Disability Community Resource Center

DISABILITY COMMUNITY RESOURCE CENTER (DCRC) IS DEDICATED TO: CONNECTING DISABLED INDIVIDUALS AND OLDER ADULTS TO RESOURCES, TRAINING AND ADVOCACY TOOLS; PROMOTING DISABILITY PRIDE; AND BUILDING SELF-DETERMINED LIVES. DCRC WORKS TOWARD ACHIEVING A WORLD WHERE EVERYONES VOICE AND VALUE IS RECOGNIZED, AND THERE ARE NO BARRIERS TO LIVING A FULL LIFE.

AS A CENTER FOR INDEPENDENT LIVING, DCRC PROVIDES THE FOLLOWING CORE INDEPENDENT LIVING SERVICES:INDIVIDUAL ADVOCACY: DCRC PROVIDES TRAINING AND ASSISTANCE ON HOW TO SELF-ADVOCATE FOR BENEFITS, TRANSPORTATION, HOUSING AND OTHER NEEDS IMPORTANT FOR LIVING INDEPENDENTLY.SYSTEMS CHANGE ADVOCACY: DCRC TEACHES PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND OLDER ADULTS TO ADVOCATE FOR SYSTEMS CHANGES THAT RESULT IN IMPROVED ACCESS, CHOICE, EQUALITY, INCLUSION, INTEGRATION AND INDEPENDENCE.ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY: DCRC PROVIDES ONE-ON-ONE ASSISTANCE TO PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND OLDER ADULTS IN THE SELECTION, ACQUISITION OR USE OF AN ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY (AT) DEVICE. AN AT DEVICE IS ANY OBJECT OR SYSTEM THAT INCREASES OR MAINTAINS THE CAPABILITIES OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.EMPLOYMENT SERVICES: DCRC PROVIDES EMPLOYMENT COUNSELING, INTERVIEW PREPARATION, SITUATIONAL ASSESSMENTS, JOB PLACEMENT AND JOB COACHING FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND OLDER ADULT JOB SEEKERS.HOUSING SERVICES: DCRC PROVIDES TRAININGS AND TOOLS TO ASSIST PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND OLDER ADULTS IN THE LOCATION OF AFFORDABLE AND ACCESSIBLE HOUSING IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY.INDEPENDENT LIVING: DCRC PROVIDES INFORMATION AND INSTRUCTION TO PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND OLDER ADULTS ON ACTIVITIES OF DAILY LIVING (ADL), HOME MANAGEMENT AND HOME SAFETY, FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT, PERSONAL GROWTH, AND COMMUNITY ACCESS TO INCREASE INDEPENDENCE AND SELF-DETERMINATION. INFORMATION AND REFERRAL: DCRC CONNECTS PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND OLDER ADULTS TO INFORMATION AND REFERRALS TO PROGRAMS AND SERVICES THAT MATCH THEIR NEEDS OR DESIRES.PEER COUNSELING: DCRC PROVIDES PEER-TO-PEER COUNSELING AND SUPPORT TO ASSIST PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND OLDER ADULTS IN ADDRESSING DISABILITY-RELATED ISSUES, RECOVERY AND MENTAL HEALTH. WE HAVE ALSO PARTNERED WITH UCLA TO TRAIN SOCIAL WORK INTERNS AS PART OF THEIR PRACTICUM TO DELIVER BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SUPPORTS TO OUR MEMBERS.PERSONAL ASSISTANCE REGISTRY: DCRC MAINTAINS A LIST OF PERSONAL CARE ASSISTANTS AVAILABLE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND OLDER ADULTS NEEDING ASSISTANCE LIVING INDEPENDENTLY AT HOME AND/OR IN THE COMMUNITY.IN ADDITION TO THE ABOVE CORE SERVICES, DCRC ALSO HAS SEVERAL OTHER PROJECTS AND SERVICES DESIGNED TO ASSIST PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES TO LIVE AND PARTICIPATE AS INDEPENDENTLY AS POSSIBLE IN THEIR COMMUNITIES INCLUDING:EMPLOYMENT SERVICES PROVIDES COUNSELING, TRAINING, AND INDIVIDUALIZED JOB PLACEMENT OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF REHABILITATION.PEER SUPPORT SPECIALIST TRAINING PROGRAM PROVIDES TRAINING AND PRE-EMPLOYMENT INTERNSHIPS TO PEOPLE WITH MENTAL HEALTH DISABILITIES SO THAT THEY CAN PROVIDE ADVOCACY AND SERVICES TO OTHERS WITH DISABILITIES THROUGH THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH.DIGITAL BRIDGE PROJECT IS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE TECHNOLOGY TO OUR COMMUNITY TO HELP BRIDGE THE DIGITAL DIVIDE. THE PROGRAM WAS ORIGINALLY FUNDED BY THE CORONAVIRUS AID, RELIEF, AND ECONOMIC SECURITY ACT, ALSO KNOWN AS THE CARES ACT AND IS NOW SUPPORTED THROUGH PRIVATE DONATIONS. DCRC IDENTIFIES PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES WHO CURRENTLY DO NOT HAVE DIGITAL ACCESS AND CONNECTS THEM WITH A DEVICE, DIGITAL SKILLS TRAINING, LOW COST INTERNET AND TECH SUPPORT. WE ALSO USE A GRANT FROM MICROSOFT TO PROVIDE MEMBERS WITH A SIGNIFICANT DISCOUNT TO ACQUIRE MICROSOFT BASED DEVICES.EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS & RESPONSE IS DESIGNED TO HELP PEOPLE WITH ACCESS AND FUNCTIONAL NEEDS (AFN) BUILD RESILIENCY TO BETTER PREPARE AND RESPOND TO NATURAL (E.G., WILDFIRES, FLOODS, EARTHQUAKES, PANDEMICS, ETC.), TECHNOLOGICAL (E.G., PUBLIC SAFETY POWER SHUT OFFS, NUCLEAR POWER PLANT EMERGENCIES OR HAZARDOUS MATERIALS SPILLS), HUMAN-CAUSED (E.G., ACTIVE SHOOTER OR HOSTAGE SITUATIONS), AND OTHER DISASTERS THROUGH COORDINATION, EDUCATION, AND IMPLEMENTATION OF EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS STRATEGIES AND PLANS FOR THE INTERSECTIONAL, CROSS-DISABILITY COMMUNITY ACROSS THE LIFESPAN. DCRC COORDINATES ONGOING EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS EDUCATION AND EXERCISES WITH CONSUMERS AND LOCAL STAKEHOLDERS TO ENSURE AN ORGANIZED RESPONSE DURING AND AFTER EMERGENCIES OR DISASTERS.PUBLIC HEALTH EDUCATION IN RESPONSE TO COVID-19 AND THE DISPROPORTIONAL IMPACT ON INTERSECTIONAL CROSS-DISABILITY COMMUNITY MEMBERS, DCRC PARTNERS AND COORDINATES WITH CALIFORNIA AND LA COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS TO PROMOTE RISK-REDUCTION STRATEGIES, HEALTH EDUCATION AND VACCINATION PROMOTION. DCRC IS SHIFTING FROM A COVID-19 RESPONSE TO RECOVERY EFFORTS WHICH INCLUDE PUBLIC HEALTH INITIATIVES THAT WILL IMPROVE LONG TERM COMMUNITY WELLBEING FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.FOOD DISTRIBUTION TO COMBAT THE ISSUES WITH FOOD INSECURITY IN OUR COMMUNITY, DCRC PARTNERS WITH LOCAL FARMERS MARKETS, FOOD BANKS AND GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS TO PROVIDE WEEKLY FOOD DISTRIBUTION TO PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES IN NEED. WE ALSO LINK MEMBERS TO SUPPLEMENTAL FOOD PROGRAMS AND GOVERNMENT BENEFITS.DCRC ALSO PROVIDES TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, EDUCATION AND OUTREACH ON A WIDE RANGE OF OTHER DISABILITY-RELATED ISSUES.