Lea este artículo en español aquí.
Behind the secured door at the Hope Services office on Fourth Street in Hollister, adults with special needs are working toward goals that may otherwise be unattainable, including life skills training, job coaching, academic achievement and better integration into the community.
“We are person-centered,” said Hope District Director Sara Grignon. “We work with the individual, their family, and their case manager to find out what they want for their lives. We connect the community to this population, which reduces fear and naivete.”
Hope Services, Grignon said, was founded in 1952 in a small schoolhouse in San Jose by parents who wanted better options for their children. With more than 4,000 clients, Hope Services now has 19 offices across nine Bay Area counties.
According to Hollister Program Coordinator Caitlin Souza, the program is for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, as well as cases of autism that are level two or higher.
“We serve individuals with a wide range of abilities and support needs,” she said. “Autism and other developmental disabilities can affect communication, sensory processing, or daily living, which is why individualized supports are important. We also have nonverbal participants. Ages range from our youngest at 19 to some gentlemen who are seniors.”
The organization has several service areas, including early childhood intervention, mental health counseling, employment services and community living for independent housing.
Funding comes from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and California’s Lanterman Act, which establishes the right to services, according to Grignon.
The act defines intellectual disabilities as a condition that starts before age 18, is lifelong, makes it difficult to do things such as walking, speaking, taking care of oneself, or working—or is a condition like cerebral palsy, autism or epilepsy that requires a high level of support.
Once a diagnosis is confirmed, the screening and referral process for Hope Services programs is handled through the San Andreas Regional Center. If accepted to the local program, there is a needs assessment to determine specific life goals, such as finding a job or expanding social circles.
The Hollister site, which has 10 staff members serving up to 40 participants, specifically offers EMCC programs—Employment, Media, and Community Connections—that emphasize a “person-centered” philosophy, where the goals are determined by the participants.
“For example,” Souza said, “one individual chose yoga as his goal to get more active. Another wanted to work toward a job; she did job development for a few months and is now starting a paid internship at New Beginnings Thrift Store.”
Souza said the objective is to reach the goal by starting with modest ambitions. If someone wants to open a business but can’t do so financially right now, they can work together to develop the skills needed to save money or run a business.
“I never want to say someone can’t do something,” she said. “If a goal is physically impossible, like someone with an injury running a marathon, we reframe it. That person can still participate in the Gifted Games by doing shot put or by being a spectator and cheering.”
Activities at Hope vary day-to-day. There are sign-ups for activities participants have indicated an interest in, such as trips to Target or the Gilroy Outlets, walks to Bill’s Bullpen or the library, or local hikes. A day may also be spent on physical activities, classes, tutorials and ongoing guidance toward personal goals.
“One person asked yesterday if she could go to the Dollar Tree,” Souza said, “so she went there this morning. She came back and did arts and crafts, and now she is in dance class. Everything is based on what they want to do; we make their wishes come true.”
Karissa Agan, 31, has been coming to Hope Services in Hollister for more than three years. She said she enjoys the cooking classes where she has learned to make cookies, gone to the beach in Monterey, and made progress in her reading skills.
When BenitoLink spoke to her, she was particularly enthusiastic about the dance class she had just finished.
“We learned about ‘Watch Me Nae Nae,’’ she said, “and we’re going to learn square dancing and ballet. It’s cool to learn about different choreography. I like coming here; we do a lot of things, learn a lot of things. It’s a really good program.”
Johnny Ortiz Gomez, a community support facilitator at Hope Services, acts as an instructor and driver for the program. Besides taking part in the music and arts sessions, he said, much of his role lies in providing emotional support to participants.
“Wherever I can,” he said, “I try to talk about our feelings, just de-stressing and decompressing, keeping it chill. I try to restructure and reframe the conversation in a way that’s healthy.”
The Hope Services program in Hollister is currently close to capacity, and Grignon said the organization sees a much larger need as the area grows. It’s looking to expand its footprint in San Benito County.
“It is such a beautiful community to be a part of,” Grignon said. “I feel honored to interact with the families and individuals every day. It is hard work, but always rewarding because you see that you are able to make a difference in someone’s life.”
We need your help. Support local, nonprofit news! BenitoLink is a nonprofit news website that reports on San Benito County. Our team is committed to this community and providing essential, accurate information to our fellow residents. Producing local news is expensive, and community support keeps the news flowing. Please consider supporting BenitoLink, San Benito County’s public service nonprofit news.
You must be logged in to post a comment.