Our offices will be closed on Thursday August 29th for an employee event, and we will reopen on Friday August 30th. Please note that messages left for our staff members will be returned within 2 business days. Our after-hours service remains available for non-medical emergencies at 1-800-224-1594.
Disability Thrive Initiative
Office Closure Thursday August 29th
August 28, 2024 by
Board of Directors Opportunity
August 26, 2024 by
We are currently recruiting individuals to serve on our Board of Directors.
Help support us in advancing our mission to empower, respect, and serve each child and adult with or with the potential for a developmental disability!
Please visit the following links to apply:
For English:
https://bit.ly/nbrcboard
For Spanish:
https://bit.ly/nbrcboardspanish
For Tagalog:
https://bit.ly/nbrcboardtagalog
Empowering Through Training: Michelle Bautista Takes the Lead
August 2, 2024 by
It is with great pleasure that we announce our new Training Specialist, Michelle Bautista. Michelle is responsible for conducting and coordinating new employee orientation training, as well as the ongoing training necessary for our seasoned staff.
Michelle brings a wealth of experience from her previous role as a county case worker, where she honed her skills working with the aging and disabled population. During this time, she learned about our agency and was excited by the opportunity to focus on working with the intellectually and developmentally disabled community.
A proud graduate of Penn State University, Michelle joined the regional center in December 2022 as our Generic Resource Specialist (GRS). Her decade-long experience with Medi-Cal and CalFresh offices in both Sacramento and Solano counties has proven invaluable. In her role as GRS, Michelle particularly enjoyed connecting with clients, their families, and NBRC employees, as well as collaborating with outside agencies such as community business organizations (CBOs).
Previously a health and wellness ambassador for Solano County, Michelle played a crucial role in promoting holistic well-being within the community where she advocated for a balanced approach to health that integrated mental, financial, and physical wellness. Her goals for participants included fostering a positive mindset, helping others to achieve their long-term financial goals, and providing guidance on maintaining a healthy lifestyle through regular exercise and nutrition education.
In her current role as our Training Specialist, Michelle continues to build strong connections with employees and CBOs to ensure our staff receives the most up-to-date training materials. She takes great joy in getting to know our new hires during the onboarding process, which she oversees twice a month. Her favorite part of orientation is learning about the new employees’ backgrounds and what inspires them to work with our population.
We are delighted to have Michelle Bautista as our Training Specialist and look forward to the positive impact she will continue to have on our staff and the individuals we serve!
Volunteer Brings Joy and Support as an AmeriCorps Senior Companion
July 30, 2024 by
Chand, an unassuming older man with an easy smile, dedicates 30 hours a week to volunteering as an AmeriCorps Senior Companion. Assigned to a specific individual with special needs at one of the day programs under contract with the North Bay Regional Center, Chand embodies the spirit of compassion and community service.
Every day, Chand walks from his bus stop to the United Cerebral Palsy day program in Rohnert Park, located less than a block away. Upon entering the building, his smile brightens as staff and clients greet him. He moves through the large facility to store his personal items in a locker before meeting his assigned companion, Patrick, to start his day as a Senior Companion volunteer.
Chand had brought two cards for Patrick to color, a simple yet meaningful activity. He attentively asked, “Do you want to color the Cupcakes or the Dragon?” With patience, Chand waited as Patrick focused on the outlines on the paper. Eventually, Patrick selected a magenta marker, and they began their creative session together.
Patrick, like many individuals served by the North Bay Regional Center, has an intellectual disability that makes routine tasks and communication more challenging. Each client has a personalized assignment plan with specific goals they have identified. Some may need extra help transitioning between activities, while others may struggle to be understood.
“Our volunteers are a step beyond the average in character and compassion,” says Melissa Slama, who supervises the program. “Working with individuals who have intellectual disabilities requires special characteristics. Obviously, it’s a no-judgment zone. We’re here to add friendship, support, and meaning. It takes patience and unhurried compassion to wait for ten minutes while an individual puts on their own coat to go for a walk, but it’s an important level of independence that deserves encouragement. When you see the pride and smiles on their faces, you realize that what just happened was really important.”
Today’s lunchtime includes a walk to a nearby fast-food restaurant. Senior volunteers are never in charge of their companions and are always supervised. Day Program staff create the schedules and activities, while Senior Companion volunteers provide insightful encouragement and repeat directions as necessary. As extra eyes and ears, volunteers are in a perfect position to inform staff if someone is having a rough day.
AmeriCorps volunteers are unique because they receive a tax-exempt stipend, allowing them to volunteer without incurring personal costs. They also receive a daily meal and reimbursement for travel to and from their site. This financial support helps low-income senior citizens improve their quality of life economically and socially.
The program offers training for new volunteers, monthly in-service training, paid leave, and holidays. Anyone interested in learning more about the program should contact Melissa Slama, Supervisor of the Senior Companion Program, at 707-566-3005 or melissas@nbrc.net.
Attention Families of Children with Disabilities Ages 6-21
July 18, 2024 by
We are excited to announce an important initiative aimed at supporting families of children with disabilities, especially those requiring constant care and supervision with challenging behaviors. The Department of Developmental Services (DDS) recognizes the complex needs of these children and the significant impact on their parents.
To better support these families, we have partnered with DDS to form Family Focus Groups. The goal of these groups is to gather input from families regarding their service experiences, including barriers in accessing services, and to identify additional services that may be needed to meet their child’s needs. Families selected to participate will receive a stipend.
Ideally, we would like to hear from families who:
- Have children and youth between the ages of 6 and 21 with complex/behavioral and/or high-support needs.
- Are advocating, struggling, and/or are fearful to come forward.
Families selected to participate will be culturally diverse, inclusive, and reflective of the local regional center community.
Families interested in sharing their experiences and ideas about unmet service needs will need to complete an interest form/application available in eight different languages by August 9, 2024.
Family Focus Group – Interest Forms:
Please direct any questions regarding the interest form or submissions to SafetyNet@dds.ca.gov.
We thank you for your consideration!
Celebrating 26 Years of Dedication
July 12, 2024 by
We are pleased to recognize an esteemed employee of the regional center. Deanna Mobley started her career as a temporary, front desk receptionist. Little did she know this would be the beginning of what would be a long and rewarding career. Deanna will be celebrating her 26-year anniversary this month!
Deanna transitioned from a front desk receptionist when was entrusted with her first permanent role as a Client Services Assistant. Having demonstrated exceptional administrative capabilities and attention to detail, her skills did not go unnoticed as she was promoted to Case Management Assistant. Her career trajectory with the regional center saw her continued advancement over the years. Balancing work while diligently pursuing her education, Deanna obtained an Associate’s, Bachelor’s & Master’s degree! As a proud graduate of Santa Rosa Junior College, Sonoma State University and Western International University, her disciplines in Psychology and Human Dynamics Leadership proved beneficial! She became a Service Coordinator, promoted to Case Management Supervisor, then to Intake Department Manager, and then to Associate Director of Client Services!
Today, we are delighted to share Deanna’s most current role as the Director of Intake and Clinical Services! Having been promoted to this position earlier on for over 3 years now, working closely with a team of dedicated clinicians and staff, she can honestly say that she truly loves her job. Knowing that her work positively affects the people we serve gives Deanna the most fulfillment. She states, “It doesn’t matter what position you have; it’s about being a part of the process. Every position makes a difference.” Those who work with Deanna share the fondest of sentiments, “Deanna sets a high standard for us all and exemplifies leadership skills that I personally strive to obtain. I often find myself saying, ‘WWDD (What would Deanna do?)’ when tackling a new task/issue.”
Looking back on her career with pride and gratitude, she continues to strive to make a difference. We thank you Deanna, for the positive impact you’ve made within the agency and in our community and wish you even more years with us, Happy Anniversary!
Office Closure Thursday July 4th
July 2, 2024 by
Our offices will be closed on Thursday July 4th in observance of the Fourth of July. We will reopen on Friday July 5th. Our after-hours service remains available for non-medical emergencies at 1-800-884-1594. Have a fabulous 4th!
