About Gateway Center

History and Background of Organization

Gateway Center of Monterey County, Inc. (Gateway Center) is a private, not-for-profit community based organization which provides a wide range of services, including residential care, developmental training, and activity programs for adults ages 18 and over, with developmental disabilities.

Its predecessor organization, Monterey County Association for the Mentally Retarded, was founded in 1954 by a group of parents who wanted to foster the development of programs for the developmentally disabled. Gateway Center has been providing a variety of services in Monterey County for 56 years, to adults with developmental disabilities and their families and enabling our clients to achieve more independent and satisfying lives within the community.

In the last 56 years, Gateway Center has accomplished the following:

• Provided a school program in 1954 for developmentally disabled children who were then ineligible for existing school programs. The Monterey County Office of Education now operates this program.
• Developed an adult day activity program in 1963 that continues today.
• Developed and operated an infant stimulation program in 1963 that is now run by the Monterey County Office of Education.
• Developed a residential/respite program in 1975 that continues to this day.
• Developed and operated a workshop and supported employment program in 1983. This was sold in 2001 to Hope Services.
• Developed and operated the first adult development program serving the severely to profoundly handicapped as a day program in 1985.
• Provided and continue to provide residential services to 47 adults in two locations.
• Developed a senior day activities program in 2001.
• Expanded services to Salinas in 2003 by opening another senior day activities program.
• Obtained funding in 2009 from the San Andreas Regional Center (SARC) to downsize and develop a new service option for the community.

Mission

Gateway Center’s mission is to create a caring and stimulating environment where adults with developmental disabilities can live in our community, in surroundings compatible with their ability to live and work at the highest level possible.

Gateway Center's core values are guided by the following principles that permeate all our work:

• Respect individual needs and provide an opportunity to socialize to reduce isolation.
• Enable people with special needs to manage their own lives.
• Provide individualized services.
• Understand and respond to the special needs of each individual while instilling a sense of order and balance and thereby supporting self-reliant individuals.

Programs

Gateway Center provides four innovative day programs designed to develop and enhance skills that the developmentally disabled adult population requires in order to enjoy the same quality of life that non-disabled Californians strive to attain. Clients for all programs are generally referred by San Andreas Regional Center.

One of our four programs, the Senior Day Program, was developed in response to the growing number of seniors with developmental disabilities residing in Monterey County. Since the advent of that program, it has become apparent that there is a growing need for programs for the older adults with developmental disabilities; one that takes into consideration both their changing interests and their physical capabilities. Our Senior Day Program grew from the original one in Pacific Grove to include another one in Salinas. The emphasis of our Senior Day Program is on providing social and recreational opportunities, maintenances of self help skills, advocacy and age related health and emotional issues in both community and classroom settings. We expect our services to seniors to continue to grow.

Gateway Center’s administration and main residential building is in Pacific Grove, California, in a residential area of the town. It houses 48 residents plus a bed for respite care. We provide life skills training to approximately 60 people during the day. The building was built in the 1960’s and occupies about six acres of land. We have a satellite group home in Pacific Grove for six residents who function at a high enough level to require less supervision. It has six bedrooms, plus a living unit for the on-site manager. Gateway Center also operates two group homes in Marina.

Description of Constituency Served

Our constituency consists of adults with developmental disabilities. Because our population has lifelong disabilities, we work with them to develop as many independent skills as possible. For one person, that may mean learning to brush his teeth. For another, it may mean learning to help feed herself. The result is a slow, incremental change. As our clients age, we have also found that they tend to develop senile dementia and Alzheimer’s at an earlier age than the norm. This produces added challenges in an already challenging situation. The developmentally disabled, adults we serve suffer from one or more of the following diseases: Down’s syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, brain damage (diagnosed before age 18), autism, or a number of other debilitating diseases. Gateway Center provide our clients with help and instruction in basic living (our residential component) - personal hygiene, feeding and clothing oneself, social interaction. Our day programs provide additional social interaction, volunteer opportunities, community activities, and additional skill building. These programs allow our clients to develop their skills and abilities within a caring and accepting environment.