These past couple of years at the Access Central Coast have been a journey of community networking and consumer services. Some readers may know I started working at ACC in July 2020 as a Community Living Advocate (CLA) in Santa Barbara, working with people in Santa Barbara County who have disabilities of all ages to achieve their independence goals. Before that, I graduated with a Master of Public Health and Disability Studies Certificate, moved to California from the Southeast United States to start a newly married life as a California citizen, and spent several months Airbnb hopping. All the while, my husband and I were navigating the beginning stages of Covid and isolation. Talk about an eventful set of months!
After a few months as a CLA, I moved on to working as the Focused Population Case Manager in ACC’s Ventura office in November 2020. Through this role, I assisted people with or at risk of a dementia diagnosis and their live-in caregivers (i.e., spouses and family members) with case management and education about the various types of dementia. One of the key services was caregiver respite through a partnership with Channel Islands Social Services. However, I also have assisted with connecting to other services at ACC and within their communities. I would also help raise dementia awareness and acceptance throughout Ventura County.
While I enjoyed the roles at ACC that I’ve had for the last couple of years, I am thrilled to start as the Public Health Advocate in October (next month)! This will merge my passion for health equity and access and my educational background into an exciting opportunity. I will help build disability representation on a State and Local level when responding to current and future public health issues. More details will come throughout my time in this position, and I would be happy to hear input from folks. All that to say, I look forward to what this next phase of the journey will hold!
Voices & Stories Opening a New Chapter at ACC
By Emily Bridges • Posted on October 19, 2022
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[date] => 2021-02-03
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[title] => Involving family in emergency planning reduces anxiety
[author] => Anonymous
[article] => How has the Disaster Access and Resources Program changed your life?
It’s made me realize I could be better prepared. Even with past training it’s good to update and change things. It’s important to start if you don’t have a plan especially with everything going on right now. If an emergency happens I want to make sure I have everything I need. I’m very appreciative of the plan. Once we sit down with our family members and friends we want them to all sit down and disaster plan too.
How do you feel about how ACC has helped you prepare for disasters and emergencies? How did you feel before?
I feel more than I expected. I didn’t know you offered these types of things. I thought I would have to do research but it was easy to do it with one person and one agency. Especially for someone with anxiety issues researching multiple agencies can be overwhelming for somebody.
I was not ready but now I am.
-Dominique, Consumer of Lauren Utterback, Independent Living Advocate
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[date] => 2021-02-24
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[title] => Connection to Technology is Essential
[author] => Anonymous
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[date] => 2025-12-07
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[title] => Kyle and His Journey Towards Independence
[author] => Jacob Lesner-Buxton
[article] => 
In 2020, at just 35 years old, Kyle was diagnosed with a condition that caused total paralysis and was told he might never live independently again. After three years of hard work in therapy, he was determined to regain his independence. By 2024, Kyle was living in a care home costing $7,000 a month, facing the possibility of being moved to a county facility because he had no family able to care for him. He needed housing that would allow him to continue therapy, cook, maintain hygiene, and work toward walking again—but every affordable or subsidized option he found was inaccessible. Narrow doorways, small bathrooms, inaccessible kitchens—most apartments listed as “accessible” were not truly accessible.
After a year and a half of searching, Kyle finally found one apartment that worked: first floor, with wide hallways and doorways, and a kitchen and bathroom he could actually use with his wheelchair. The rent is $3,300—still far from affordable, but half of what the care home costs. With this housing, he has been able to build a workout space, cook for himself, and continue his recovery.
Kyle’s experience highlights a critical gap: accessible housing is almost never aligned with affordable housing. People with disabilities are often excluded from low-income options simply because they aren’t built with accessibility in mind. Independence shouldn’t cost extra—it should be a baseline. Alongside ACC, Kyle was able to apply and receive in-home care, find an apartment, and be connected with continued supports to help him with his journey towards independence.
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