Services for People with Disabilities

Here in Los Angeles there is a variety of resources for people with special needs, including public, private and commercial facilities with services to assist the sight, hearing, and/or mobility impaired. There are various types of assistant also provided by the public transit for the elderly and disabled. The following is a list of services and agencies that can offer referrals and assistance:

• Assistive Technology Network, 800-390-2699, TTY 800-900-0706, www.atner.org; provides information on obtaining assistive devices and services.
• Braille Institute, 800-272-4553; serves anyone with reading difficulties due to visual impairment or physical disability. Their Books on Tape program, 800-272-4553, is popular.
• California Telephone Access Program, 800-806-1191, TTY 800-806-4474; provides information on obtaining assistive devices and services.
• California Department of Rehabilitation, 310-348-0965, TDD 310-641-3214
• Center for the Partially Sighted, 310-458-3501, www.lowvision.org; counseling, equipment and rehabilitative programs for independent living.
• Computer Access Center, 310-338-1597, www.cac.org; information on assistive technology for people with disabilities.
• Crisis Line for the Handicapped, 800-426-4363; a 24-hour support and information line.
• Driving Systems, Inc., 818-782-6793, www. drivingsystems.com; develops customized adaptive driving devices.
• Easter Seal Society, 818-996-9902, www.easterseals.com; gives infant-care education, adult day programs, and referrals to rehabilitation services.
• Greater Los Angeles Council on Deafness (GLAD), 323-478-8000, TTY 323-478-8000, www.gladinc.org; counseling, job development, translation, and information for the hearing-impaired.
• Goodwill Industries of Southern California, 323-223-1211; counseling, job placement, and educational services.
• Independent Living Center of Southern California, 818-988-9525, TTY 818-988-3533.
• Jay Nolan Community Services, 818-361-6400; serves people with developmental disabilities, including autism.
• Los Angeles Caregiver Resource Center, 800-540-4442; resource for caregivers of mentally-impaired adults.
• Los Angeles County Adult Protective Services, 213-351-5401, 800-992-1660; report abuse of dependent adults to this number.
• Los Angeles County Commission on Disability, 213-974-1053, TTY 213-974-1707
• Los Angeles County Deaf Information, 800-660-4026
• Los Angeles City Department on Disability, 213-485-6334, TTY 213-485-6655, www.lacity.org/dod
• LA Unified School District Parent Resource Network Hotline, 800-933-8133, www.lausd.k12.ca.us; information and referrals to special education programs.
• North Los Angeles County Regional Center, 818-778-1900, www.nlacrc.com; services for people with developmental disabilities.
• Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic, 800-499-5525, www.lafn.org/community; records over 3,000 new books each year on  audio cassettes for loan to students and adults who cannot read standard print because of visual, perceptual, or physical disability: Los Angeles, 323-644-5525.
• Social Security and Medicare Eligibility Information, 800-772-1213, TTY 800-288-7185, www.socialsecurity.gov
• Spinal Cord Injury Network International, 800-548-2673; information network and video library for people with spinal cord injuries.
• Venice Skills Center, 310-392-4153, offers free rehabilitation services for people with disabilities, such as sign language interpreters for the hearing impaired, readers for the blind, and job placement assistance.
• Westside Regional Center for Independent Living, 310-258-4000; offers a variety of services, from counseling to living skills, for seniors and people with developmental disabilities.

For those with a hearing or speech impairment, there are telephone relay services available through the California Relay Service free of charge; however regular toll and long-distant fees still apply. For TTY to voice, call 800-735-2929, and for voice to TTY, call 800-735-2922. You can also dial 711 anywhere in the US to reach the relay service. Qualified California residents can also obtain, free of charge, special adaptive telecommunications equipment through the California Telephone Access Program, 800-806-1191, or for TTY 800-806-4474.

Special adaptive telecommunications equipment can be obtained free of charge by qualified California residents through the California Telephone Access Program, 800-806-1191, TTY 800-806-4474.

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