Another Way’s focus is on those who are the most vulnerable of Inland Empire residents – children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities who live at or below poverty level. We also serve their families because many rely on caregivers for support. Thirty-five percent of Inland Regional Center’s clients are considered low-to-very low income based on federal poverty guidelines. Sixty-five to 70% of our clients are eligible for some type of public benefit. For our Inland Regional Center’s adult clients the figure is closer to 90%.
A report from the Center for Economic and Policy Research further details the issue, “People with disabilities account for a larger share of those experiencing poverty than people in all other minority, ethnic and racial groups combined and are even a larger group than single parents.” The report goes on to explain, “The extra cost associated with living with a disability such as purchasing expensive equipment like wheelchairs and catheters or obtaining specialized medical attention keep many disabled people and their families in poverty.”
In addition, “Most people with developmental disabilities receive monthly Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments of $870 per month ($10,440 per year) as their sole source of income…”
These figures show how difficult survival can be when the average rent in San Bernardino County is estimated at $900 per month and your income is $870.
Further complicating the issue of poverty is the high unemployment rates in San Bernardino and Riverside Counties. Currently, the unemployment rate in San Bernardino County is 10.5% and in Riverside County 7.3% both being much higher than the National Average of 5.6%. For individuals with disabilities, this means there will be much more competition for employment. Couple this with the low rate of individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities able to secure a job, and you have a recipe for disaster when no life-line is in place.
For many of these individuals, Another Way is that life-line. Another Way is a last resort resource for these individuals when an emergency arises such as a job loss, hospital stay, loss of a caregiver, loss of a roommate, accident, etc. We strive to be more than a band-aid solution and seek to address the root problem by including case management oversight as part of our programs.