"Our vision is of a society that values each individual
and provides the opportunity for all people
to lead full and productive lives"

Learn more about the Silcock Family

About First Step Supported Living Services
FSSLS

First Step Supported Living Services (FSSLS) was started by Jim Silcock and Ann Belles to met a need in their own family. Jim and Ann are adoptive parents of a number of children and young adults with developmental disabilities. As the Silcock children became adults they wanted to make the next typical adult transition---moving away from mom and dad's house. Despite their various levels of disabilities, these young adults had desires that were the same as their peers without disabilities. Jim and Ann realized that many of their children would never develop the skills necessary to live completely independently, in fact many of their sons required constant eyes-on supervision due to their physical and behavioral challenges.
Upon investigating the living options in California for adults with significant developmental disabilities as well as physical, behavioral and medical issues Jim and Ann soon discovered that group homes, nursing homes, and other large congregate living situations were the primary option for persons unable to live independently.

Jim and Ann did not want their children to spend their adult lives in group homes and other large residential settings. These were the very places the Silcock children had lived before being matched with the family for adoption. It didn't make sense to celebrate when the children left the group home to join a family home only to have them return to group home living as adults. For this reason, Jim and Ann started First Step Supported Living Services.

First Step Supported Living Services (FSSLS) is a vendored agency with the Regional Center of Orange County. This agency was developed to meet the residential needs of local Regional Center clients with significant developmental, medical, physical and behavioral challenges who choose to live in their own home in their own communities. When this agency started in December 1997, there was an unmet need in Orange County. There were few living options for individuals who had maximum support needs. Since 1997 FSSLS has successfully matched folks with significant support needs who want to live in their own homes to paid roommates and respite staff. FSSLS demonstrated that with an appropriate level of support, even a person with the most profound disabilities could live safely and successfully in his or her own home in the community.

We are happy to report that today there are several other supported living agencies in Orange Count (and we are sure many more in the state), who can provide residential support for this level of consumer need. Supported living has become another viable living option for adults with any level of developmental disabilities. For more information about supported living agencies in your area of California please contact your local Regional Center.