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Description

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Our mission is to provide the highest quality services and supports to people with developmental disabilities who require concentrated health care and or training to develop skills in which to enhance their independence

Lanterman Developmental Center utilizes an extensive system of services and supports to assist clients residing within our Center Services are rendered through a variety of programs and departments providing for a creative environment that encourages growth recognizes individual dignity and maximizes each persons potential and opportunity to live in the setting of his or her choice

Necessary services and supports are identified through personcentered planning as developed by the Interdisciplinary Team Personcentered planning provides a framework for making decisions about where the individual wants to live and what the person wants to do based upon his or her strengths capabilities preferences lifestyle and cultural background Building upon the clients capacities and capabilities a dynamic and continuous active treatment program is developed that encourages modifications in order to meet new opportunities and challenges experienced by the individual and his or her family

Our vision is quotRealizing Potentials Providing Opportunitiesquot Accordingly the Centers efforts focus on supporting the people who live here as well as the people who work here in developing their highest potential

Lanterman Developmental Center supports all individuals in achieving their optimal quality of life in an environment where we all share a set of common core values

The core values listed below are defining elements in our organizational SPIRIT Core values are more than just rules of behavior they demonstrate who we are and guide our daily performance conduct and decisions Theses values are not listed in order of importance of priority rather it is our intent to integrate all of them into our daily interactions with clients family staff and the public

Lanterman is licensed according to the laws of California and federally certified to provide acute skilled and intermediate care The Center also meets the environmental standards of the California Department of Public Health and the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities CARF accredits its Community Industries work service program

Lanterman serves clients who are primarily profoundly or severely developmentally disabled who may also have special physical and behavioral problems

Referrals for admission are made through the 21 Regional Centers located throughout the State of California

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History

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The Center which opened in 1927 at its present location in Pomona consists of 21 client residences 1 acute hospital unit a variety of training and work sites a Vocational Training Center and recreation facilities including a swimming pool playgrounds camp carousel equestrian center track and a ballpark Other entities housed on campus include a Research and Staff Training Building the UCLA Student Immersion Research Program a Child Day Care Center for community and staff members children Credit Union and the California Conservation Corps

Located in Southern Californias vibrant San Gabriel Valley Region our Center borders the cities of Pomona Diamond Bar and Walnut while resting beneath Mt quotBaldysquot seasonally snowcapped peak Partnering with our neighboring communities we play an integral role in local economies by employing 1300 employees and housing 512 residents who utilize the businesses and services of the surrounding communities Lanterman operates 24hours a day seven days a week in order to serve citizens of California who face the challenges of developmental disabilities

Its 80 year history of our name parallels the tremendous shift in perception as to how the people of California understand their fellow citizens who live at Lanterman

Pacific Colony Thinking quotfeeblemindednessquot to be a menace the California Legislature created Pacific Colony as a Southern California facility to detain the quotfeeblemindedquot People with developmental disabilities were quotinmatesquot needing to be locked away from society forever because of their quotinsanityquot The present location welcomed its first 27 quotinmatesquot on May 2 1927 At that time only the city of Pomona existed in the local area

By 1946 over 1900 people crowed into a facility that had only grown large enough to hold 1512 people With World War II finally over the state allocated more money for expansion and improvements

Pacific State Hospital The name change in 1953 marked a statewide shift in understanding that had begun in the 1930s No longer were residents of Pacific considered quotinmatesquot but quotpatientsquot who were sick and needing treatment to be made well The new use of the sociopsychological team social workers psychologist and parents and innovative practices such as inservice training for nurses provided some of the pratical evidence of this shift The era also marked the start of a movement toward helping people with developmental disabilities prepare for living in the broader community

Frank D Lanterman State Hospital and Developmental Center Championing the cause of people with developmental disabilities throughout his career State Assemblyman Frank D Lanterman ensured their civil rights and guaranteed them lifelong services through the creation of the Lanterman Act He also initiated the network of community resources known as the Regional Centers In honor of his dedication Pacific changed its name in 1979

Lanterman Developmental Center People with developmental disabilities are now perceived as individuals with special needs rather than quotpatientsquot and referred to as quotclientsquot By dropping quotState Hospitalquot during the nineteeneighties Developmental Centers throughout California adopted this philosophy and promoted the fact that all clients receive progressive habilitation training