A
AAPD — American Association of People with Disabilities. They work for the full implementation and enforcement of disability nondiscrimination laws, particularly the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
ABLEDATA — Providing information on Assistive Technology (sponsored by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research, U.S. Department of Education)
ACB RADIO — From the American Council of the Blind’s Web site, click on “acbradio.mainstream” to listen to Disability Radio Worldwide at 6:30 p.m. every Wednesday. After the original broadcast, the show is replayed every two hours for a 24-hour period. They also have an archive.
ACCESS BOARD — An independent federal agency devoted to accessibility for people with disabilities. Key responsibilities include developing and maintaining accessibility requirements for the built environment, transit vehicles, telecommunications equipment, and electronic and information technology. Also enforces accessibility standards for federally funded facilities.
ADA — Information and technical assistance on the Americans with Disabilities Act
ADA Technical Assistance Program — Resource for Information on the Americans with Disabilities Act
ADAAG– ADA Accessibility Guidelines for Buildings and Facilities
Addus Home Health Services –Skilled nursing, home rehabilitation (physical, occupational, and speech therapy), congestive heart failure program, wound care, diabetes management, home health aid, mental health nursing, and social services provided in patient’s own home; attendant registry for In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) recipients and others to find care providers. Spanish & Hmong speakers are available. 936 Mangrove, Chico 95926 342-7248
ARC of Butte County — Offers family support programs and family/client services for people with developmental disabilities.
AT Network — Dedicated to expanding the accessibility of tools, resources and technology that will help increase independence, improve personal productivity and enhance the quality of life for all Californians.
Autism Lifespan (formerly the Autism Society of Northern California) — Provides a lending library, parent information packets, support groups, network for parents of children with autism. Support groups available for parents of children with high-functioning autism and Aspergers disease, with Autism Spectrum Disorder and for families of children with special needs (birth-age 5). Location: 959 East Avenue (inside The Little Red Hen Kids and Kitchen Store)
B
Butte College Veterans Services — While working in tandem with Butte-Glenn Community College, the Office of Veterans Services strives to ensure a positive and rewarding experience for all of our veteran and dependent students. Our goal is to provide the best possible service and guidance to help our veterans and their dependents achieve their educational goals.
Butte County Accessibility Information — (Butte County Department of Human Resources) Provides materials (in alternative formats) on request for the disabled. Also provided: a form you can download to file a complaint under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Butte County Council of the Blind — Information about the council’s meeting schedule and Reading Center, important numbers and resources and contacts for catalogs of adaptive technology. Please call 530-893-8840 for meeting information.
Butte County Department of Behavioral Health — Works to establish a continuum of health promotion and treatment services for people with substance abuse problems and/or serious mental illness.
Butte County Department of Employment and Social Services — Manages programs for seniors and people with disabilities, including Senior and Adult Services and Employment Services. Within this site are Butte County Medical Services (for Medi-Cal info) and Butte County Senior and Adult Services (providing assistance to seniors and dependent adults victimized by abuse, neglect or exploitation, plus the public guardian for those without family).
Butte County In-Home Supportive Services — The IHSS program provides personal and domestic services to aged, blind or disabled individuals in their own homes.
Butte County Veterans Services Officer — Links to information and resources for veterans
C
California Assisted Living Association — An organization of members dedicated to the betterment of the assisted living industry through education, advocacy, quality of care and individual choice.
California Department of Aging — Administers a broad base of home- and community-based services throughout California, working primarily with 33 Area Agencies on Aging that serve seniors and people with disabilities. Also works with public and private nonprofit agencies throughout the state.
California Department of Fish & Game — information on obtaining fishing licenses
California Department of Health Care Services — Organized into seven programs: Health Information and Strategic Planning, Licensing and Certification, Medical Care Services, Office of Multicultural Health, Office of Women's Health, Prevention Services and Primary Care and Family Health
California Department of Parks — reserve campgrounds for state parks throughout California. Year-round passes for a single annual fee are available from the California State Parks store.
California Department of Public Health — Try the main page first. There are pages for filing complaints about long-term care and for investigating licensing and certification as well.
California Department of Insurance — Patients on PPOs which are not under the jurisdiction of the Department of Managed Health Care are referred to the Department of Insurance. Use the following link to file a complaint.
California Foundation for Independent Living Centers — Locations of California Independent Living Centers
California Health Advocates — The California HICAP Association site. HICAP provides objective, individualized counseling and advocacy services to Medicare beneficiaries addressing Medicare benefits, Medicare supplemental insurance plans, health maintenance organizations (HMOs) and long term care insurance coverage.
California Olmstead Plan — The entire 2003 California Olmstead Plan as submitted to the Legislature
California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS) — Provides retirement and health benefit services to members, including active, inactive and retired members from state and local public agencies and school districts.
California State University, Chico Office of Veterans’ Affairs — provides a wide range of assistance to military veterans.
California State University, Chico Center for Communication Disorders –provides both diagnostic and rehabilitative services for communicative disorders. It provides speech and language evaluations and therapy at low or no cost to the public. Free to students. Located on the campus.
Californians for Disability Rights –is the oldest and largest membership organization of persons with disabilities in California. They are an effective and widely respected cross-disability advocacy force. They aim to improve the quality of life for all persons with any disability through education and training and by working to remove barriers through advocacy and change in public policy.
Caminar –Provides support services that enable people with disabilities to fully integrate and participate in community living. The emphasis is on assisting people with disabilities in to be active and contributing members of the community. This is accomplished by providing community-based services in the areas of independent living, employment, socialization, education, and housing. Caminar of Butte County primarily serves people with developmental disabilities, mental illness and physical disabilities in the Chico, Paradise and Oroville areas. Butte County crisis line: 1(800) 334-6622
Canine Companions for Independence — A nonprofit organization that enhances the lives of people with disabilities by providing highly trained assistance dogs and ongoing support to ensure quality partnerships.
CATE — California Assistive Technology Exchange. Their mission is to enhance the quality of life for Californians with disabilities by providing them with assistive technology (AT) devices and by innovating the loan process. Now named the AT Network.
Chico Area Recreation and Park District — Provides recreation opportunities to the greater Chico community, including a recreation and empowerment agency for people with disabilities (Do-It Leisure), Senior programs, and listings for the Dorothy F. Johnson Center.
Center for Personal Assistant Services – By promoting research, training, technical assistance and dissemination about personal assistance services, the Center’s mission is to ensure that people with self-care limitations can find information that will help them live independently. This is a great resource to understand the research and proposed changes to the system affecting personal caregivers and consumers.
Closing the Gap — A company that focuses on computer technology for people with special needs by providing practical, up-to-date information on assistive technology products, procedures, and best practices.
Community Action Agency of Butte County — Free noon meals Monday through Friday for all seniors 60 and older.
Community Care Options — Assisted Living Online database of care facilities in California cities.
Community Living Centers — Provides rehabilitative services that help people with disabilities live independently in the community. Services include independent living skills; community-based day programs; supported employment services and community integration.
D
Deaf and Disabled Telecommunications Program — (California Public Utilities Commission) A state-mandated program that distributes telecommunications equipment and services for individuals certified as having functional limitations of hearing, vision, mobility, speech and/or interpretation of information.
Department of Veterans Affairs — Information about veterans’ benefits, including health care, long-term care and cemetery benefits.
Disability and Abuse Project–The Disability and Abuse Project is a function of the Spectrum Institute, a nonprofit educational corporation based in Los Angeles, CA. The Project works with nonprofit organizations, media, government agencies, and individual advocates. Their focus is the prevention or reduction in physical, sexual, and emotional abuse of people with developmental or intellectual disabilities.
Disabilityinfo.gov — Government resources, services and information for people with disabilities.
DisabledPerson.com — Provides an online, targeted recruiting site that connects proactive employers with job seekers with disabilities.
Disabled Parking Placards and Plates — (California Department of Motor Vehicles) Provides eligibility and application information about parking placards and vehicle plates for people with disabilities. Includes a downloadable application you can print, complete and mail to the DMV.
E
Eldercare Locator — (Administration on Aging) Nationwide directory assistance service designed to help older persons and caregivers locate local support resources for aging Americans.
F
FDA Information for Older People — (Food and Drug Administration) Articles, brochures and other publications with information for older people on a wide range of health issues.
Feather River Recreation & Park District — Sports and classes for people with disabilities. They also offer water exercise and 55 Alive driving classes in their senior programs.
FirstGov for Seniors — Created at the direction of the National Partnership for Reinventing Government (NPRG) and maintained by the Social Security Administration as a service especially geared toward senior citizens.
Food and Drug Administration — Promotes and protects the public health by helping safe and effective products reach the market in a timely way and monitoring products for continued safety after they are in use.
The FreeMed Connection — Provides information on prescription assistance programs and Canadian drugs. Site charges a processing fee per medication.
G
Gimp on the Go — A great disabled traveler's site, with tips on everything from traveling with oxygen to wheelchair beach access.
H
Half the Planet: the Disability Resource — Nonprofit organization that supports the application of technology to promote the values of the ADA – independent living, social inclusion, equal opportunity, economic self-sufficiency and empowerment.
Health Resources and Services Administration — (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services) Works to improve and extend life for people with HIV/AIDS, provides primary health care to medically underserved people and serves women and children through state programs.
HelpCentral.org — A searchable directory of low- and no-cost health and human services in Butte County.
Helping to Grow — Software and teaching tips for parents of children with learning delays and difficulties.
HMO Help — From the California Department of Managed Health Care, this site offers information, guidance and interactive tools to help consumers navigate California HMOs.
Housing Authority of Butte County — If you are looking to obtain decent, safe and affordable housing in Butte County
HUD for People with Disabilities — (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development) Roundup of information from HUD Web site that pertains to people with disabilities, including supportive and accessible housing and Center for Universal Design.
HUD for Senior Citizens — (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development) Roundup of information from HUD Web site that pertains to seniors, including Senior Housing Net and information to help seniors stay in their homes.
I
Independent Living Services of Northern California — Provides independent-living information and resources for residents of Butte, Glenn, Lassen, Modoc, Plumas, Shasta, Siskiyou and Tehama counties.
IndiCare — Automated, online tool for physicians and healthcare providers to obtain free prescription drugs for indigent patients.
Institute on Disability Culture — Literary and culture magazine hosted by Stephen and Lillian Brown. This is a graphic-free site useful for all, including vision-impaired people.
International Deaf Pilots Association — Find out how deaf pilots win their wings without using the radio and, if you like, join them in the skies.
It's Our Story — Web-based oral history of the rise and continued success of the Independent Living movement as told by activists. Hosted on YouTube. Your story is important and is sought by the project. It's Our Story is a project of the Victor Pineda Foundation.
J
JAN — Job Accommodation Network
L
Lab Tests Online — Allows users to search for information on lab tests by condition, disease or test name. The easy-to-use site is designed to help determine the purposes, limitations and meaning of lab test results.
Little Red Hen — A non-profit organization with three locations serving children and adults with developmental disabilities. 100% of our sales / donations benefit quality programs for children and adults with developmental disabilities like autism, cerebral palsy, Down's syndrome and other cognitive disabilities. We employ developmentally disabled adults at all three locations. We do NOT pay below minimum wage.
M
Medi-Cal — Official government site for information on Medi-Cal: rates, services, online submission, publications and Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) updates.
Medicare — Official government site for information on Medicare: basics, plan choices, local events, participating physician directory, Medigap Compare tool, contact information.
The Medicine Program — A volunteer organization dedicated to helping people find patient assistance programs.
Mental Health Information Center — Has a mental health services locator for your community, national and other useful hotlines providing mental health resources and referrals, as well as many mental-health specific features and national and state toll-free help lines.
MIT AgeLab — Read about research and news via this Massachusetts Institute of Technology facility, which develops new technologies promoting healthy, independent living for older people.
My California DMV — Official State of California Department of Motor Vehicles Web site offers online information concerning rules for obtaining and renewing driver's licenses or I. D. cards. This site also will provide needed information on many resources available on-line.
N
>
National Association of Protection and Advocacy Systems (NAPAS) — The Protection and Advocacy (P&As) Systems and Client Assistance Programs (CAPs) comprise the nationwide network of congressionally mandated, legally based disability rights agencies. NAPAS is the voluntary national membership association of the P&As and CAPs, providing quality, legally based advocacy services to the disabled.
National Council on Disability — An independent federal agency making recommendations to the President and Congress on issues affecting Americans with disabilities.
National Council on Independent Living — National Network of Independent Living Centers
National Disability Rights Network — legal advocacy for all disabled people
National Disabled Student Union — A national, cross-disability, student organization. It recognizes all persons with disabilities and all students as their colleagues.
National Institute of Mental Health — (National Institutes of Health) News and events about clinical trials and funding opportunities, with sections for the public, practitioners and researchers.
National Institute on Aging — (National Institutes of Health) One of 25 institutes and centers of the NIH. Provides leadership in aging research, training, health information dissemination, and other programs relevant to aging and older people. The primary federal agency on Alzheimer’s research.
National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped — (Library of Congress) Free library program of Braille and recorded materials circulated to eligible borrowers by postage-free mail through a network of cooperating libraries.
National Organization on Disability — Among their programs: Community Partnership Program (CPP) – Mayors ensuring community participation for people with disabilities and the Accessible America Award – $25,000 annual award competition for disability-friendly communities.
National Resource Center for Parents with Disabilities — Resources and support for parents with disabilities and their children.
NeedyMeds — Has an alphabetical list of approximately 1,000 prescription medications. When you find your medication, there is a link to assistance programs for that specific drug.
Network of Care — Butte County — Created with a California Department of Aging innovation grant, this comprehensive, internet-based resource is for the elderly and people with disabilities, as well as their caregivers and service providers.
NIDRR — National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research
NOLO Legal Encyclopedia — Plain-English articles on the legal topics that affect you most.
NorCal Mobility Inc. — Based in Chico, they offer fabrication and custom van modifications for the disabled.
Northern California Driving School — Northern California Driving School (899-9307) has accommodations for disabled students. They can help with Driver’s Education and the DMV test and they have a car equipped with hand controls for driving lessons. They also have successfully trained people with learning disabilities. They can be reached at: (530) 899-9307.
NSCIA — National Spinal Cord Injury Association is dedicated to improving the quality of life for Americans living with the results of spinal cord injury and disease (SCI/D).
O
Office of Disability, Aging and Long-Term Care Policy — (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services) Multiple reports on disability, aging and long-term care policy. Developing, analyzing, evaluating and coordinating HHS policies and programs that support the independence, productivity, health and long-term care needs of people with disabilities. Additional links are shown under U. S. Department of Health and Human Services.
P
Paradise Center for Tolerance and Nonviolence (PCTN) — Direct services to victims of intolerance and hate crimes; support for biracial, ethnically mixed and other minority families; bullying prevention programs for youth; and cross-cultural activities for all ages.
Paradise Ridge Communities Senior-Support Services — Skilled professional physicians and medical facilities for Paradise Ridge seniors.
Paradise Ridge Family Resource Center — Services include resource and referral, support groups and case management.
Passages Adult Resource Center — Provides multiple services, such as the Area Agency on Aging, Chico Community of Caring Program, Eldercare Locator, Family Caregiver Support Program, Health Insurance Counseling and more.
Patient Assistance from Pfizer Pharmaceutical — Pfizer Helpful Answers is a family of assistance programs for people who have no insurance, or are underinsured and need help getting their Pfizer medicines.
Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp. — A federal corporation that guarantees payment of basic pension benefits earned by U.S. workers and retirees. Use the “Pension Search” function to learn if you are owed money by a previous employer or if you are entitled to a pension plan you may have forgotten about.
Pharmacia Patients in Need — Provides immediate assistance to patients who have limited income and are uninsured or underinsured (eg, no prescription benefits).
PIRS — Placer Independent Resource Services
Polio Survivors Association — There are approximately one million individuals in the U. S. who survived the great polio epidemics of the 1940s and 50s. While most polio survivors recovered a high degree of function, a great number were left with permanent, severe paralysis. The Polio Survivors Association was formed in 1975 as a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation to promote the well being and improve the quality of life for these severely disabled polio survivors.
R
Red Bluff Community/Senior Center — Offers meals, classes and special events for seniors.
Regulatory Barriers Clearinghouse — Sponsored by HUD, supports state and local governments and other organizations seeking information about laws, regulations and policies affecting the development, maintenance, improvement, availability, and cost of affordable housing.
RxAssist and RxAssist Plus — RxAssist provides physicians and other healthcare providers with information about patient assistance programs. Site also offers information about RxAssist Plus, patient and medication tracking software. Available for download is an information packet describing prescription-assistance options.
RxHope.com — (Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America) Helps physicians and patient advocates obtain, apply for or track requests for no-cost medications for patients who are unable to afford them and do not have access to prescription insurance or government-funded programs.
S
SafeState: Elder & Dependent Adult Abuse Media Campaign — The California Attorney General’s Crime and Violence Prevention Center
Section 508.gov — Everything you need to know about the 508 universe
Section 8 Made Simple — Using the Housing Choice Voucher Program to Assist People with Disabilities Available as a free download in Adobe Reader.
Self-Help for Hard of Hearing People — Opens the world of communication to people with hearing loss by providing information, education, support and advocacy.
Senior Community Services Employment Program – The Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) provides and promotes useful part-time employment/training opportunities in subsidized community service agencies for older workers who have poor employment prospects and assists with the transition of individuals to private or other job placements in the community.
Special Olympics of Butte County-Special Olympics is an international organization dedicated to empowering individuals with developmental disabilities to become physically fit, productive and respected members of society through sports training and competition. Special Olympics Northern California offers over 14,000 children and adults with developmental disabilities year-round training and competition in Olympic-type summer and winter sports.
Contact Randall Stone, Area Director, 976 Mangrove Ave., Chico, CA 95926-3950 (530)924-4291
Social Security Online — Official website of the Social Security Administration. Forms, programs, Benefit Planners and more.
Southside Family Resource Center — Provides free services, including in-home visiting and Information & Referral, to residents of the greater Oroville area.
State Independent Living Council — A state agency which helps the Department of Rehabilitation develop the California state plan for independent living.
T
Tech Soup — The technology place for non-profits. Among many other services, they maintain a database of donated and refurbished computer hardware.
Telecommunications for the Deaf — A national advocacy organization focusing its resources to address equal-access issues in telecommunications and media for people who are deaf, hard of hearing, late-deafened or deaf-blind.
Together Rx.com – Eligible Medicare enrollees can have free memberships to this prescription savings program, which provides up to 40 percent savings on more than 150 medicines.
U
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services– The federal government’s principal health agency, overseeing more than 300 programs. Specific offices of interest might include:
-
HHS Office of Disability, Aging and Long-Term Care Policy
-
Office on Disability
-
Administration on Aging
