Families are a cornerstone of the values Nonotuck promotes in serving people with developmental disabilities. We believe that a long standing relationship between family members enriches peoples' lives and becomes embedded into their lifestyle. Nonotuck believes that it is essential to nurture family contact. Family are, after all, the one permanent fixture in peoples' lives. Toward that end we promote and encourage active family involvement in the development of shared living , i.e. involvement in the defining of what home is, in the process of interviewing potential housemates, in the selection of the home and in all other facets of the shared living development process.

Nonotuck also encourages family members to participate in the lives of their loved one, on their own terms, without interference from the agency. We seek family input in policy making decisions, we invite them to be members of our various committees that develop and foster aspects of our agency, and we welcome them as members of our board of directors.

Ultimately, we believe that in order to serve people appropriately, family must play one of the most significant roles of all. We encourage their active participation and we support family involvement in the lives of the people we serve. In addition, they are essential contributors in the development of the agency's growth.

The following are ten key elements of the agency's positions on family:

1. Regular contact with family is important because families are permanent features of the resident's life.
2. Family bonds are important to maintain because they are the deepest and most personal ties in a person's life.
3.These ties are not always easy and they require work to maintain.
4. Understand that these ties can fade.
5. Understand that they need to be nurtured.
6. Family ties are important not because they are perfect but because they are integral to who the person is.
7. It is recognized that it is valid and important for family to have strong opinions on what is best for their family member.
8. This agency understands that the family's interest in their family member may well exceed the interest shown by the agency.
9. The agency proposes that no obstacles be placed in the way of family who wish to play an active role in their family member's life.
10. It is recognized that there are many potential risks in encouraging family ties but we accept this risk as necessary and appropriate.