SERVICES

Welcome to EmpowerConnect Services page —where advocacy meets action and every ability is honored. We specialize in helping families navigate complex systems like Special Education and California Regional Centers with clarity, compassion, and confidence. Whether you need IEP coaching, resource coordination, or support with the Self-Determination Program, we’re here to simplify the process and empower your journey.

Let’s turn overwhelm into understanding—and connection into progress.

SEE BELOW

Special Education Services

Support for families navigating the IEP process

Preparation for IEP meetings and goal development

Collaboration with school teams to ensure inclusive education plans

  • ✅ IEP Coaching & Advocacy We help you prepare for meetings, understand your child’s plan, and advocate for meaningful goals and services.

  • 📄 Document Review & Strategy Planning We walk through evaluations, assessments, and IEPs with you—translating jargon into action.

  • 🧭 504 Plan Support For students who need accommodations but don’t qualify for an IEP, we help families navigate the 504 process.

  • 🗣️ Parent Empowerment & Education We equip you with tools, language, and confidence to advocate effectively—now and in the future.

  • 🤝 Collaboration with School Teams We foster respectful, productive relationships with educators to ensure your child’s needs are met.

Advocacy

At EmpowerConnect Services, advocacy isn’t just a service—it’s a commitment. We stand beside individuals with disabilities and their families to ensure their voices are heard, their rights are protected, and their needs are met across every system they encounter.

Whether you're navigating Special Education, Regional Center services, healthcare access, or public benefits, our advocacy is rooted in lived experience and driven by purpose. We help you understand your options, prepare for critical meetings, and speak up with confidence.

  • ✅ IEP & School Advocacy Support during IEP meetings, goal development, and communication with school teams to ensure inclusive education.

  • 🧩 Regional Center Advocacy Guidance through IPP development, service access, and appeals—so families get the support they’re entitled to.

  • 🩺 Healthcare Advocacy Help with Medi-Cal navigation, provider communication, and understanding medical documentation.

  • 📄 System Navigation & Rights Education We break down policies, procedures, and eligibility requirements so you can make informed decisions.

  • 🤝 Family Empowerment Coaching We equip caregivers with tools, language, and strategies to advocate effectively on their own terms.

CA SDP Transition Specialist

Guiding You Into Self-Determination with Confidence and Clarity

Transitioning into the California Self-Determination Program (SDP) can feel exciting—but also overwhelming. At EmpowerConnect Services, our Transition Specialist support is designed to walk families through every step of the enrollment process with compassion, clarity, and lived experience.

We help individuals and families who have completed their SDP orientation move from traditional Regional Center services into Self-Determination by offering Pre-Enrollment Transition Supports, as outlined by the California Department of Developmental Services.

🧭 What We Help With:

  • Understanding the SDP Framework We break down the principles of choice, control, and responsibility so you feel empowered—not confused.

  • Person-Centered Planning Support We help you develop a meaningful plan that reflects your goals, strengths, and vision for the future.

  • Budget & Spending Plan Guidance We assist with understanding your individual budget and how to allocate it to meet your unique needs.

  • Connecting with Key Players We help you identify and coordinate with Independent Facilitators, Financial Management Services (FMS), and service providers.

  • IPP Transition Support We guide you through updating your Individual Program Plan to reflect your new Self-Determination goals.

HealthCare advocate

we understand that accessing healthcare can be overwhelming—especially for individuals with disabilities and their families. From Medi-Cal applications to coordinating care across multiple providers, the system isn’t always built for ease. That’s where we come in.

Our Healthcare Advocate Services are designed to help you understand your options, communicate effectively with providers, and ensure that your health needs are met with dignity and respect.

What We Offer:

  • ✅ Medi-Cal Navigation We guide you through the application process, renewals, and eligibility questions—so you don’t have to face it alone.

  • 🧾 Medical Documentation Support We help you gather, organize, and understand the paperwork needed for services, assessments, and referrals.

  • 🧑‍⚕️ Care Coordination We assist in bridging communication between specialists, primary care providers, and support teams to ensure continuity of care.

  • 📞 Provider Communication Coaching We empower you to advocate for yourself or your loved one during appointments, with scripts, questions, and strategies that work.

  • 🧠 Health Literacy & Education We break down complex medical language and systems so you can make informed decisions with confidence.

Speaking

Real Stories. Real Advocacy. Real Impact.

EmpowerConnect Services offers dynamic speaking engagements that blend lived experience, professional insight, and heartfelt advocacy to inspire and educate audiences across California and beyond.

Whether you're hosting a conference, school training, nonprofit event, or community forum, our founder brings a powerful voice to the room—sharing personal stories of navigating complex systems like Regional Centers, Special Education, and Healthcare, and offering actionable strategies for inclusion, empowerment, and equity.

🔊 Topics We Cover:

  • Navigating the California Self-Determination Program (SDP)

  • Special Education advocacy and IEP empowerment

  • Building inclusive systems for families with disabilities

  • Lived experience as a individual and advocate

  • Bridging gaps between service providers and communities

  • Creating culturally responsive support networks

👥 Who We Speak To:

  • Parent groups and caregiver networks

  • School districts and educators

  • Regional Center teams and service providers

  • Nonprofits, advocacy organizations, and community coalitions

  • Policy makers and disability rights leaders

Resource coordinator/Regional Center Specialist/Transition Specialist

🧩 Regional Center Specialist

We help families understand and access services through California’s Regional Center system, including:

  • IPP development and updates

  • Service coordination for respite, employment, transportation, and independent living

  • Advocacy during planning meetings and appeals

  • Guidance on eligibility and intake for new clients

📚 Transition Specialist (High School to Adulthood)

We support students and families as they move from school-based services to adult systems:

  • Review and support with IEP and Individualized Transition Plan (ITP) goals

  • Help exploring diploma vs. certificate pathways

  • Planning for postsecondary education, employment, and independent living

  • Coordination with outside agencies like Department of Rehabilitation (DOR) and CalABLE2

🔗 Resource Coordinator

We connect families to local, county, and statewide resources that support long-term success:

  • Referrals to housing, transportation, and mental health services

  • Support with Medi-Cal, IHSS, and other public benefits

  • Custom resource guides based on age, diagnosis, and goals

  • Collaboration with schools, healthcare providers, and community agencies