Program Components:

Career counseling/exploration

Life skills

Collaborative funding

Evaluation data

Jeff Ross, TIL Coordinator, Student Support Services

661-763-7776

jross@taft.org

educational experience for developmentally disabled adults.

disabled adults. The program stresses the importance of teaching people to accept

responsibility for decisions and choices they make. The program occupies 30 rooms in the

Seventh Street residence hall on the Taft Community College campus, which is one of two

residence halls on the campus. Participants for the program are selected from referrals

made primarily by California Regional Centers (outreach centers for the California

Department of Developmental Services), the Department of Rehabilitation, and high

schools. Guidelines for making a referral are available from the TIL Program Coordinator

or the Intake Coordinator. An applicant who meets the requirements for entry will be

scheduled for an on-site evaluation. Upon admission to the TIL Program, the student

moves into a residence hall room and begins learning independent living skills. The

students participate in the program an average of 22 months, and all students have a 90-

day probation period.

Staff works with each student to establish realistic long-range and short-range goals.

Individual Program Plans are then written to assist students in attaining these goals.

Instruction is offered in the following areas: meal preparation, money management,

shopping, housekeeping, use of appliances, safety, communication, transportation,

personal care, and interpersonal relationships.

Instructional hours are from 1 to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

on Friday. A Community Integration Program is run on weekends. Students are

responsible for paying a dorm rental fee that includes meals served in the Taft College

cafeteria and all utilities except telephone. Students are eligible for graduation when they

complete the required course work and independently demonstrate the learned skills. At

that time the TIL staff assists graduated students in transitioning into an independent

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living situation in their home community. The TIL program tracks all graduates for a ten

year period to measure outcomes of the students and the program.

coordinator, program director, director's assistant, instructors, instructional aides,

transition specialist, and security personnel.

any other student service, however the dedicated use of 30 on-campus dormitory rooms

and use of the college cafeteria by the program is unique and essential to the success of

this program. Please refer to the suggestions for replication below, which address the

current testing of a similar Taft College program that does not require access to dormitory

rooms and cafeteria.

dormitory and cafeteria costs. 2) The Chancellor's Office pays for educational services

funding. 3) The Regional Centers pay for three distinct programs which include: the

payment of 30 hours per week per student at the rate of $15.74/hour for operational TIL

expenses, the funding of a weekend community outreach program, and a transitional

program to assist students entering the program, and for students graduating from the

program.

success of the program. However the Program Coordinator regularly conducts

presentations on the program within the community, across the state, and frequently

makes national presentations of the program.

astounding 93% of graduating students have moved on to independent living status, and

83% are employed. Most individuals in similar circumstances are eligible for Supported

Living Services (SLS) assistance in the amount of 120 hours per month.. TIL program

graduates average 20 hours per month of assistance, and 30% of TIL graduates require no

SLS assistance.

Centers across California are very willing to work with Community Colleges in setting up

such programs. Also, Taft College is currently in year one of a two-year program to

test/evaluate an adaptation of this program that does not include students living on campus

in college dormitories. To date the testing has been very successful. Transportation and

personal responsibility for time management have become much more important

components of the piloted course curriculum.