Arc of Amador and Calaveras

The Arc of Amador and Calaveras’ mission is to provide support and services to persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities so they can better live, work, learn, and recreate in the mainstream of life.

The Arc of Amador and Calaveras History

The Arc of Amador and Calaveras is a nonprofit organization originally incorporated in 1971. The organization is a member unit of The Arc of the US, The Arc California, California Disability Services Association, and has the support of approximately 200 members.

The Arc has been accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities in Supported Employment and Personal and Social Adjustment Services
since 1990. In 2013, The Arc was recognized as “exemplary” in its service to community members with developmental disabilities and given the highest level of accreditation by CARF International. 

The Arc of Amador and Calaveras has four main focus areas:

• Campus Programs
• Recreation Services
• Supported Employment Services
• Supported Living Services

Campus Program

Our Campus Program (often internally referred to as “Day Program”) provides individuals with disabilities exposure to a variety of social, recreational, and vocational opportunities within their community. We are focused on providing not only program based skill building, but community integration opportunities. This community exposure reinforces the skills learned within the program setting. We serve nearly 200 individuals in the Campus Program.

It’s All about Progression and Ability First! The Arc of Amador & Calaveras Campus Program is dedicated to providing an environment which fosters person-centered
success. Program participants have the opportunity to progress from one program to the next and to identify personal interests for future programming.

At the Campus Programs, individuals learn basic life and vocational skills and are exposed to a range of trainings designed to help them develop new interests. These community based trainings emphasize the development of specific job skills, work attitudes, decision making abilities, and overall independence.  The Campus Program is dedicated to providing meaningful, person focused programming which fosters personal development and independence. It is our goal to develop the skills of those we support so they may enjoy and be satisfied in the community in which they reside.

 

Recreation Service

Created in 1985, the Arc's Recreation Service offers a wide variety of community based recreational opportunities. With the Campus’ person-focused approach, ideas for activities come from participants and activities are only scheduled if participants choose them. It is our goal to develop recreation programs that satisfy the interest, hobbies and desires of our participants.

 

Supported Employment

The Arc of Amador and Calaveras initiated Supported Employment Services in 1987. We were one of the first programs in the state of California to offer supported employment to people with developmental disabilities. Our Supported Employment Service has always emphasized individual placement. The Arc’s work crew program is not a service of Supported Employment but an extension of the Community Services Campus Programs and is often the opportunity for many participants to build the employment skills necessary to gain employment outside of Campus Programs with the assistance from the Supported Employment Department.

 

Supported Living

Supported Living Services emphasizes that having a complete life includes more than just having a place to live. Services in this program are designed to encourage people to live in the situation of their choice while achieving personal growth and community participation. Services in Supported Living are not based on how skilled a person is, only on his or her desire to move on to the next step in their personal growth and evolving life.