Self Determination Wellness Support
Personalized wellness education and healthy-living support for Regional Center participants and their families.
At Optimized Wellness 4 You, I provide individualized wellness education, caregiver support,and virtual coaching for children and adults with developmental disabilities participating in California's Self-Determination Program.With more than 25 years of experience supporting individuals with developmental disabilities and their families, I understand that meaningful change needs to fit the individual—their abilities, routines, environment, family life, and personal goals.Services are designed around the participant's identified needs and person-centered goals and may focus on building healthier daily routines, developing healthy-living skills, educating and empowering caregivers, and increasing participation and independence in everyday wellness activities.The goal is simple: provide individuals and families with practical knowledge, tools, and support they can use in everyday life.
Who This Service Is For
Practical guidance for healthier everyday living.
Self-Determination wellness services are designed for children, adolescents, and adults with developmental disabilities who may benefit from additional education, structure, and support around healthy daily living.
Services may be especially helpful for participants and families who want support with:
- Establishing healthier daily routines
- Making more informed food and nutrition choices
- Transitioning toward more whole-food options
- Understanding food labels and ingredients
- Building consistent sleep-supportive habits
- Incorporating more movement and physical activity into everyday life
- Developing simple stress-reduction and self-regulation practices
- Creating a healthier home and lifestyle environment
- Helping individuals take a more active role in their own healthy routines and choices
Support for Parents & Caregivers
For many individuals with developmental disabilities, lasting change depends on the people supporting them every day.
Through education and coaching, I help parents and unpaid caregivers understand wellness priorities, identify realistic changes for their household, and develop strategies for introducing and reinforcing healthier habits at home.
We identify priorities, start with manageable steps, and build from there.
Connecting Wellness Support to Person-Centered Goals
Empowering caregivers to create healthier routines at home.
Rather than trying to change everything at once, we identify an area of need, understand what is currently happening, and develop realistic steps that fit the participant and family.
Sleep as an Example
If a participant struggles with inconsistent sleep routines, caregiver coaching might focus on creating more predictable bedtime and wake times, developing a calming evening routine, reducing stimulating activities and electronics before bed, and creating an environment that supports healthy sleep.
At follow-up sessions, we discuss what worked, identify barriers, and adjust strategies based on the participant's and family's needs.
This same education-and-coaching approach can be applied to nutrition, movement, stress reduction, daily routines, environmental wellness, and other healthy-living goals.
The goal is to give caregivers practical knowledge and tools they can use every day—not simply a list of recommendations.
Services are individualized and are not automatically funded through the Self-Determination Program. Services included in an SDP spending plan must align with the participant's IPP and applicable program requirements.
How the Virtual Wellness Program Works
Personalized support from the comfort of home.
Services are provided virtually, making it easier for participants and caregivers to receive education, guidance, and ongoing support within their everyday routines.
1. Understand & Assess
We begin with a comprehensive health and lifestyle intake to better understand the participant's current routines, concerns, strengths, needs, and wellness goals.
2. Create a Personalized Plan
During a 60-minute virtual consultation, we discuss priorities and develop an individualized Healthy Living Plan with realistic strategies that can be implemented at home.
Depending on the participant's needs, the plan may focus on areas such as nutrition, sleep, movement, stress reduction, daily routines, or environmental wellness.
3. Implement With Support
Over the following months, the participant and/or caregiver begins putting the plan into practice with education, guidance, and accountability.
Virtual follow-up sessions provide an opportunity to discuss progress, challenges, and questions.
4. Review, Adjust & Build
At follow-up sessions, we identify what is working, address barriers, and adjust strategies as needed.
The goal is to gradually build habits that the participant and family can maintain as part of everyday life.
Initial programs may be structured over approximately three months, with continued wellness coaching available for families who would benefit from additional support.
Areas of Wellness Support
Focusing on the everyday foundations that support healthier living.
Each participant's needs and goals are different. Areas of support may include:
Nutrition & Whole Foods
Education around whole-food choices, balanced meals and snacks, hydration, food labels, ingredients, and healthier eating habits.
Sleep & Daily Routines
Support for developing more consistent sleep, morning, mealtime, and other daily routines that work for the participant and family.
Movement & Physical Activity
Practical strategies for incorporating more movement and enjoyable physical activity into everyday life.
Stress & Self-Regulation
Education around simple calming strategies, stress reduction, breathing, and routines that support regulation and overall well-being.
Healthy Home & Environment
Education about practical ways to reduce unnecessary environmental exposures and create a healthier home and lifestyle environment.
Caregiver Education & Support
Helping parents and unpaid caregivers understand priorities, implement strategies at home, troubleshoot challenges, and build sustainable habits.
Support is individualized based on the participant's needs, abilities, family circumstances, and applicable person-centered goals.
Why Work With Optimized Wellness 4 You?
Experience in developmental disabilities. A whole-person approach to wellness.
For more than 25 years, I have worked with children and adults with developmental disabilities and the families who support them.
My professional experience includes working within California's Regional Center system with individuals across the lifespan—from infants and toddlers receiving Early Start services to school-age children, adolescents, and adults.
As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, and Documenting Hope Certified Health Coach, I bring together my background in developmental services, family support, and holistic wellness education.
I understand the systems Regional Center families navigate, including IFSPs, IPPs, IEPs, assessments, person-centered planning, and family-centered services.
This experience allows me to approach wellness with an understanding that recommendations must be realistic for the individual's developmental abilities, family circumstances, daily routines, and support needs.
Education. Empowerment. Sustainable Change.
My goal is not simply to tell families what they should do. I help parents and caregivers understand the “why,” identify realistic priorities, and develop strategies they can incorporate into everyday family life.
Reduce the total load. Build healthier foundations. Create sustainable change.
Self-Determination & Funding
Greater choice in selecting services that support person-centered goals.
California's Self-Determination Program (SDP) gives Regional Center participants greater choice, flexibility, and responsibility in selecting services and supports that help them work toward the goals identified in their Individual Program Plan (IPP).
Optimized Wellness 4 You services may be considered when wellness education, caregiver training, or healthy-living support relates to an identified need or person-centered goal.
Because every participant's IPP, individual budget, and spending plan are different, services and funding are considered on an individual basis.
Already Participating in Self-Determination?
If you are a participant, parent, caregiver, or Independent Facilitator interested in Optimized Wellness 4 You, we can begin by discussing the participant's needs and goals to determine whether our services may be an appropriate fit.
When appropriate, proposed services can then be discussed with the participant's planning team and Financial Management Service (FMS) provider as part of the Self-Determination process.
Ready to Get Started?
Let's begin with a conversation about the participant's needs and goals.
Whether you are a Self-Determination participant, parent or caregiver, Independent Facilitator, or another member of the participant's planning team, the first step is to connect.
We'll discuss the participant's needs, wellness priorities, and person-centered goals to determine whether Optimized Wellness 4 You may be a good fit.
If services appear appropriate, we'll discuss next steps and any information needed to coordinate with the participant's planning team and FMS provider.
Independent Facilitators and planning team members are also welcome to contact me directly to discuss potential referrals.