Gov. Gavin Newsom’s $222.2 billion budget proposal sets aside funding for disability services — but some organizations, including the North Los Angeles County Regional Center, believe more can be done. The community is expected to have a chance to chime in at a town hall on Thursday.
To open a conversation, the county’s Regional Center scheduled a legislative town hall with state Sen. Scott Wilk, R-Santa Clarita, and Assemblywoman Christy Smith, D-Santa Clarita, as well as several other speakers, on Thursday from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Bella Vida senior center, located at 27180 Golden Valley Road.
“The purpose of the meeting is to have an open dialogue with our elected representatives about some of the challenges our system is faced with, and to give our community members an opportunity to interact with the representatives and Regional Center staff,” said Sara Iwahasi, a representative of the organization.
The Regional Center, a nonprofit organization, offers services for more than 28,000 individuals with developmental disabilities and offers varied services such as intake, operations and service coordination, as well as partnering with service providers that specialize in employment, transportation and adaptive skills for those in need.
Some topics state legislators could discuss include caseload ratios, disability taxes and service provider status.
Attendees can also expect to hear from a community perspectives panel, which is comprised of Hope Adams and Marlene Pinotti, who are adult consumer service coordinators; Ivor Weiner, professor of special education and director of the CSUN Family Resource Center; John Brauer, president and CEO of New Horizons; and Amy Westling, executive director of the Association of Regional Center Agencies.
