BRC’s clients range from community based advocacy groups, nonprofit organizations to government state agencies. They come to us with the desire to increase their effectiveness and impact. BRC acts as a bridge connecting facilitative consulting with visual strategies that make complex ideas simple.

California Department of Developmental Services (DDS)

DDS is the state department through which California provides services and supports to 245,000 individuals with developmental disabilities and their families living in the community and developmental centers.

DDS won a design award from the California State Information Officers Council for the BRC’s innovative “Ways to Make Complex Information Simple” CD Rom. BRC developed the effective and successful decision making process — Think–Plan–Do for the DDS advocacy project that continues to provide new opportunities for people to “live the life they want.” BRC and DDS Office of Human Rights and Advocacy continue to collaborate on a variety of person-centered and choice-making media and learning projects that increase community inclusion, employment opportunities and emergency planning awareness. In addition, BRC produced statewide publications that describe self-direction and family participation. Videos, publications and presentations can be viewed from the Library menu on the BRC website.

BRC has provided consultation services to the DDS Office of Human Rights and Advocacy Services and Consumer Advisory Committee since 2002. We coordinated a multi-year assignment to advance statewide Leadership through Personal Change that included producing and publishing more than 20 advocacy videos and planning guidebooks. BRC developed numerous easy to use publications that outlined strategies and action plans for “Making Choices.” In addition, BRC created statewide emergency preparedness videos and worksheets funded by U.S. Homeland Security through DDS, Feeling Safe, Being Safe, which has been distributed nationally and adapted by Hawaii, Minnesota and Oregon. http://www.dds.ca.gov/ConsumerCorner/Home.cfm

California’s Regional Center System

Regional Centers are large community based non-profit private organizations that contract with the California Department of Developmental Services to provide or coordinate services and supports for persons with developmental disabilities and their families. They have offices throughout California to provide local resources for assessment, case management and access to a range of services available to individuals and their families. There are 21 centers serving more than 235,000 individuals and their families. Videos, publications and presentations can be viewed from the Library menu on the BRC website. http://www.arcanet.org/

BRC has a long-term relationship with numerous Regional Centers providing leadership consultation, governance facilitation, organizational development and training services. BRC has worked with more than half of the Regional Centers, their boards of directors, advisory committees and parent support groups throughout California. In addition, BRC was the key consultant and facilitation team to assist the statewide Association of Regional Center Agencies (ARCA) in establishing their Consumer Advisory Committee.

BRC consultancy for Regional Centers has included topical series ranging from governance to school/community inclusion, advocacy, and parent collaboration. In addition, BRC provided multimedia trainings, easy to understand and use materials and developed plain language versions of significant Regional Center and legislative policies for use by community members.

Highlights:

• Establishment and facilitation of pertinent governance advisory committees
• Parent community inclusion curricula, series & media (Partners in Community Inclusion)
• Consumer advocacy training and “How To” manuals
• Board of Directors annual retreats, governance training and coaching
• Development of employment video, decision-making and transition guides

California State Council, Developmental Disabilities Area Boards, University Centers for Excellence

State Councils on Developmental Disabilities are established in each state through the federal Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act. They have a federally-assigned responsibility to improve services for persons with developmental disabilities and their families.

BRC provides consultancy and multimedia production services to SCDD and has provided services to nearly half of its 13 regional Area Boards. BRC was called to address agency priorities through facilitation and training, governance development, accessible media and assist with building community alliances.

Key outcomes include facilitation of the SCDD Consumer Advisory and Employment First Committees and the production of reports and legislative summaries in accessible formats. In addition, BRC produced media, adapted materials and facilitated consumer groups to support Senate Bill 1270, Assembly Bills 2424 and 287. All videos, publications and presentations produced as part of BRC work with SCDD and Area Boards can be viewed from the Library menu on the BRC website.

Developmental Disabilities Area Boards are affiliated offices of SCDD that protect and advocate for the civil, legal and service rights of people with developmental disabilities. They were created by California law to carry out monitoring responsibilities that assure persons with developmental disabilities and their families have access to services they need. BRC completed an important advocacy tool and website for Area Board 9 in 2011. Advocating with your Elected Officials has been presented at international conferences as an easy-to-use tool that opens doors for community members to express their opinions to their elected representatives.

University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities are authorized under federal law to work with persons with disabilities and their families, state and local governments and community agencies. They focus on projects that provide training, technical assistance, research and information sharing which builds communities to sustain all their citizens.

BRC provides consultancy and multimedia production services to SCDD and has provided services to nearly half of its 13 regional Area Boards. BRC was called to address agency priorities through facilitation and training, governance development, accessible media and assist with building community alliances.

Key outcomes include the creation of the SCDD Employment Advisory Committee and the production of policies, reports and legislative summaries in accessible formats. In addition, BRC produced media, adapted materials and facilitated consumer groups to support Senate Bill 1270. All videos, publications and presentations produced as part of BRC work with SCDD and Area Boards can be viewed from the Library menu on the BRC website.

Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (CEDD) at the UC Davis MIND Institute provides a diverse range of educational and service options to Californians with developmental disabilities and autism. BRC helped develop training materials and webinar sessions for a family-centered transition project focused on students exiting high school. Success Defined is an innovative project designed for families who wish to obtain success in the areas of employment, post-secondary education, inclusive volunteer service options, and community resource development. Families learn to customize tools and strategies developed by BRC that are incorporated into a nine-month project coordinated through the CEDD.

Service Providers and Volunteer Agencies

Community-based service and volunteer agencies carry out the work of program delivery to children and adults so they may improve the quality of their lives, advocate for rights and develop career opportunities. Service providers and support groups provide avenues to skill building, networking and finding opportunities to engage with and contribute to their communities. Video and publications produced by BRC can be viewed from the Library menu on the BRC website

BRC provides training, coaching and media development services to numerous service agencies and volunteer groups at local, state, national and international levels. BRC focuses on assisting each agency in finding creative ways to express and direct their mission, involve their constituencies and build inclusive community networks. BRC assists agencies with providing person-centered services, team and organizational development, agency-to-agency collaboration, community building, resource expansion, media adaptations and advancement of public policy.

BRC produces easy-to-understand and use publications and media to increase citizen awareness, rights and responsibilities, advocacy and action. Emphasis is on best practices in person-centered services and utilization of accessible media that inspires quality service delivery, personal responsibility, volunteerism and community collaboration.

California Coalition for Compassionate Care, Sacramento, CA

A statewide partnership of regional and statewide organizations, state agencies, and individuals promoting high-quality, compassionate end-of-life care for all Californians.
http://finalchoices.org/

STEP, Carmichael, CA

STEP provides a range of support services to adults with developmental disabilities, shaped by person-centered planning and directed by individual needs and preferences. STEP is known for serving persons who are deaf and those who are both deaf and blind.

People First of California, Sacramento, CA

People First is an organization of people with developmental disabilities learning to work together on how to find their voice; speak for themselves, know their rights, and be respected, valued members of communities.

School Transformation and Community Collaboration

Community schools that encourage and practice meaningful inclusion of students in typical classes, family involvement and creative thinking provide their learners with tools to become proactive engaged citizens. Schools that develop family, community and business partnerships enhance achievement and full acceptance of all students. Schools that utilize inquiry and exploration as a teaching strategy, cultivate student achievement, greater family engagement and peer acceptance. http://www.essentialschools.org/cs/schools/view/ces_centers/7

BRC collaborates and coaches schools and community associations to develop community alliances, vision based strategies that lead to transformation and higher student achievement.

BRC and its partners support schools and their districts to build shared visions, drawing on their community's strengths and resources. Through training, coaching and media development, BRC guides parent groups to develop long-term vision and planning for their children’s success, participate in achievement activities and be a participating member of the school. BRC utilizes multimedia and personalized facilitation to guide school leadership teams to reach goals, increase achievement and personalize education and interactions. http://www.scilsgroup.org/index2.html

The SCILS Group

is committed to ensuring person centered full inclusion and systems change and offers a wide variety of services to agencies, families and adults. Some of the services offered include group process and facilitation, coaching and training for families and strategic intervention with agencies and community organizations.

Los Angeles Coalition of Essential Schools (LACES), Los Angeles, CA
LACES facilitates networks of schools, educators, and organizations in the continuous improvement of learning for all students and to support ongoing whole school change as embodied in the 10 Common Principles of the Coalition of Essential Schools. http://www.essentialschools.org

Other State, National and International Organizations

National advocacy organizations play an important role in setting priorities and direction for personal and community empowerment. Stakeholder engagement can drive policy-making and result in increased quality of life. Successful organizations build sustainable partnerships through strong leadership that ensures high performance and sustainable stakeholder engagement.

BRC collaborates with other organizations to provide services to research, education and advocacy organizations at the regional, state and national levels. Teamwork focuses on identifying creative ways to inform and actively involve their constituencies in accomplishing meaningful outcomes.

U.S. International Council on Disabilities, Washington, DC

Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) is a United Nations treaty that promotes quality of life, choice and inclusion of people with disabilities. The purpose of the CRPD is to promote, protect and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by all persons with disabilities, and to promote respect for their inherent dignity. CRPD requires countries that ratify the treaty to afford people with disabilities dignity, choice and participation in decisions that affect their lives.
http://brcenter.org/lib/SP_TR_CRPD.php

Leadership Today, Alberta, Canada

Inclusive plain language and easy to read governance training and adaptations for people with low literacy interested in being involved with governance groups in Alberta Canada.

NISH Vienna, VA

Plain language program brochure about services offered through NISH. Information packet field tested at national advocacy conference for ease of use.
http://www.nish.org

Additional clients and collaborations

INCLUSION – CONNECTION – TRANSFORMATION

The ARC of California, Sacramento, CA

Facilitate statewide input meetings to bring California's perspective to the national Community Imperative Conference, WDC.

Provide training and technical support to the ARC collaboration to increase effectiveness through plain language, organization and use of multi-media for its Partners in Policy Making training.
http://www.thearcca.org/

Human Services Research Institute, Cambridge, MA

Allen, Shea and Associates

Project Collaboration

Self Directed Services community training manuals and public information
Department of Developmental Services

SafetyNet DDS: Statewide focus group on accessible web design, icons.
Acumen/ Department of Developmental Services

National Core Indicators: Statewide training, provide facilitation and training support to peer advocate trainers.
HSRI/ Department of Developmental Services
http://www.allenshea.com

Alpha Resource – Santa Barbara

Nonprofit Board Governance Retreat
http://www.alphasb.org

HCAR, Eureka, CA

Nonprofit Board Governance Retreat and series to support the Board in strategic planning, accessible formats and money management.
http://www.hcar.us

SEIU California

Graphic Adaptation describing the importance and purpose of unions.
http://www.seiuca.org/

Regional and National Business Groups

State Farm Insurance/Fariba Zand, Santa Monica, CA

Think–Plan–Do Money Managing training and program development for insurance agents and clients.
http://www.faribazand.com/

Acumen fiscal Agents, Orem, UT

Fiscal Information adaptations for state and national Self-Directed Services program
http://www.acumenfiscalagent.com