Adult homes were originally established to serve the aged and frail elderly who needed a supervised living arrangement, but did not need nursing home care. In the 1960’s, when New York State began to downsize its State Psychiatric Hospitals, adult homes began to house a younger, deinstitutionalized population of people with a mental illness.

• There are currently about 28,000 persons living in New York State’s 453 licensed adult homes. Of these, about 9,000 persons live in 52 licensed adult homes in New York City.
• Approximately 11,000 adult home residents, almost 40% of the state’s adult home population, have a diagnosis of mental illness.
• Most residents with a diagnosis of mental illness live in 176 homes referred to by the New York State Department of Health and the New York State Office of Mental Health as “impacted homes.” An impacted adult home is defined as a home which has a resident population of 25% or more of people with a mental illness. The operator is then required to have a written agreement with a mental health provider to serve the needs of this population.
• According to the Office of Mental Health, in 1999, the average adult home resident in a “non-impacted” home was a white female between 75 and 84 years of age. Residents in “impacted” homes were generally younger, male, and more likely to be from a minority population.
• Approximately 15,000 adult home residents receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI). This number includes most if not all residents who are diagnosed as mentally disabled. SSI pays about $31 per day for care in adult homes.

Adult homes are currently licensed and regulated by the New York State Department of Health and were previously the responsibility of the Department of Social Services. The New York State Office of Mental Health licenses and monitors mental health providers that serve residents with a diagnosis of mental illness in impacted homes.

Adult Home regulations prohibit operators from directly providing health care services or employing staff to provide health care services. Adult Homes are not considered health care facilities. Adult Homes provide meals, housekeeping, personal care and case management services.