Guidelines & Expectations

Our staff bring their interests and experience, which creates a unique and dynamic atmosphere.

By providing opportunities, support, and a nurturing environment, staff will work together with residents to successfully integrate into the larger community. We strive to empower all individuals to grow, thrive, and heal.

We offer shared living arrangements with one to two persons to a room. Each bedroom has its own bathroom. Common areas include a living room, dining room, dayroom, and lobby.

It is expected that all community members (residents, guests, peer supports, and staff) treat themselves and each other with respect.

Violence is prohibited here. All members of the community are expected to participate in maintaining a safe environment. If you need help controlling violent urges, please reach out to staff. We are here to help.

Alcohol, illicit drugs, and tobacco, are prohibited here.

• Choices for television programs, movies, and video games must be non-offensive to all residents and agreed upon by those present. A sign-up system may be in place to accommodate everyone.
• Furniture is adequate for all residents and must be shared. Food is not allowed in the living room. Residents may have drinks in the living room if the container has a lid.

• Meals are times when the whole community can share company and good food. We encourage all members of our community to partake.
• Mealtimes are as follows:
  • Hot breakfast at Second Spring North: Served Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 7:30am to 8:30am 
  • Hot breakfast at Second Spring South: Served on weekends only from 7:30am to 8:30am
  • Lunch: daily from 12pm to 1pm
  • Dinner: daily from 4:30pm to 5:30pm
• If you will be away from home during a meal you may ask that a plate be saved for you. If you miss a meal, snacks and sandwich ingredients are available.
• Coffee and tea are available in the dining room until 11:30am. You may purchase your own coffee and tea for use at other times.
• A couple of notes about food:
  • The dining room is the only area of the home where food may be eaten.
  • If you purchase groceries, they should be clearly labeled with your name and the
    date they were purchased. You may use resident storage units in the dining room
    along with the resident refrigerator for storage – no food or beverages should be
    stored in bedrooms.

• The hours of operation for the day room at from 7am to 10pm.
• Therapy appointments and other resident meetings will be prioritized – you may be asked to step out for the duration of scheduled activities.
• Furniture is adequate for all residents and must be shared. Food is not allowed in the therapy room. Residents may have drinks in the living room if the container has a lid.
• The television in the therapy room shall be kept off unless somebody has signed up to use it. Otherwise, this room is intended as a quiet space.

• There is a separate telephone line for residents. The number is (802) 433-5982. Please ask family and friends to use this number when calling you.

• You may send and receive mail at Second Spring. Each resident has an assigned mailbox bin that is located on the outside of their door.
• You will be responsible for purchasing your own stamps and envelopes for personal use.
• Packages will be opened in front of a staff member.

Internet Access

• There is a computer with internet access available for your use. This computer has limited internet access with some sites being blocked.
• You may use our guest Wi-Fi to access the internet on personal devices.

Each bedroom is scheduled to be cleaned once a week. The housekeeper and support staff will assist you. Clean bed linens will be provided. Staff will also conduct a visual inspection of your room to ensure that any maintenance issues are addressed. Some things we are looking for include:

• Damage to walls, floors, windows, doors, or furniture
• Light bulbs needing replacement
• Smoke detectors and sprinklers
• A clear path through the room for fire exit
• Any sources of open flame are prohibited (candles, incense, etc.) 
• Evidence of smoking in the room (which is prohibited)
• Open packages of food

Personal laundry must be done on the day assigned to your room. There is a list of assigned laundry days located on each laundry room door. Staff will assist by providing laundry detergent and helping you to use the machines.

You may decorate your room with personal items. No glass in frames may be used. Anything hung on the walls must be installed by our maintenance personnel.

Note that bedrooms have minimal storage – please only bring no more than two suitcases of belongings.

We recognize that pets are important to our residents. We ask that all visits by pets be pre-approved by the Program Director. A copy of the current vaccination record must be presented upon the initial visit. An unapproved pet visit may result in a request that the pet be removed.

It is possible that a resident who is living here may be fearful of dogs or other pets. In this case, we would ask that pets not be brought to the property.

Please remember that pet visits are a privilege. The person who brought the pet is responsible for its behaviors and actions and cleaning up any messes.

Resident finances are often handled by a previously appointed representative payee. If you manage your own finances and wish to have assistance with this, please fill out and sign the financial agreement form. When requested, we can help you manage your personal finances. We will keep a written record of your transactions which you can see at any time. We will provide you with a quarterly accounting of your transactions.

• Medication administration support
• Registered nurses on site and available 24 hours a day
• Activities 
• Health care supplies
• Transportation
• Challenging behavior support
• Assistance with personal care, including bowel and bladder control
• Feeding assistance