Frequently Asked Questions

PWHO has provided specialized residential and educational/vocational services for individuals diagnosed with Prader-Willi Syndrome for over 30 years. Our programs have experienced such positive growth and development that in July of 2002 they became their own independent division and since then, four new homes have been opened.

Referrals and inquiries are frequently initiated by parents or guardians of individuals diagnosed with Prader-Willi Syndrome. Formal referrals also come through County or State Departments of Health and Social Services, or State/Local Education Agencies, who are usually responsible for funding the placement. PWHO accepts admissions from all over the United States, and has numerous residents who are not from the State of Wisconsin. When a referral is made, PWHO Admissions staff request information that relates to the individual’s current skill level, medical needs, nutritional plan and weight management, challenging behaviors, social history, psychological or psychiatric diagnostic information if available, educational records or current IEP, if appropriate, and any other information pertinent in planning for the individual.

Once a referral is made and information is received, PWHO Admissions staff schedule a face to face interview with the potential resident and family, and arrange a tour of the identified home when possible. On-site tours and interviews are preferable; however, if the family or the person to be served are unable to travel, or if the referral is made from another State, the Admissions Representative will travel to meet with all parties involved in the referral.

Once an interview is completed, a decision is made, and all parties are notified whether or not PWHO is able to meet the individual’s needs. If the person’s needs can be met, the pre-admission packet of forms is given to the parents, the contract and funding mechanisms are secured by the formal placing agency, and an admission date is set.

Our homes are located in the peaceful community of Oconomowoc, and neighboring townships. Each of our group homes provides a comfortable residential living environment with specialized support systems for each individual. The goal of all of our homes is to motivate our residents to strive towards their full potential and to achieve it.

The length of placement varies based on the individual and their needs.  Due to the life-long support needs associated with the syndrome, and the fact that PWHO specializes in serving only individuals diagnosed with PWS in a less restrictive, community-based setting, placements are usually long term.  We find that our residents soon begin to view our homes as their permanent home, offering them a level of independence, a sense of belonging, mutual support through having peers with similar needs, structure, and a sense of safety and security.

Our mission is to provide each individual with the opportunity to explore their highest potential of independence within a safe, supportive, and therapeutic environment.  Programs and services that support this goal include:

• House Motivational Systems
• Individual Treatment Plans
• Behavioral Support Plans
• Independent Daily Living Skills Training
• Dietician Consultation and Exercise Programming
• Community and Social Integration Opportunities
• Vocational and Educational Programming
• Psychiatric and Psychological Consultation
• Clinical Services and Case Management

All of the people living at PWHO attend one of a variety of Day Service settings.  The type of Day or Work Service Programs provided is based on the individual’s need and skill level. Vocational options include participating in highly supervised work environments within the community and are subcontracted through our sister company, Paragon Industries.  Both Paragon and PWHO staff work closely together to ensure consistency, structure, and continuity of services to support each resident.

In addition, PWHO has access to the continuous year-round school program provided by the Oconomowoc Developmental Training Center.  The school can be provided as a sub-contracted service.  These educational services are available for school aged people living in the PWHO group homes.

The family is an extremely integral part of treatment, and is considered a vital part of the treatment team.  It is also imperative, especially when working with individuals diagnosed with PWS, that all team members, including the family, share the same goals, and work together to ensure consistency and safety for the individual.

Family contact and involvement is strongly encouraged.  Home visits are arranged on an individual basis.  At the same time, one of the primary missions of PWHO is to encourage each person to live as independently as possible, by providing the structure and opportunity to facilitate adult growth, development and social integration.

Each home creates a monthly activity calendar that includes a vast variety of both community and in house activities, taking into consideration the interests of the people who reside within the home, the affordability of the activities, and the appropriate community integration skills displayed by the individuals for the activity. Activities are planned daily and the people are encouraged to be active in both planning the activities and participating in the activities. The calendars are posted within each home for the individuals to refer to at their leisure.  Some of the activities the people living at PWHO have the opportunity to participate in may include, but are not limited to: Special Olympics, going to the movies, walking within the community, hiking at a variety of different nature trails, going shopping, visiting the library, renting movies, visiting friends at other group homes, attending social gatherings, and sporting events, as well as spending time at a multitude of different parks located in the Oconomowoc area.

All individuals are evaluated by a registered dietician and a weight management plan is established. The dietician consults with the group home support staff monthly to review each individual’s weight management plan and modify it as needed. The dietician also reviews the house menus to ensure that a wide variety of healthy and nutritious meals are being served. Due to the food seeking behaviors inherent with the syndrome, environment controls, such as locked refrigerators, freezers, and all food cupboards, are used to ensure each person’s health, safety, and well-being. Each group home has a different level of exposure to food preparation; however, all access to food is structured and supervised.

Exercise is another integral component of each person’s weight management plan. A group and/or individual exercise program is developed and available for each resident. It is designed with the input of both the residents and the group home staff. Exercise is built into the daily routine at each of the PWHO group homes. A multitude of choices are offered for exercise including, but not limited to walking in the neighborhood and/or the community, hiking in local parks or on local trails, riding a bike, using a treadmill or other exercise equipment, utilizing exercise video tapes, dancing, and playing active games. Individuals also have the option of participating in a variety of Special Olympic sports. Some of the sports people from PWHO participate in are basketball, swimming, track & field, bocce ball, and bowling.

With the assistance of the group home staff, residents may choose to receive services through our consulting physicians, or may choose from a variety of medical professionals within the community. All chosen medical professionals are given educational opportunities regarding PWS through consultation. PWHO also has a Registered Nurse and a Psychiatrist on staff that is available for consultation 24 hours a day. A consulting Psychologist is available, based on referral, for psychological testing or assessing the needs of the individual. Insurance coverage may limit access to some services and may require further planning to find alternative resources. Medical bills are not covered in the cost per diem and are the responsibility of the individual and/or funding source. The Group Home staff are responsible for scheduling appointments, and ensuring that all medical needs are addressed in a prompt and timely manner.  They are also responsible for seeing to routine medical care.  In some cases, families prefer to schedule their own annual and routine medical appointments in their own communities, with an ongoing provider.  In these cases, PWHO merely needs the medical information generated by such visits to be kept up to date on current medical status and issues. 

PWHO seeks to teach and enhance functioning skills to support an individual diagnosed with PWS in the least restrictive environment possible. The use of psychotropic medications is not our primary approach when it comes to dealing with challenging behaviors which disrupt the individual’s ability to integrate with others in a safe and therapeutic manner. However, some medications have proven to be exceedingly successful or necessary to ensure that a person is afforded the opportunity to achieve a more fulfilling quality of life.  PWHO utilizes numerous approaches prior to or in combination with the use of psychotropic medications including Behavioral Support Plans, Behavioral Treatment Plans, House Motivational Programs, Functioning Analysis, and Sensory Integration. The decision to prescribe an individual with psychotropic medications is a course of action which includes the Family, House Support Staff, the individual, and the on staff Psychiatrist. If psychotropic medications are deemed necessary, the need for the medication(s) are reviewed and evaluated on a monthly basis or more often if the need arises.