Hillside Provides Compassion, Community, and Care

Originally conceived in the late 1930s as a model residential facility for children with cerebral palsy, Hillside has evolved over the years to now providing services to 59 adults living with a range of moderate to severe intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). Hillside provides 24-hour intensive medical support plus empathetic caregiving through on-site programs that include occupational, physical, speech, recreational and aquatic therapy, sensory motor training, and independent living skills. Hillside’s emphasis on individualized person-centered care and the staff’s extraordinary level of love and compassion for the residents gives each individual – many of whom have been at the facility for decades – the opportunity to achieve their highest possible level of independence and accomplishment. 

When Hillside was founded, families typically kept their relatives with I/DD out of public sight – hence its somewhat ironic location in the then-remote neighborhood of Hidden Valley. Over time, through both State and Federal mandates and evolving societal morals, individuals with such disabilities are increasingly being integrated within the broader community. Hillside has been at the forefront of such efforts, working with its local partner agencies and organizations to provide residents with more cultural connections and opportunities for social engagement. 

“Our residents want to enjoy their lives just like everyone else,” says Hillside President and CEO Michael Rassler. “They very much have the same wants, goals, and desires.”

While there have been lots of improvements, those with I/DD haven’t been given as much opportunity to transcend being confined by their disabilities, and therefore their ability to integrate more fully into the community. That’s where Hillside’s latest efforts come in, including procuring a new, larger, adaptive van funded by the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara that has enabled more residents to visit Santa Barbara’s parks, libraries, the beaches, and the Zoo, or simply enjoy a meal in a restaurant.

“Everybody talks about diversity, equity, and inclusion. Hillside is a shining example of that in practice,” says Cheryl Sweeney, Hillside’s Chief Development Officer. “Our residents are some of the most vulnerable, and often forgotten, members of our community. They’re eager to engage with people and the broader community, whenever possible.”

Recently, the van and Hillside’s work with the City of Santa Barbara’s Access Advisory Committee enabled several residents to attend both the Solstice and Fiesta parades. It’s not just the residents who reap the benefits of community engagement – increased access and inclusion strengthen the community as a whole. 

“Creating a more receptive, a more equitable, and a more integrated community, makes us all stronger,” Rassler says.