SOCIAL WORKERS ON MOVE; SIMI OFFICE MEANS PROXIMITY TO CLIENTS, GREATER COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT.Byline: Sylvia L. Oliande Daily News Staff Writer Social workers from the Tri-Counties Regional Center set up shop in their new offices, happy to be closing the 30-mile-wide gulf between their clients and themselves. The east county office, which helps children and adults with developmental disabilities developmental disabilities (DD), n.pl the pathologic conditions that have their origin in the embryology and growth and development of an individual. DDs usually appear clinically before 18 years of age. lead productive and independent lives, was housed in Oxnard before it moved into its location at 1919 Williams St. ``It's all about being a part of the community, and (clients) being accessible to us,'' said social worker Cindy Victorin-Ortiz, who handles cases of youngsters up to 3 years old. ``Face-to-face contact always gets you more than contact on the phone.'' Sandi Walters, manager of the new Simi Valley Simi Valley (sē`mē, sĭm`ē), city (1990 pop. 100,217), Ventura co., SW Calif. in an oil, fruit, and farm region; laid out 1887, inc. 1969. office, said 66 percent of its more than 1,000 clients live in Simi Valley. Many services and resources for the disabled also are located there. In the past, the organization had a Thousand Oaks office to serve residents in Simi Valley, Westlake, Moorpark, Newbury Park and other areas. But in 1994, east county workers were moved into the TCRC's west county office because of budget cuts. Workers said it was immediately apparent that it would be difficult to keep in touch with their clients, or ``consumers'' as they call them, and vice versa VICE VERSA. On the contrary; on opposite sides. . They talked of having to work out of their cars or spend most of the day on the road making home visits. They also had to stop at libraries or other places to find modems to hook up laptop computers. ``The hardest part of the job was the emergencies we have to attend to,'' said Jeff Schweissinger, who works with adults. ``It'll be nice to be able to respond to them quickly when they are having difficulty with families, difficulty with other consumers, or when they are trying to run their lives in inappropriate ways.'' Harder still, some say, is getting clients and their families to drive out for medical appointments and meetings. ``We had to borrow and beg for space to have meetings out here, so we didn't have many,'' Walters said. ``Now that we have the conference rooms and our own space, we can have more.'' The nonprofit agency provides referrals and assistance to people of all ages with mental retardation mental retardation, below average level of intellectual functioning, usually defined by an IQ of below 70 to 75, combined with limitations in the skills necessary for daily living. , epilepsy, cerebral palsy cerebral palsy (sərē`brəl pôl`zē), disability caused by brain damage before or during birth or in the first years, resulting in a loss of voluntary muscular control and coordination. , autism autism (ô`tĭzəm), developmental disability resulting from a neurological disorder that affects the normal functioning of the brain. It is characterized by the abnormal development of communication skills, social skills, and reasoning. and related neurological conditions Neurological conditions A condition that has its origin in some part of the patient's nervous system. Mentioned in: Pervasive Developmental Disorders . TCRC's on-staff psychologists, doctors, nurses and social workers help clients and their families find resources for job training and placement, as well as housing and medical services. The organization also provides financial assistance when expenses are not covered not covered Health care adjective Referring to a procedure, test or other health service to which a policy holder or insurance beneficiary is not entitled under the terms of the policy or payment system–eg, Medicare. Cf Covered. by other agencies. It is funded by state and federal grants and it serves more than 7,000 people in San Luis Obispo San Luis Obispo (săn l  `ĭs ōbĭs`pō), city (1990 pop. 41,958), seat of San Luis Obispo co., S Calif., near San Luis Obispo Bay; inc. 1856. , Santa Barbara and Ventura counties. The Simi Valley office can be reached by calling (805) 522-8030. CAPTION(S): Photo PHOTO Service Coordinator Cindy Victorin-Ortiz unpacks files at the Tri-Counties Regional Center in Simi. Phil McCarten/Daily News |
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