After decades of cuts, California's Developmental Service system is in crisis. With provider rates too low to retain staff, vendors providing Day Programs, Supported Living, Supported Employment, Housing, and Transportation have been forced to close their doors or reduce services all across the state.

The Lanterman Coalition and ARCA (Association of Regional Center Agencies) campaigned strongly to restore 10% to this crumbling system for the 2015-16 budget year, but in the end the Governor and the legislature did nothing.

As we move into the 2016-17 budget season and the system continues to deteriorate, we are warned by people close to the center that we won't be getting any restoration of funds in this budget either, in fact we should expect more cuts. This is in spite of the fact that the General Fund is healthy and the state has been taking in a surplus - above what the Governor's office projected - of approximately $200 million a month in the new fiscal year.

We must speak up. Advocates are planning much stronger action for the coming months. Please consider joining one of the gatherings we list here or contacting Governor Brown and your own legislators to voice your concerns.
You can email Governor Brown here:    https://govnews.ca.gov/gov39mail/mail.php
Find your local legislators here:  http://findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov

Please join the protest:

     WE'RE (STILL) HERE TO SPEAK FOR JUSTICE
     &
      KEEP THE LANTERMAN  PROMISE


          MARCH TO THE CAPITOL &
         PROTEST ON THE NORTH STEPS


         THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10TH, 2015
              
          Gather at Raley Field, 9:30-10:30 AM
           400 Ballpark Drive, West Sacramento, CA

            March to Capitol 10:30-11:00


        Meet at North Steps 11:00


          Protest at North Steps of Capitol - 11:00 -1:00


          Protest at Governor's Mansion 1:00 - 2:00 PM




The developmental services community has endured a decade of rate cuts and freezes.  We are a community that is falling apart.  The Governor can no longer ignore us. We need help now!

For more information, visit our website at www.supportedliving.com or California Supported Living Facebook page or contact Carol McKinney at cmckinneyhh@aol.com  or Mark Melanson at mmelanson@toolworks.org  

To travel or meet up with other PANDH-SF members, contact Audrey deChadenedes at audreydec@gmail.com

Autism Fun Bay Area
Sunday, December 6th, 2015 at 2:30 PM
Featuring jazz combo, vocalist Glenna Murillo, and Santa too!
Free but please RSVP to info.autismfunbayarea@gmail.com
Come join us for our first Friday Family Fun Party and Jazz Jam. The potluck will have live music, refreshments, crafts, and a movie! Please RSVP to Steve Brotzman at studioajea@sbcglobal.net
          St. Cyprian's Church, 2097 Turk Street
          San Francisco, CA 

​Autism Society of San Francisco Housing Summit
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM on Friday, October 23, 2015
Santa Clara University, Locatelli Center
Cost: $25 per person, plus handling (pre-registration is required, no walk-ins)

Purpose: The population of California's adults with autism severe enough to be included in the Regional Center system is exploding: the current RC adult autism population (14,000) will double in the next five years and triple in the next ten (to 42,000). In spite of the staggering numbers, almost nothing is being done to address the intensive program, service, or housing needs of these dependent and disabled young adults as they age out of the school system. Service providers are going out of business, waitlists are growing, housing options are nonexistent, and families are panicked. In Santa Clara County, for example, for every one RC client with autism in 1990, there are more than 21 today, in other words, a 2,100% increase.

Our conference is an info-packed, fast-paced event to inform Bay Area autism/DD community members of some existing options for adult–serving day programs, supported employment, and housing; to network parents with each other and with professionals; and to inspire the Bay Area autism/DD community toward action to expand and improve options for our rapidly growing population of young adults with autism and related developmental disorders,
We expect more than 50 speakers and 400 attendees.

Monthly PANDH SF Meeting
6:15-8:15 pm on Tuesday, December 1, 2015
Please join us for our monthly PANDH SF meeting at Support for Families.
          1663 Mission Street, 7th Floor
          San Francisco, CA 94103