A major component of noncredit instruction at SRJC consists of courses for persons with disabilities provided through community contractor agencies including: Becoming Independent; Redwood Empire Industries/CHDC; Goodwill Industries of the Redwood Empire; North Bay Industries; The Middle Way; Sonoma County Mental Health.

Training is provided at 18 sites ranging from Healdsburg and Petaluma to Sebastopol and Sonoma. Two courses offered are Vocational Education for Persons with Disabilities and Community Skills Training for Mentally Disabled Persons. Enrollment is between 1,400 and 1,500 students each semester.

Additional contracts with Region II Migrant Education Program and Elderhostel provide educational opportunities for disadvantaged youth on the SRJC campus.

• Becoming Independent


• Old Adobe Developmental Services, Inc.


• Redwood Empire Industries, Inc.


• Goodwill Industries of the Redwood Empire, Inc.


• Petaluma People Services Center


• North Bay Rehabilitation Services, Inc.


• The Middle Way


• Region II Migrant Child Education: Adelante Program


• Council on Aging

Becoming Independent, Inc. (BI) is a private, nonprofit service organization incorporated in 1980. Becoming Independent serves Sonoma, Napa, and Solano county residents with mental retardation and other developmental disabilities, including autism, epilepsy, and cerebral palsy. Many of the core service programs that comprise the agency were organized by parents and professionals from 1967 to 1974 who joined together in order to ensure the stability and longevity of these vital services. Over the past 15 years, the agency has grown to become the largest service provider of its kind in the North Bay, offering a broad variety of vocational, instructional, and support services. BI has maintained a positive reputation in the communities it serves; demand for its services has continued to grow.

OADS, established in 1971, individuals with developmental disabilities recognizing how much they have to offer the community. It is the mission of Old Adobe Developmental Services, Inc., to provide opportunities for individuals with developmental disabilities to reach their fullest potential. The task at OADS is to find ways for these individuals to find full expression in all parts of their lives. In partnership with the Adult Education Department of the Petaluma School District and Santa Rosa Junior College, OADS provides services to persons with developmental disabilities residing in southern Sonoma County. OADS is chiefly funded by California�8s Department of Rehabilitation and Department of Developmental Services. It is the largest nonprofit agency in Petaluma. Currently, OADS operates seven distinct programs located in San Rafael, Novato, Petaluma, Penngrove, Cotati, Rohnert Park, Santa Rosa, Rincon Valley, Cloverdale, and Sonoma. OADS is known as a leader in its field.

People with emotional, intellectual or social disabilities find training and employment at Redwood Empire Industries (REI) in Santa Rosa, California. The base program taps into the rich undiscovered resources of talent for productive and fulfilling work, while at the same time, helps them develop social and practical coping skills. Accredited since 1977 by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities, in 1986 REI became part of a nationwide pilot project to demonstrate the effectiveness of supported employment programs. With a state grant, REI had successfully established one of the 10 initial programs in California.

Local private industry is essential to the success of the program, through the compassionate willingness to experiment, while finding genuine profit in the process. In addition to work subcontracted to the Base Program, local businesses provide employment for REI work crews. Subcontracted work provides for some of REI's funding while other funding comes from the California Department of Rehabilitation, the Sonoma County Department of Mental Health, and Santa Rosa Junior College.

Of the 120 individuals REI served in 1994, 76 worked in the base program, and were served in crews or group placements. The combined annual earnings of these workers totaled $135,700. REI also placed 24 persons in job or constituency placements, with combined yearly earnings of $130,000.

SRJC works closely with Goodwill's Pacific Career Center for Vocational Services, which serves Sonoma, Napa, Lake, Mendocino, Humboldt and Trinity counties. The purpose of this nonprofit agency is to assist persons with vocational barriers achieve their maximum employment potential.

Using work samples and standardized tests, the evaluation answers questions about aptitudes, interests, work behaviors, skill levels, physical tolerances, and motivation.

Using actual work environments, the assessment answers questions about work behaviors, skill levels, physical tolerances and motivation.

The center also provides a program of work adjustment and extended work experience. Work adjustment is a short-term transitional program designed to assist an individual develop positive work habits and attitudes, interpersonal skills and the physical and psychological stamina necessary to obtain and maintain a job in the community.

The extended work experience program is a nine to eighteen month transitional program that helps an individual develop work habits, attitudes, job skills, interpersonal skills and physical and psychological stamina needed to obtain and maintain a job in the community.

Petaluma People Services Center (PPSC) was started in 1974 by a handful of community people who were concerned that Petaluma and southern Sonoma County residents did not have ready access to county health and social services. The mission of PPSC is to help low income children, adults, families, and seniors to empower themselves, thereby reducing:

• poverty
• abuse
• chemical dependence
• violence
• ignorance
• isolation and
• mental illness

while promoting socialization, health, education, independence, self reliance, and self esteem.

Today over 100 volunteers contribute their time to enable the center to serve as many people as it does. Currently, with the help of hundreds of volunteers, there are over 2,000 people who benefit from PPSC's programs in counseling, homeless prevention, employment, transportation, and senior services. Over 40,000 phone calls are received each year requesting information and referral.

PPSC has several locations for its programs. The Senior Dining site was moved from the Methodist Church to a newly constructed addition to the city's Senior Center at Lucchessi Park, where seniors enjoy each other's company and a hearty meal every weekday. The Senior Day program is housed at 25 Howard Street and the Counseling Department has offices at 411 "B" Street. In May 1998, PPSC opened its Employment and Training site at 206 G Street.

The emphasis on "People Helping People" is very evident in the figures holding hands in the center's current logo. "People Helping People" was what initiated PPSC in 1974 and today it remains the basic force of the center after almost 25 years of service.

North Bay Industries is a nonprofit organization. Its mission is to help mentally, physically, and developmentally disabled adults become more productive, self-reliant members of their community. This is achieved through participation in training and employment programs sponsored by the agency in cooperation with participating employers.

The Middle Way is a private, nonprofit service organization dedicated to training adults with developmental disabilities to work, live and participate in their community. Based in Sebastopol, the organization achieves its goals through vocational training, counseling and subcontracting for production, assembly, and services. For example, Sierra Symbols (a production component of Middle Way) produces and markets signs and wood products. Landscaping and recycling services have also been long-time profitable training and employment opportunities at Middle Way.

Since 1980, the Adelante Program has been part of Santa Rosa Junior College's mission to provide quality educational opportunities for low income and educationally limited students. The Adelante Program at SRJC has done much to demystify the "college experience" for migrant students. Many Adelante Program migrant students had never set foot on a college campus, or even understood the concept of higher education, prior to attending the program at SRJC. This program provides first-hand experience on a college campus and for many, can be a determining factor in pursuit of higher education.

Adelante is part of Migrant Education's supplementary instructional services
and is offered in partnership with SRJC to eligible migrant students based on academic need.

The Council on Aging�s objective is to promote the well-being and enhance the quality of life for older adults of Sonoma County and to carry out activities and services that encourage independence and continuing participation of the community.

The Council on Aging Services for Seniors is a private nonprofit organization that has provided services for Sonoma County citizens over the age of 60 since 1966. This areas beautiful surroundings, safe atmosphere, and senior housing have attracted almost 70,000 older adults to this community.