Distinguishing between intermediate residences and family-type resources

What is an intermediate residence or family-type residence (IR-FTR)?

Intermediate residences (IR) and family-type residences (FTR) offer housing, support, and assistance services to people who can no longer live at home. They work in collaboration with public institutions, which refer clients to them and follow up on their progress.

IRs and RTFs are non-institutional resources that contribute to the well-being of people in the community and meet the housing needs of a diverse clientele, including people with intellectual disabilities, physical disabilities, at-risk youth, mental health issues, and loss of independence due to aging.

Other types of accommodation exist, such as long-term care facilities (CHSLD) and private seniors’ residences (RPA).

Intermediate residence (IR): what are the specific features?

Intermediate residences (IR) offer different types of living environments:

• Group residences, where services (meals, cleaning, etc.) are provided by one or more people who do not usually live there
• Rooming houses, with one or more rooms located in the same physical location, with or without common areas or group activities
• Supervised apartments, consisting of one or more apartments where one or more residents live but are not tenants. In principle, residents are responsible for their own meals and housekeeping
• Residential intermediate resource (IR), which can accommodate up to nine young people under the protection of youth services. Less well known and less widespread, it differs from family-type resources (FTR foster families) in the level of care and services required for the young people accommodated, such as medical care or rehabilitation services

In general, people living in intermediate residences have a loss of independence due to an intellectual disability or aging, a mental health or substance abuse issue, or a physical disability.

Family-type resource (FTR): what are the specific features?

A family-type resource (FTR) consists of one or two people who take in a maximum of nine residents, either children (foster family) or adults (residential home), in their main place of residence.

The goal is to provide them with living conditions that are as close as possible to a family environment. FTRs welcome people with intellectual disabilities and/or autism spectrum disorders, as well as children or adults with mental health disorders.

How do you secure a place in an IR or FTR?

Do you think that intermediate resources or family-type resources can meet the needs of the person you are caring for?

• The CISSS and CIUSSS assist the public in choosing a residential resource that can meet their needs and is as close as possible to a home environment
• The accommodation request is reviewed by the Mécanisme d’accès à l’hébergement (MAH), which, once the need for accommodation is confirmed based on the person’s condition, profile, and preferences, informs the social worker, who then notifies the person waiting for accommodation and directs them to the resource
• In the case of a minor, the family is included in the assessment process

As a caregiver, this process can be difficult. You may live with the person you are caring for and the prospect of moving and change may be worrying you. You may experience certain emotions during this transition.

Questions and possible solutions

Our brother has been in an FTR for a few weeks. My sister and I are wondering what our role is, because we have always been very involved in his life!

This is a new situation for you. As caregivers for your brother, you can continue to support him as best you can: daily activities, listening, helping with transportation or medical appointments. Give yourself time to adjust to his needs and your own and adapt your role.

How much does intermediate or family-type resource accommodation cost?

IRs and FTRs are funded by public funds through agreements with the Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux and the integrated centres. The MSSS sets the contribution amounts, which you can estimate.

What about the parental financial contribution (PFC)?

Since September 2021, parents are no longer required to make a parental financial contribution when a child is entrusted to a resource within the health and social services network.