History
When Jason was about 7 years old, he started experiencing periodic anxiety and explosive behavior, which his Mother and professionals could not find a way to remedy (except for a few months on a vitamin therapy which seemed to help him, but was too expensive to continue at the time). In 1992 when Jason was 13 years old, months were spent trying to find a local home in Sacramento for him where he could find help, with one failed trial. At this time he was hospitalized for “mental Issues,” after which he was subsequently “warehoused” at Solano hospital for weeks and then sent to Camarillo State Hospital in 1993.
He ended up at their developmental center and seemed to be doing fine. In 1994 after about a year at Camarillo Developmental Center, another attempted search for local housing in Sacramento was unsuccessful. At the time, the closest home was in Madera at a children’s group home where he stayed until he was 18.
At 18, Jason was finally able to move back to Sacramento to be near his family! But again he was in a group home where, after a few years, he was experiencing what he expressed as his room mates “bothering” him. At that time, his Alta caseworker suggested to Jason and his family the opportunity of him moving to his own home, with the assistance of a supported living service.
Current
At age 23, Jason moved to his own house (His name is on the lease!). A S.T.E.P. employee is there to assist him 24/7. He now has the opportunity to set up his own goals and plans with the help of the supported living service. And he has no more roommates to “bother” him. He has had the opportunity to go camping and to Disneyland almost every year. It is good that Carol, Jason’s Alta case worker, cared enough to share options that were available to him for his living arrangement. Jason says it has been the best place he’s lived since he was with his family!