St. Andrew's Place

Mission

St. Andrew’s Place is a nonprofit organization existing for the purpose of providing permanent residence, ensuring basic necessities, care, socialization, training, and maintenance skills for adults with mental retardation. We help our residents fully integrate into the community to ensure the right to enjoy life and make a positive contribution to society.

History

St. Andrew's Place is a nonprofit corporation established in 1973, as a ministry of St. Andrew's Episcopal Church in Birmingham, Alabama, in response to the need for community residences for deinstitutionalized clients of the state mental health system. With help from the Episcopal Diocese of Alabama, the program located three large homes within walking distance of St. Andrew's Church that were easily converted to group home use. The program began operations with 21 residents and over the years has grown to accommodate over 30 residents. They include:

(1) The men's residence - an eight bed home for males

(2) The women's residence - an eight bed home for females

(3) Pegram House - a three bed home for females

(4) Haney Apartments - a four unit/six bed semi-independent apartment for both males and females

(5) Twin Oaks Apartments - a four unit/eight bed supervised apartment for both males and females

St. Andrew's Place was founded on the principle of Social Role Valorization (SRV) which involves mainstreaming our residents into the community. St. Andrew's Place implements this principle by supporting and providing a normal non-institutional environment. 

St. Andrew's Place is committed to influencing changes in attitudes and behavior among its employees and the community toward those who carry the label of mental retardation. St. Andrew's Place seeks, above all, to obtain each individual the right to respect as a person. Our residents have the right to enjoy life and make a positive contribution to society. St. Andrew's Place is dedicated to applying SRV principles that provide the residents with opportunities and responsibilities that are as close to "normal" as possible. Some ways this occur are planned vacations, personalized homes and bedrooms, individual checking accounts, homes integrated into regular neighborhoods, weekly activities and events of the resident's choice, daytime programs, and employment in the community.

St. Andrew's Place, led by the Board of the Directors, the Executive Director, and the Operations Director,  is committed to upholding the mission of the organization.
 

1024 12th St., S., Birmingham, AL 35205