The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) protects people with disabilities from discrimination.  See below for info about service animals and emotional support animals. There is no official registry for service animals or emotional support animals, but some businesses, etc may request a letter explaining why an emotional support animal is needed.

California law allows persons with disabilities to bring trained service dogs and psychiatric service dogs, but not emotional support animals, to all public places.

Service Animals are:

• Dogs
• Any breed and any size of dog
• Trained to perform a task directly related to a person’s disability

Service animals are not:

• Required to be certified or go through a professional training program
• Required to wear a vest or other ID that indicates they’re a service dog
• Emotional support or comfort dogs, because providing emotional support or comfort is not a task related to a person’s disability

A public place can ask only two questions to determine if a p… [read more]

Canine Companions provides service dogs to adults, children, and veterans with disabilities, and facility dogs to professionals working in healthcare, criminal justice, and educational settings. Dogs and all follow-up services are provided at no cost to clients.

Students must pay for their transportation to and from the training center for their two weeks of training. They must also pay for their meals during training, and depending on the training center in your regional area, the cost of staying in a hotel.

Web pages

• Home - https://canine.org/

If you have a disability, Student Accessibility Services (SAS) offers a wide variety of services to support your needs and enhance your educational experience at Sierra College.

Accessibility maps are available for locations such as:

• Rocklin Campus
• Nevada County Campus
• Tahoe-Truckee Campus
• Roseville

SAS Services Offered

• Individualized academic, disability, and vocational counseling and advocacy
• Priority registration
• Academic accommodations/adjustments and support services
  • Accommodation Certification Forms can be completed for extra time on exams or a note-taker
• Alternate media and assistive technology
  • Call (916) 660-7212 for more information on specialized software and hardware
  • Assistive software and support include:
    • Scan/Read programs for learning/visual disabilities
    • Screen Readers
    • Magnification
    • Speech Recognition
    • Writing Development and Organization
    • Notetaking Solutions
  • Assistive hardware includes: 
    • Braille embosser
    • Tactile image enhancer
    • Cl…

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The FREED Telephone Reassurance program is for anyone feeling lonely or isolated in Nevada County. A phone bank of volunteers makes phone calls Monday - Friday to check-in, chat, and socialize. Individuals who would like to receive telephone calls can choose to receive calls from one day a week up to 5 days a week. 
 
The FREED Friendly Visitor program matches Friendly Visitor participants to volunteers—who then get together to see movies, hang out, have conversations, play cards, go for a walk, or just talk. Volunteers can also meet by phone. 
 
Due to factors such as a lack of transportation or community inaccessibility, many seniors and people with disabilities go through prolonged periods of social isolation and loneliness. People who have disabilities identify numerous obstacles to community inclusion. In rural areas, especially, people are at risk for experiencing isolation which is a risk factor leading to many poor health outcomes.
 
Volunteers
Volu… [read more]

FREED offers services to assist a consumer as they transition from an institution into the community setting of their choice. This could include a move from a hospital, licensed skilled nursing facility, intermediate care facility for the developmentally disabled, state hospital for the mentally ill, developmental center, emergency shelter, temporary housing, or a California veterans home.

The program offers navigation to resources for financial support, case management, and assistive technology items to ensure a safe transition home.

Web pages

• Home - https://freed.org/
• Hospital transition and patient navigation - https://freed.org/services/transition-services/transition-home-from-hospital/
• Transition home from nursing home - https://freed.org/services/transition-services/nursing-home/
• Contact - https://freed.org/contact/

This resource is eligible for electronic referral.

FREED provides support for individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI) to reintegrate into the community, attend a weekly support group, receive supported living services, vocational services, or other independent living services.

Web pages

• Home - https://freed.org/
• Traumatic Brain Injury program - https://freed.org/services/independent-living/traumatic-brain-injury/
• Contact - https://freed.org/contact/

This resource is eligible for electronic referral.

The California Department of Rehabilitation offers Vocational Rehabilitation services for Californians with disabilities and Student Services for students with disabilities.

You are eligible for DOR Vocational Rehabilitation services if you:

• have a disability and want to work
• are having trouble getting or keeping a job because of your disability
• need services such as job placement, training, and/or other job preparation to help you get or keep a job, or advance in employment

To get DOR Student Services:

• You must be a student (you need to be enrolled in school, but it's okay if you're on break or if school hasn't started yet).
• You're between the ages of 16 and 21 (including 16 and 21).
• At least one of these options is true:
  • You have a 504 Plan, or you’re eligible for one if you want one.
  • You have an IEP.
  • You have a disability.
  • Others think you have a disability.

DOR programs include:

• Assistive Technology
• Independent Living
• Services for people who are blind
• Servi…

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