09/12/2026
Sharing from Faustina, a Special Kids Connect Family Support Specialist.
This is my 16-year-old son. 💙
As his mom, I’ve started thinking more and more about his future.
He has behaviors, needs help with self-care, and requires additional support to participate in many activities. Even though he has been approved for recreational services through the Regional Center, we’ve struggled to find programs that can actually accommodate his level of need.
And honestly, that makes me wonder…if finding opportunities for him is already difficult at 16, what will things look like when he turns 22?
Will we find programs that can support him? Will he have meaningful opportunities to participate in his community, socialize, and do things he enjoys? Or will we continue hearing, “We can't accommodate his needs”?
Those questions are part of what led me to start exploring the Self-Determination Program (SDP).
I don't know yet if SDP is the right fit for my son and our family, and that's okay. ❤️ I want to learn before making that decision.
And SDP isn't something only families of teenagers or adults should learn about. If your child or loved one is eligible for services under the Lanterman Act, this is an option worth learning about at ANY age.
That’s why I want to invite other parents to come learn alongside me. We’ll talk about the good AND the challenging parts of Self-Determination. What does an Independent Facilitator do? What is an FMS? How does SDP actually work? What responsibilities do families take on? And we'll hear directly from people who are already participating in the program.
This isn't about convincing anyone to choose SDP.
It’s about knowing our options. 💙
Maybe SDP will be right for my son. Maybe it won't. Maybe it could be right for your child now, or maybe it’s something you simply want to understand for the future.
But as parents, the more we know about the options available to our children, the better prepared we can be to advocate for the lives we want them to have.
Come learn with us. ❤️
📍 Registration information for our Self-Determination workshop offerings can be found at https://specialkidsconnect.org/events.
