Adults (18+ years old)
WRFEC has a variety of resources available to support adults that have disabilities!
Key Topics for Adults with Disabilities
Employment: Learn about services available to help adults with disabilities with work preparation and employment.
- Employment First Policy : Policy in California that demonstrates the significance of competitive employment for Individuals with developmental disabilities.
- California Blueprint for Success : The commitment to provide opportunities for Californians with intellectual disabilities and developmental disabilities, regardless of the severity of their disability, to prepare for and participate in competitive integrated employment.
- CalTash: Youth Employment Solutions Center : A national Training and Technical Assistance Center that serves as a central source of information, expertise and resources for the Partnerships in Employment (PIE) states and other entities focused on systems change efforts to improve transition outcomes for youth and young adults with significant disabilities.
- Disability Rights California: Employment : Resources and information that advances the rights and opportunities of individuals with disabilities in the area of employment.
- Job Accommodation Network : Accommodations employers can consider to better support employees with disabilities.
Education and Training: There are numerous resources related to education and training. Click through the below to learn more.
- Think College : Resources for opening doors to colleges for people with intellectual and other developmental disabilities in many different ways all over the country.
- Disability Rights California: Higher Education : Resources and information that advances the rights and opportunities of individuals with disabilities in the area of higher education.
- The Mentor Network: College to Career : Information that highlights day programs, vocational programs, and post-secondary opportunities for individuals with disabilities.
- National Center for Learning Disabilities : The National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD) works to ensure that the nation's 15 million children, adolescents, and adults with learning disabilities have every opportunity to succeed in school, work, and life.
- Getting Accommodations in College : Use this tip sheet to learn about different types of accommodations you may be able to access to increase your college success.
Self-Advocacy: Developing and practicing self-advocacy skills is critical for adults with disabilities. Click here to learn more.
- Disability Rights: Self-Advocacy : Resources and information that advances the rights and opportunities of individuals with disabilities in the area of self-advocacy.
- Learning Disabilities Association of America: Information that defines self-advocacy and highlights associated rights.
- The Ability Toolbox: 12 Self-Advocacy skills that individuals with disabilities can implement in their daily lives.
- The Arc: Information, national councils, and training to support individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities in becoming self-advocates.
- Intellectual Health and Disability: Information about being and becoming a self-advocate.
Adult Life: Life as an adult with developmental disabilities includes navigating services related to health, housing, financial management, and more.
- CalABLE : Provides tax-free treatment on earnings and withdrawals to pay for disability-related expenses. Not considered when determining a person’s assets until the savings reach $100,000
- Special Needs trusts can also be established for adults with disabilities
- Disability Rights: Conservatorship : Information regarding conservatorship and the various types of conservators.
- Supported Decision-Making: An alternative to conservatorship for individuals with disabilities.
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI): The program provides monthly payments to adults and children that have a disability or blindness and who have income or resources that are below financial limits.
- In Home Supportive Services (IHSS): A program that allows individuals over 65, those that have disabilities or are blind to receive support in their home such as laundry, meal preparation, and grocery shopping.
- MediCal: A no- or low-cost health insurance program available to California residents.
- Housing: Section 811 provides subsidized rental housing opportunities for individuals with disabilities to live as independently as possible.
Recreation: Pools, parks, summer camps, and sports teams in the Los Angeles area.
- CalFresh: Supports families that are experiencing food insecurity to gain access to nutritious food.
- Department of Managed Health Care : Offers information related to healthcare coverage and understanding health care rights. DMHC also provides support in accessing appropriate health care services.
Schedule an appointment with us here to learn more about available resources and services.
Self-Determination
The California statewide Self-Determination Program is a voluntary alternative to the traditional way of providing regional center services. The SDP is being developed by the Department of Developmental Services to allow participants to have more control over selecting their services and supports. One of the ways this can be done is by giving participants (or their parents or legal representatives) a specific budget to purchase the services and supports that they need to make their person-centered plan work better for them. Participants may choose their services and pick which providers deliver those services. Participants are responsible for staying within their annual budget.
Learn more about the Self-Determination Program here.