About

About

Our History

The Farmsteads of New England legacy

The vision for Farmsteads of New England percolated for several years in the mind of founder Deborah DeScenza. Her drive came as a mother seeking solutions on how to care best for a son who has significant special needs and realizing there were service gaps and needs to be filled. Deborah was no stranger to the quest: she had worked in the field of special education as a teacher, program coordinator, and consultant for nearly 20 years prior to founding Farmsteads.   

In the early 1990s, while thinking about her son Andrew’s future, Deborah realized that he would not be a candidate for a competitive employment situation. The thought of him working in a traditional sheltered workshop, being coerced into doing work for which he could not understand the meaning, was intolerable to her. While too many programs for adults with autism and developmental disabilities adhered to a one-size-fits-all model, Deborah thought bigger and bolder to change the paradigm of service. As she thought about what Andrew liked to do and the type of settings where he was most comfortable, she realized that a rural, farm setting would be the best fit for him. Because she did not want him to be isolated, she envisioned a farmstead that would serve the needs of several people with autism and other developmental disabilities.

Farmsteads' Founder, Deborah with her son, Andrew

Founder, Deborah with her son, Andrew

Farmsteads' Founder, Deborah, with her parents, Fred and Shirley DeScenza, whom the main house is named after as part of their legacy

Founder, Deborah, with her parents, Fred and Shirley DeScenza, whom the main house is named after as part of their legacy.  Fred and Shirley have generously supported Farmsteads in every way possible including volunteering nearly 40,000 hours in the office and gardens during Farmsteads' early years.

In late 1999, she began working to make her dream become a reality. Farmsteads of New England, Inc. was formed as a nonprofit corporation in the State of New Hampshire in 2000 and received tax-exempt status from the federal government in 2001. In 2003, Farmsteads purchased the Rosewald Farm in Hillsborough, N. H. and began providing services. In 2009, Farmsteads started providing services at a second leased site in Epping, N. H. In the fall of 2017, Farmsteads purchased the Redberry Farm property in Epping where it moved its day services program. Deborah and Farmsteads plan within the next few years to build residential apartments at Redberry Farm based on the same strong model already in place in Hillsborough.

Our Philosophy

Farmsteads' philosophy is built on the belief that every individual:

  • Has the right to be valued for their abilities, not disabilities.
  • deserves a fulfilling life in a community where they can develop a sense of belonging and connection to others.
  • has the opportunity for meaningful work.
  • can achieve a peaceful life by connecting with the natural world.
  • deserves the best personalized care delivered by compassionate, dedicated, and well-trained staff.
  • can practice self-determination within safe limits.


Inherent in performing our service, we believe:

  • In transparency and open communication in all aspects of our services.
  • In treating our environment in a responsible and respectful manner
positive behavior support adults developmental disabilities

Mission Statement

Farmsteads of New England empowers adults with autism and other developmental disabilities to live meaningful and satisfying lives by providing  exceptional residential and day services in inclusive farm communities.

Our Values and Vision

We value our staff, volunteers, the individuals we serve, and our supporters by practicing:

  • Respect
  • Integrity
  • Responsible Stewardship
  • Diversity, Equity, Inclusion
  • Transparency
  • Compassion
  • Excellence

Vision

A world in which all adults with autism and other developmental disabilities can receive life-long care and be productive members of their communities in an environment that fosters hope and humanity, while offering families peace of mind.

positive behavior support adults developmental disabilities

Our Board of Directors

Ann Sanok

Nancy Claybaugh

Martha Adamovich

Walter Kuchtey


Our Staff

Deborah DeScenza, M.Ed.
Founder and Vice President of Expansion

Deborah received her B.S. in elementary education from Gordon college in 1978. She earned her M.Ed. in learning disabilities and emotional disturbances from the University of Virginia in 1979. She also completed the coursework towards a doctorate in Special Education Administration during the 1990’s. Deborah spent nearly 20 years teaching, doing educational testing, and consulting prior to founding Farmsteads of New England. She is the mother of a young man with significant developmental disabilities who inspired her vision for a different service option for adults. 

Mary Maybury

Mary Maybury
Executive Director

Tiffany McCorkle

Program Coordinator for Epping


Steve Moltenbrey

Director of Facilities Management


Christine Duncklee

Director of Healthcare Services


Brian Chambers

Director of Farm Management

Mentors

We have approximately 75 mentors (direct support staff) who help the individuals we support with their activities of daily living, employment, and recreation. These staff range from 20 – 75 years old with various backgrounds, interests, and education. The variety of staff enables us to match the individuals and mentors according to their interests, preferred activity levels, and personalities.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you have a question about Farmsteads of New England? We’re here to help.

  • What are the fees for services?

    Fees for services vary tremendously based on the individual’s needs for support.  Individual budgets are developed for each person based on their needs.  Contact the office for more specifics.

  • How are services paid for?

    Although we do accept private funds, most of the people we support are funded publicly.  In New Hampshire, services for individuals who have developmental disabilities and acquired brain disorders are funded by the Department of Health and Human Services, Bureau of Developmental Services using Medicaid the Home and Community Based Services Waivers.  Services in NH are decentralized.  The state is divided into 10 regions.  Each region has a nonprofit agency designated to be the Area Agency for that region.  The Area Agencies determine eligibility for services, provide case managment and coordination of services, and enter into contracts with vendor agencies, such as Farmsteads of New England, which provide the direct care services.   Click on the link below for Area Agency information.

    https://www.dhhs.nh.gov/dcbcs/bbh/documents/list-map.pdf


    (Generally speaking, other states will not send their funds across state lines for adult services.)

  • How are services applied for?

    Frequently we receive calls from individual’s families.  If the family anticipates paying privately, we will arrange for a tour, send an application for services, and develop a budget.  In most cases, the family anticipates using public funds.  In this case, we refer them back to their Area Agency.  Assuming the individual has been found eligible for services and has been approved for funding of those services, the Area Agency will then send us an RFP (Request for Proposal).  We will send a narrative proposal along with a proposed budget.  Once the budget is approved a starting date will be determined.

  • What are the admission criteria?

    We accept individuals who have a documented developmental disability and who have a wide range of abilities.  We do not accept people who have certain forensic issues and/or those who are expected to “run away” since we are not a locked facility.  Those who are expected to “wander” are accepted but would likely be staffed on a 1:1 basis.  Autism is a special interest so we strive to be able to meet the needs of individuals who have a diagnosis of an Autism Spectrum Disorder.  We do accept people who have challenging behaviors but not those who are expected to be severely assaultive.

  • How many people does Farmsteads of New England provide services for?

    We currently have 22 individuals living on the farmstead (each in his/her own one bedroom apartment).  Additionally, 8 staff members and their family members live on the farmstead.  Additionally, we provide community participation (day) and transition services to approximately 18 other people.  We also have many other people who come to FNE for respite services.

  • Are people who live on the farmstead segregated from the rest of the community?

    Absolutely not!  Farm life, by its nature, is somewhat isolating since farmers tend to live and work on the same property.  However, farms are a vital part of a rural community, and farmers interact with the greater community on a regular basis; the interaction moves in both directions.  The individuals we support (who we refer to as farmers) grow vegetables, fruit, and animals for the community.  The community members come to the farm to buy produce, to enjoy the petting farm, to take yoga, weaving, and ceramics classes.   The FNE farmers leave the farm to participate in the greater community on a daily basis.  They do their grocery shopping in town, they go to the grain store, the hardware store, and the transfer station.  They attend church services, visit the library, go to medical and dental appointments, go to hair dressers and barber shops, to fairs, movies, malls, lakes, hiking, etc.  The Hillsborough farmstead, Rosewald Farm, is an integral part of the Hillsborough community today just as it was 50, 100, and 200 years ago.

  • How does Farmsteads of New England reconcile their intentional community for individuals who have developmental disabilities with the current move toward inclusive and integrated life for all?

    Because we make a concerted effort to integrate the farmstead and the individuals who live on it with the community of Hillsborough, we believe that we do provide inclusive, integrated services.   We also recognize that there are people who disagree.  Thus, we are moving “against the flow.”  However, we believe that “one size does not fit all.”  We believe that all choices should be available to people with disabilities just as all choices are open to those who are not disabled.  Just as senior citizens have the right to live in 55 and older communities and just as golf lovers have the right to live in a golfing community, so we believe that people with developmental disabilities who enjoy living in a supportive farming environment have the right to make that choice.

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