UCP | CLASP Independent Living

UCP's CLASP Independent Living

Too often when someone is diagnosed with a developmental disability, society assumes that the only option is to forever lock him/her into a life of dependency upon family members or an institution, a drain on society and on the spirit of that person. UCP’s CLASP Independent Living program instead relieves continued demands on society and renews the independent spirit of people with developmental disabilities like autism, epilepsy, intellectual disability, Down syndrome and cerebral palsy.

How CLASP works
Serving 52 low-income clients each month, CLASP is an independent living skills training program for adults with developmental and/or physical disabilities. Clients receive individualized instruction in their home and community, tailored to each client’s specific goals. Areas of instruction include:

Personal/social development
Financial management
Health and navigating the health care system
Safety
Household management
Self-advocacy
Meal planning
Nutrition
Cooking
Public transportation to grocery stores
How to shop

Success at CLASP
Before Jerry found CLASP, he felt hopeless and angry. Though he was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at a young age, he experienced fewer symptoms than most people with his condition. Then he met Robert, a CLASP instructor, who helped him eventually walk again. A few months later, Jerry decided to move to Oregon to live with childhood friends. Now that he had control over his legs, he wanted control over the rest of his life, too. Together, the two determined a pharmacy, physician and a location where Jerry can still participate in warm water therapy. Jerry moved to Oregon at the beginning of September after months of hard work.