Intellectual & Developmental Special Needs

Alma Services
Written By Kristen Ruth Smith

  • The federal definition of developmental disabilities covers persons whose disability occurs before age 22 and includes a mental or physical impairment or a combination of both.  There must be a substantial limitation in three or more of these major life areas: self care; expressive or receptive language; mobility; capacity for independent living; economic self-sufficiency; or self-direction.

    In California law, a developmental disability is more narrowly defined as occurring before the age of 18 and includes specific categories of eligible conditions: intellectual disabilities, epilepsy, cerebral palsy, autism, and “conditions requiring services similar to those required for persons with mental retardation.” California law required that the individual be substantially handicapped by the disability. In March 2004,  new regulations took effect that define substantial disability as significant functional limitations in three or more of the major life activities contained in the federal definition above.

  • Alma committed to an inclusive approach to individuals with developmental disabilities. Therefore services are available beyond those listed in this section such as behavioral health, preschool, aquatics, substance abuse, youth at the crossroads, and health integrated services management.

Parent Mentor Initiative

Based on community empowerment principles seen in various community capacity building programs, the Parent Mentor Initiative (PMI) was uniquely developed by San Gabriel/Pomona Regional Center (SG/PRC) in 2016 and implemented in Partnership with Alma Family Services focusing on the cities of El Monte, South El Monte, Baldwin Park, La Puente and Pomona. The PMI began with providing 3-hour training sessions over five weeks to groups of selected SG/PRC parents to help them better understand their own child’s disability, and to become more familiar with regional center paid services as well as generic and community services. Training sessions were provided by Alma Family Services’ experienced trainers in English and Spanish. From the larger group of parents who completed the preliminary training, Alma interviewed and hired up to ten (10) parents to become Parent Mentors, para-professionals to assist and support other parents in learning to better access and utilize regional center purchased services, as well as utilize generic and community resources. Alma continued the training and supervision following hiring the Mentors to implement the support for up to 100 total parents per year.The main goal of the Parent Mentors is to assist other SG/PRC parents who have not successfully utilized regional center services in the past to better understand their child’s disability and to become more independent and effective in advocating for their child’s developmental disability service needs.

Community Integration Program

This program is funded by the Eastern, San Gabriel Pomona, and South Central Regional Centers. Community Integration Training (CIT) is designed to strengthen the capacity of individuals with developmental disabilities and caregivers to achieve greater access to community supportive services and recreational activities. Based on a consumer and family driven approach, the program utilizes a variety of educational workshops, peer support, group activities, and community based instruction. Training includes use of public transportation, money management, shopping, using computers, and accessing health and other human services.

Child Abuse Prevention & Early Intervention Program

In conjunction with the Department of Children and Family Services, this program offers specialized services to children with developmental disabilities who are at risk of abuse or neglect.  The program provides case management support, education for families on child abuse and neglect and how to prevent future abuse and neglect, parent support groups/workshops specifically designed for parents of children with developmental disabilities and court certified parenting classes.

Project HOPE

Project HOPE is a collaborative effort between Alma Family Services and the San Gabriel/Pomona Regional Center.   The program provides psychotherapy services and weekly support groups for regional center clients who require specialized intensive services to prevent hospitalization.

Visit Project HOPE website at www.projecthopeca.com to obtain information on how to support someone with a developmental disability and a mental health condition.  Project HOPE and website is funded by the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) in partnership with the California Department of Mental health and Department of Developmental Services.

Socialization Training Program

OUR COMMITTMENT

Providing a safe and nurturing environment for all participants while assisting in the enhancement of socialization skills.

  • Hands on training and strengthening of social skills both individual, group, and community interaction with active support of the therapeutic benefits of socializing.

  • Providing quality social opportunities and events to challenge and enrich the social and overall development of the consumers we serve.

  • Support and complement the existing educational, social, and/or behavioral health goals and objectives as established by the participant, family, school, or related agencies (i.e. Regional Center).

  • Training in self advocacy and development of self-esteem.

  • Communication and interactions between participants, parents, families and staff members in order to provide a support system for the participant.

ELIGIBLITY CRITERIA & REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS

Participants between the ages of 5 and 21 years are eligible for admittance to the Socialization Training Program. Per licensing requirements, an age exception request must be submitted to Community Care Licensing for participants age 18 to 21. Alma Family Services Programs are specifically designed to meet the needs of participants who have physical and/or developmental disabilities. Each referral received will be evaluated on an individual basis to determine whether our services are appropriate for the child.

SOCIALIZATION TRAINING PROGRAM SCHEDULE

  • 2:30 – 3:00 Arrival

  • 3:00 – 3:30 Daily Health Assessment

  • 3:30 – 4:00 Snack Time

  • 4:00 – 5:00 Indoor Activities (Social stories, small or large group engagement activities)

  • 5:00 – 5:45 Outdoor Activities (Team building games, aquatic, group activities, etc) 

  • 6:00 Program Closed

MINIMUM DAY SCHEDULE

Alma Family Services Socialization Training Program will be open from school dismissal time until closing time (6:00 pm) on minimum school days based upon sufficient pre-registration, notification  and authorization.

 

Please reach out to learn more about this program or other Alma services.

Call us at (323) 881-3799, or email info@almafamilyservices.org

Kristen Ruth Smith https://www.kruthconsulting.com
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