Free Adaptive Skills Training at home in Los Angeles County
Hands-on teaching of everyday skills, at home and around town, for kids, teens and adults. Your Regional Center covers the cost, so your family pays $0.
What is adaptive skills training?
Adaptive skills training (AST) is one-on-one teaching of the everyday skills most people pick up without being taught: getting dressed, cooking, handling money, getting around town. A professional comes to your home and teaches one skill at a time, right where it gets used.
It’s a Regional Center service for kids, teens and adults. It starts at age 3, and there’s no age cap. Here’s what it can work on at each age.
Kids, 3 to 12
-
Getting dressed
Putting on shoes and socks, zipping a jacket, buttoning a shirt.
-
Teeth and bath time
Brushing all the way around, washing up after the toilet, and a calmer bath time.
-
Potty training
Toilet training, and using restrooms at school, the park and the store.
Our potty-training guide -
Mealtimes
Staying at the table, using a spoon and fork, and taking a bite of something new.
-
Morning routine
Following picture steps from wake-up to the front door.
-
Wandering and safety
Stopping at the curb, holding a hand in the parking lot, staying close in a store.
-
Asking for help
Asking for a snack, a break or a hand, with words, signs or pictures.
-
Playing with other kids
Waiting for a turn, sharing a toy and joining a game at the park.
Teens, 13 to 17
-
Morning routine
Getting up with an alarm and getting ready without being told each step.
-
Hygiene
Showers, deodorant and brushing teeth, done on their own.
-
Simple meals
Toast, eggs, pasta or a microwave meal, start to finish.
-
Money
Paying at a register and counting the change before walking away.
-
Calling family
Calling home to check in, and saving the numbers that matter.
-
Getting around
Getting to school, a friend's house or the store by the same safe route.
-
Staying safe
Knowing what to do and who to ask if they get lost or something goes wrong.
-
Talking with people
Greeting people, ordering for themselves and holding up their end of a chat.
Plenty of teens are still learning daily care too, like the toilet, dressing, bathing and meals. That’s part of the work at every age.
Adults, 18 and up
-
Cooking
Planning a few easy dinners, shopping for them and cooking them alone.
-
Laundry and cleaning
Running the washer and dryer, folding, and a weekly cleaning routine.
-
Money and budgeting
Paying bills on time, keeping to a budget and shopping from a list.
-
Riding the bus
Reading a route, paying the fare and riding the bus alone.
-
Staying safe
Crossing the street, deciding when to open the door and handling an emergency.
-
Getting ready for work or class
Packing what they need and getting to work or class on time.
-
Making appointments
Calling to book a visit, writing it down and getting there.
-
Talking with people
Ordering, asking a clerk for help and making small talk.
Plenty of adults are still learning daily care too, like the toilet, dressing, bathing and meals. That’s part of the work at every age.
How do you get adaptive skills training?
If you already have a service coordinator at your Regional Center, it starts with one short email.
- Send one emailAsk your service coordinator to put adaptive skills training in the plan. We’re on copy, so nothing gets lost.
- Regional Center approvesThe Regional Center covers the cost. Your family never gets a bill.
- We visit your homeWe meet your child, see how your days run, and set the first goals together.
- Skills growYour professional visits on a regular schedule, stepping back as each skill takes hold.
Here’s the email. Open it in your email app or copy it, then fill in the highlighted parts.
Hi [their first name],
I'd like to add Aldera (formerly Levi Life Skills) for adaptive skills training to [your child's full name]'s service plan.
Thank you.
Don’t have their email? Search your inbox for @nlacrc.org, @westsiderc.org or @elarc.org.
No luck in your inbox? Our guides to NLACRC, Westside Regional Center and ELARC show other ways to reach your coordinator. Not with a Regional Center yet? Start with our eligibility guide. For the whole process step by step, read how to get adaptive skills training from your Regional Center.
What does a session look like?
- Your professional does it with your child, never for them.
- Each skill gets broken into small steps, with a bit less help every week.
- Once it works at home, practice heads out to the store, the bus stop or the park.
Nothing is drilled or forced. Each skill gets built around something your child already loves, so it feels more like play.
Is your area covered?
We come to families in three Regional Center areas across Los Angeles County: North Los Angeles County (NLACRC), Westside and Eastern Los Angeles (ELARC). With a different Regional Center? You still qualify, and we can start working with yours.
Why families choose us
After working with your team he became better in school, he became much better at telling us what he needs, and talking with people at school. I'm happy we found your team.
Vera really went above and beyond her work to truly help my daughter.
Questions parents ask about adaptive skills training
How do you pick the right professional for my child?
We start with your child: their interests, their personality and what they’re working on. Then we choose a professional with a track record of progress with kids like yours. Your child keeps that same person every visit, and if the fit is off, we switch.
Can sessions happen after school, in the evening or on weekends?
Yes. We schedule around your family’s week, including evenings and weekends.
Will adaptive skills training lower our IHSS or respite hours?
No. Your IHSS hours and respite hours don’t go down. IHSS comes from the county. The state has told each county to leave Regional Center services out when it sets IHSS. Here is the letter.
Is there a waitlist?
No. We start up to two new families every week. After your Regional Center signs off on the hours, we book the first home visit.
Who will actually come to our home?
A master’s-level professional who has worked with kids like yours. Our professionals average 9.3 years of experience, and between them they speak Spanish, Mandarin, Armenian, Russian and more.
How is adaptive skills training different from ABA?
They’re different services. ABA focuses on behavior, and it’s usually billed to health insurance. Adaptive skills training teaches daily living skills, like dressing, cooking and getting around, and your Regional Center pays for it. Many families use both at the same time.
Is adaptive skills training only for kids?
No. It’s for kids, teens and adults, from age 3 up, with no age cap. Many teens and adults are still learning dressing, bathing and other daily care, and it’s never too late.
How many hours of adaptive skills training will we get?
Your Regional Center decides. It sets the hours after we assess your child at home, and they go into the written plan. Our guide to the IPP meeting covers what to ask for.
We already have an AST provider. Can we switch?
Yes. Email your service coordinator the short note above, and we’ll handle the rest.
We’re not with a Regional Center yet. Where do we start?
With a free intake at the Regional Center for your area. Our eligibility guide walks you through it, and we’re glad to help you get ready.
Find the right help for your family
Answer three quick questions, and we’ll show you the next step. It costs your family nothing.
Find the Right Help