Cycle XXV Project Descriptions

Cycle XXV Grant Descriptions

Home Ownership Made Easy (HOME)
Home Ownership – Statewide Section 8 CHFA
Counties Served: Statewide
$187,300.00
State Plan Objective: HO1.2 and QA3.3

This project will expand HOME’s infrastructure and offer home ownership services to individuals with developmental disabilities on a statewide basis. In order to meet this goal, HOME plans to develop and expand their HomeChoice Coalition. This project will develop additional lending products such as the new California Housing Finance Agency Home Ownership Program for Persons with Disabilities, and new Section 8 Home Ownership Program with major lending Institutions and Housing Authorities to expand relationships with home loan counseling centers that will serve the entire State. HOME will also develop new contacts with local real estate brokers and real estate boards in order to identify available affordable housing inventory. City, State, Federal and Foundation funding sources will be solicited in order to access subsidies to help provide resources for down payment assistance and closing costs. HOME will focus on working with the 21 Regional Centers throughout California to accomplish this ambitious project.

Gateway Center of Monterey County, Inc.
A Senior Day Program for the Salinas Valley
County Served: Monterey
$150,995.37
State Plan Objective: CS1.3

This project will develop a senior day program that will be located near the center of Salinas, and will provide accessibility to small businesses, churches, public transportation, library, police and fire departments, restaurants, and senior centers. This program will be based on the premise that older individuals with developmental disabilities prefer recreation activities rather than work or work related issues. The curriculum will be based on the principles of the functional skills model, normalization, and integration with natural community senior activities. The project will provide site-centered programming that stress self-help skills, leisure skills, and socialization skills. Activities will be community integrated as well as center-based. This project will also provide off-site activities that stress the use of generic senior centers and other age appropriate community integrated activities. Transportation and lunch will be provided to consumers attending this program.

Tierra del Sol Foundation
Senior Life Planning and Support Services for People with Developmental Disabilities and Their Aging Family Caregivers
County Served: Los Angeles
$101,791.00
State Plan Objective: HO1.2

This project will develop a model, tools and techniques for person-centered senior life planning, including plans for current and future living arrangements for consumers and their aging family caregivers. Project staff will work with consumers and their families to identify the preferred home and lifestyle, and develop and implement action plans to make those preferences a reality for both the consumers and their aging caregiver. The program will use the best elements from the Person Center Planning model currently used by community-based agencies serving the aging population. The program will utilize Michael Smull’s “Essential Life Style Plan” and the “PATH Person Centered Futures Planning” model to help the consumer fully express her/his personality, pleasurable habits and routines and the myriad small personal likes and dislikes which taken together represent quality of life for the individual. The program will also use the “Family Centered Approach” (published by Linda Leal, AAMR 1999) to help the consumer and the care giving family members to identify those aspects of family life that best support the life quality of the consumer. The Family Centered Model also helps the family identify any areas of stress currently acting on the family system, and helps develop an action plan to resolve or mediate those stressors. This program’s final element is the introduction of the normal aging process into the existing living and care giving arrangements; this element will assist the family in visualizing logical extensions.

Sacramento County Office of Education
Taking Care of Caregivers
County Served: Sacramento
$112,491.00
State Plan Objective: HE1.3

This project will provide outreach services to grandparent caregivers of infants and toddlers with developmental disabilities to ensure they will have access to early and appropriate diagnosis and services. This program will also have a provision for mental health counseling and preventive supports for families to maximize the family’s ability to provide for their child’s special needs. A community collaborative effort will be utilized to address these two critical issues. This program will use an active advisory committee that will develop and provide information and guidance to the project and assist in the development of materials and services. The Advisory Committee will consist of the following agencies: Alta California Regional Center, Greater Sacramento Grandparent Network and Support Group, Lekotek Family Resource Center, Mental Health Division of the Sacramento County Department of Health & Human Services, and WarmLine Family Resource Center.

PRIDE Industries
Project TEAMS
Counties Served: Placer, Sacramento, Sutter, and Yuba
$116,565.00
State Plan Objective: EM1.1

This project will engage community stakeholders to collaborate on training in self-determination, advocacy, career/life planning thereby increasing choice for individuals with developmental disabilities in the pursuit of employment. Four workshops will be offered: 1) Self Determination, Empowerment, Advocacy and Transition Planning, this workshop will be offered to middle and high school students, community-based organizations and faith-based entities; 2) Employment, Career Choices and Job Awareness this workshop will also be for middle and high school students; 3/4) Support to Schools and Parents, this work shop will be offered to schools and parents. Workshops three and four will help parents and school personnel identify services that are available in their local communities. This program will collaborate with Alta California Regional Center and Area Board III.

Work Training Programs, Inc.
Transitional Information Project (TIP)
Counties Served: Santa Barbara and Ventura
$118,000.00
State Plan Objective: EM1.1, HO1.2, CS1.2, and QA3.3

This project will develop a new service called Transitional Information Project (TIP) which will be provided to high school students in public special education systems in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. TIP will provide information about transitional services that are available to students transitioning from high school to post secondary opportunities. The project’s result would be a single resource TIP that all schools could utilize and through which students and their families could be referred when it is time to investigate the options of life after high school and special education. TIP will provided information on employment, homes, community supports, and quality assurance.

The Devereux Foundation
Integrated Adult Day Healthcare for Santa Barbara County
County Served: Santa Barbara
$236,611.29
State Plan Objective: CS1.3

This project will develop a specialized day program in a homelike setting for seniors with developmental disabilities. This program will employ a multidisciplinary team of professionals that will serve consumers who have one or more physical, developmental, or cognitive problems that, if left untreated, could prevent the client from continuing to live at home or in the least restrictive environment possible. Services to consumers will include: medical services; nursing services, physical, occupational and speech therapy; psychiatric and psychological services; social services; assistance with activities of daily living (i.e. eating, bathing, toileting, grooming, administration of medication, etc.); nutritional counseling, community referral services, planned recreational and social activities; and transportation to and from the program.

Kids Included Together – San Diego, Inc.
Partners in Inclusion: Expanding Opportunities in After School Care
Counties Served: Imperial and San Diego
$94,025.90
State Plan Objective: CS1.2

This project will provide training to after school programs on full inclusion and help place 50 children with developmental disabilities in after school programs. The program will establish partnerships with at least three large after-school care providers for proposes of including children with disabilities into existing programs and activities. This program will provide training and workshops for at least 250 after-school care staff, and also provide training to the recreation staff of these programs. Training will include the philosophy of inclusion, pro-social positive behavioral support, the Americans with Disabilities Act, working with families, respectful accommodations, friendships, and strategies for sustaining organizational commitment to inclusion.

Arc Ventura County
Arc After School Program
County Served: Ventura
$99,441.10
State Plan Objective: CS1.2

This project will establish an after school program for children with disabilities age 12-18 who live in Simi Valley. The program will have an emphasis on the development of skills that will prepare students for adulthood and provide opportunities to participate in their communities. The curriculum for the program will be composed of various lessons and activities that will enable students to develop both life and work skills with inclusion in the community a major emphasis. This program will also include recreational activities that will be based around the person centered planning approach.

Infant Development Association of California
Senior Moments – Specialized Trainings for Grandparents and Aging Care-Providers Caring for Infants and Toddlers with Special Needs
Counties Served: Statewide
$165,764.00
State Plan Objective: HE1.3

This project will develop a statewide training/community awareness program supporting grandparents/aging family members raising infants and toddlers with special needs throughout California. The training/community awareness program will have specific segments: 1) an initial “Resource Identification and Needs Assessment Process” conducted across the State; 2) the Formation of a Mobile Training Program; 3) Statewide conference workshop training strand; and 4) Mobile training, as well as the State Conference workshops, will be videotaped and developed into a series available for people not able to attend the mobile training series offered around the State.

The Arc of Santa Maria Valley
Youth In Action
Counties Served: San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara
$225,227.00
State Plan Objective: CS1.2

This project will provide inclusive community support to students (ages 12-21) with developmental disabilities during non-school hours. Students will be given the opportunity to develop social and recreational skills. This after school program will initially serve students in the Santa Maria area with the intent of future expansion depending on success and the demand for these services. This program will utilize a multi-technique approach by accessing existing mainstream youth social recreations programs, social skills training, specially trained Youth Advisors, and developing a peer mentor training program.

Vantage Foundation
Seniors with Lifelong Disabilities, Day Supports
County Served: Orange
$167,882.00
State Plan Objective: CS1.3

This project will collaborate with existing senior community based programs to share facilities and resources, this will enable the program to integrate consumers into the general senior population. Workshops and training to both staff and the senior program participants will take place before the consumers are placed. A person centered planning approach will be used to match consumers with their preferred activity in the community. This program will operate five days a week, with flexible hours based on the need of the consumers. This program will provide a well-trained caring staff, transportation, educational classes, entertainment, and exercise.

SCAN Community and Home Based Services
Innerlinks Caregivers
Counties Served: Los Angeles and Orange
$179,577.90
State Plan Objective: CS1.3

This project will provide a comprehensive array of services to aging caregivers, including parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, and siblings, who are providing care for an individual with developmental disabilities. Services will include extensive outreach, case management, referral to needed services, and purchase of services for a wide range of supports that will help family members continue to provide care and to make arrangements for when they can no longer provide care. This program will collaborate with all the Regional Centers in the Los Angeles area.