights into a potential employee's ambition, ingenuity, and work ethic.  Keep in mind that such questions are common, however, and the interviewee may have prepared stock answers already. (An inability to answer effectively is thus a bad sign.) In addition, try to think up a few problem-solving hypotheticals, for instance, that are specific to the group home setting (“How would you deal with a resident that is / says / does …?"). ”  Once you’ve done all the paperwork and planning, and are ready to open your home, you’ll need to get the “stamp of approval” from your local government authority responsible for group homes.  With this “host letter” (or similarly-styled document, based on your location), the local social / human services department will direct prospective residents your way.  For example, if you are operating a group home for abused children, it will be essential to your survival as a business that such children “in the system” be located with you. Depending upon your location, a legitimate “host letter” (or similar) may be required in order to receive reimbursements.  Inquire with the local government authority responsible for group homes regarding the requirements and process for acquiring this document. Opening a group home isn’t the same as opening an ice cream parlor or repair shop, but any new small business that wants to survive needs to make a strong start.  You’ve been laying the groundwork for a successful opening all along, but you need to spread the word of your opening and make sure the initial experience is a positive one.   How to Open a Small Business offers a nice range of general advice on the topic, much of which is relevant to the group home experience. Advertising is important, even if logo balloons and prize giveaways may not be right for your group home’s grand opening.  But, spreading the word about your business through traditional, digital, and social media methods is still valuable.  For group homes in particular, making connections with the proper government agencies and community organizations — charitable, religious, educational, and so forth — may be your most vital form of advertising.
جد الموقع المناسب للدار. حدد ميزانيتك. وظف أشخاصًا صالحين. احصل على خطاب استضافة. استعد لافتتاح المشروع.