What We Do
Special Education Consulting and Advocacy
Christina draws from over 13 years’ experience advocating for students with disabilities in the school setting. She appreciates that emotions can run high when a parent learns that their child is struggling academically, emotionally or socially. Parents can, understandably, become frustrated, worried, stressed and exhausted.
As an objective and experienced advocate, Christina helps parents develop strategies and tactics to help protect their child’s rights and garner the supports and services that they need to make meaningful progress in the school setting. In particular, she is adept at strategizing within the context of the law so that parents can set themselves up for better outcomes should they need to proceed to due process.
In addition to advising and advocating for students, Christina coaches parents so that they can move from emotions to advocacy themselves, helping them to feel more hopeful and less stressed.
Person Centered Planning
Clients of Regional Centers now have the option to move into the Self Determination Program (“SDP”). SDP allows clients to have more control and choice over the services that they receive as a Regional Center client. This opens up a world of possibilities and can be life changing for Regional Center clients.
At the heart of Self Determination is the Person Centered Plan (“PCP”). This plan puts the client at the center of the planning process for Regional Center services by focusing on the client’s hopes, dreams, strengths and needs. Christina shepherds clients through the PCP process, involving the client and their circle of support, which may include family members, friends and other community members who know the client well and are important in their lives. The PCP forms the basis for the Individual Program Plan, which every Regional Center client must have and is directly related to the services that they receive in their Detailed Spending Plan.
Independent Facilitation for Self-Determination Program
Transitioning into the Self-Determination Program involves creating a Person Centered Plan, developing a budget, allocating the budget across a Detailed Spending Plan, contracting with a Financial Management Service, and identifying and possibly hiring service providers and supports. After the transition is complete, there is the ongoing responsibility to ensure the Spending Plan is properly executed, spending is tracked, revised spending plans are submitted, as needed, services and supports are purchased and the client’s needs are being met.
Christina is available to support clients with these ongoing responsibilities.