Disability Resources in Pierce County - jhitchen
January 29, 2026
Good morning neighbors,
I hope you are well during these stressful times. I won’t pretend that there hasn't been so much going on that I really wasn’t sure what to talk about. In those moments, I often look to community. I recently took time to visit a wonderful support organization in Parkland. This community partner inspired me to spend some time-sharing resources with our disabled neighbors—a sometimes-forgotten part of our community.
For those who are not aware, I am a certified educator in Washington State. To maintain my credentials, I must complete a certain number of continuing education courses. Over the holidays I had enrolled in a course on supporting students with disabilities, and that got me thinking about a conversation I had with a family when they asked me, “What is the county doing about the classroom to the couch problem?”
I had heard that concern while in schools, but at that time my focus was the classroom part. Over the last few years, I have worked to learn about the resources and supports that partners are expanding, or creating new opportunities, for those community members with disabilities.
County Resources
While our school districts work very hard to provide supports for school aged students with disabilities, we know that they are not in school year-round, nor all day. In addition, disabilities do not magically disappear when you graduate from high school. We have people who live in our county with a variety of disabilities. Some are living independently, some with family, and some in supportive housing. But everyone deserves the same rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
Our county provides a variety of resources including supportive services for those individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities, and their families. We provide community information, outreach and referrals to access information, and skills and supports for people of all abilities to live and participate in our community. Services include:
Caregiving
Early Support for Infants and Toddlers
School to Work and Supported Employment
You can learn more about the services for those with developmental disabilities here: Developmental Disabilities
We also have a huge host of supportive services under our Aging & Disability Resources, which offers case management services, provides unbiased information, community outreach and education, help in accessing services and person-centered planning and care coordination. They work to meet the individual needs of older adults, persons with disabilities and their caregivers. Services include:
Caregiving
Nutrition, Senior Centers
Long-Term Ombudsman.
You can find a helpful list here: Resource List
One way the county is really stepping up is in our supportive employment. We have worked hard to provide opportunities for full-time employment for people with disabilities, including those who need supportive employment. You can learn a little about this award-winning program here: Pierce County Supportive Employment Video
The last county resource is our Specialized Recreation Program through our Parks and Recreation Department. Specialized Recreation is programming designed for people with a variety of disabilities, and at lots of different ages. They offer events, classes and activities to provide respite time for caregivers, and social programming for people with disabilities. This program works in partnership with Parks Tacoma, and the cities of Lakewood, Puyallup and Sumner.
Local Partners Supporting Youth and Adults with Down syndrome
Several years ago, I attend the first 321 Buddy Walk in Pierce County. The goal of this inaugural event was to raise funds for families supporting their children with Down Syndrome. The first one was such a huge success, and the community support was incredibly positive that the team moved to actually work towards creating a physical space for children with Down Syndrome in Pierce County. They have done it, and their doors are open.
A Place For Me is a free community space in the Parkland area that provides a place for young children with Down Syndrome to learn and play, and for families to network and learn how best to support their growing child. But the organizers heard from community that they wanted more.
So, starting this month, they are opening the Opportunity Circle, a place to provide programs for adults with special needs, supporting education, employment, life skills, and social growth. They are licensed through the state and are on a Pierce Transit bus line. They provide education sessions each quarter, and this helps fill a huge gap in the kind of programming those adults with intellectual disabilities need. Remember the phrase, “from the classroom to the couch”? Very excited to see this added as resource in our community to address some of the reasons this happens.
Local Partners Supporting Youth with Autism and Related Disabilities
Another partner in our community—partially funded by the Behavioral Health and Therapeutic Court Tax Fund—is Behavior Bridges. They provide educational and behavioral based services to individuals affected by autism and related developmental disabilities. They have been providing services in Pierce County for 10 years, but many families are not aware of this resource.
They provide programming, one-on-one therapy, and formal classes and supports for caregivers. Like their name, they work hard to provide bridges between individuals with autism or other cognitive disorders and those caring for them, along with opportunities for young people to thrive outside of the classroom.
Other Resources
Transportation can be a huge barrier to accessing resources, and our county is massive. Some live inside transit zones, but not everyone. There are transportation resources and it is worth spending a few minutes researching your options around things like Para Transit.
TACID: Tacoma Area Coalition of Individuals with Disabilities promotes programing for individuals with disabilities to thrive. Similar to the Opportunity Circle, they create space for people with disabilities to learn together, socialize and enjoy life.
PAVE: Partnership of Action, Voices for Empowerment is another organization that focusses on young people with disabilities. They provide training for caregivers, information and resources for youth and families impacted by disabilities.
There are lots of options, but finding the right fit for the need you are trying to fill can be part of the challenge. Please reach out to county services to see if they are able to assist you.
Aging & Disability Resource Center
253-798-4600
800-562-0332 (Toll Free)
ADRC@piercecountywa.gov
Monday - Friday | 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Community Connections
Senior Lunch & Social in DuPont: Wednesday, February 11 beginning at 1 p.m. at 303 Barksdale Ave (DuPont Community Center). Enjoy a warm meal, friendly conversation, and a welcoming community atmosphere. This is a great opportunity to get out, relax, and connect with others! No cost to attend. RSVP by February 4, 2026. Call Emma at (253) 290-1096.
Health is Wealth Youth Development Programing: This one is found in two different locations in District 6. Tillicum American Lake Gardens Community Center hosts every Tuesday from 3 to 5 p.m. and Parkland-Spanaway Library on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday from 4 to 6 p.m. Please reach out to Yolanda with Safe Streets to learn more.
Events for District 6 Pierce County Library: Feb. 1st to 14th you can find events at our libraries and available virtually.
We are in challenging times. This letter is coming out in the morning before we will be headed out into our community to participate in the annual Point in Time Count. We continue to work hard to support our unhoused neighbors, but sadly, many living on our streets are living with a disability.
They didn’t have the family to support them and found their way to our streets. This is a system failure, but we are working hard to see how we can make improvements, close the gaps, and work with partners and programs like those listed above.
In partnership,
Jani