Nov 20, 2018 By Harry Funk staff Writer hfunk@thealmanac.Net 3 min read

Three weeks before his death, President John F. Kennedy saw Congress approve legislation of lasting impact for people with intellectual disabilities.

Passage of the Mental Retardation and Community Mental Health Centers Construction Act of 1963 – a milestone in the deinstitutionalization movement championed by Kennedy, whose sister Rosemary had been lobotomized – paved the way for more individuals to become part of the American mainstream.

Eight years later, two couples whose children had intellectual disabilities founded a pair of pioneering Pittsburgh nonprofits, Horizon Homes Inc. and Idlewood Center, to help families facing comparable situations.

“The missions at that time were similar, which was providing an alternative to the large institutions,” James Kirk recalled.

After working toward the same goal for nearly half a century, Kirk has retired as chief executive officer of Scott Township-based Mainstay Life Services, which was created in 1999 by the merger of Idlewood and Horizon. He had served as CEO of the latter since 1987.

Succeeding him – “I have big shoes to fill,” she acknowledged – is Westmoreland County resident Kimberly Sonafelt, who has worked in human services for 29 years.

Kirk began his career at a time when federal and state legislation of the 1960s, including the Medicaid Act and Pennsylvania Mental Health and Mental Retardation Act, was having the effect of steering more people away from institutions and toward community-based care. He worked for an agency that facilitated transitions.

“We were one of the very first group living situations, for both the mentally ill and folks with intellectual disabilities,” he said.

What started as a small-scale effort had grown in the decades leading to the Horizon-Idlewood merger.

“I think we were serving maybe 50 to 60 people when we merged. So was Idlewood, so that doubled us in size,” Kirk said, and today, Mainstay Life Services provides residential and community support to more than 350 individuals.

Sonafelt joins the organization following 18 years with Merakey – a nationwide developmental, behavioral health and education nonprofit provider – most recently as regional executive director of intellectual and developmental disabilities services.

“One of the things about the supports for individuals with intellectual disabilities, it continues to change. And I’m really excited about the change that’s going on now,” she said. “Years ago, they made the decision to have people live in the community, but now we want people to be part of the community.”

As such, a primary objective is to develop and strengthen partnerships with groups and businesses that could offer participation opportunities. For example, Mainstay has a robust art program, and Sonafelt would like to see connections with likeminded organizations.

“What happens by interacting with people in the community over and over is that we start to form relationships,” she explained.

A graduate of California University of Pennsylvania for her bachelor’s and master’s degrees, Sonafelt is a state-licensed professional counselor and certified alcohol and drug counselor.

The East McKeesport native serves on board of directors for the Mental Health America of Southwest PA, Westmoreland County Block Grant advisory committee and Conference of Allegheny Providers executive committee.

For more information about Mainstay Life Services, visit mainstaylifeservices.org.