TOWARD MAXIMUM INDEPENDENCE

That all people we support experience full inclusion in their daily lives in all aspects of community life. We believe that the three cornerstones of a strong life foundation are: living as independently as possible, having the opportunity for real work for real pay, and providing children and young adults with caring family homes with personalized supports.

Our three main programs: Employment Solutions, Community Living Services and Family Support Services.

Employment Solutions: With assistance from Toward Maximum Independence (TMI) Job Coaches and through our Integrated Work, Supported Employment, Tailored Day and Evolution to Independence (deaf and hard of hearing) services, our employment programs work with individuals to secure and maintain gainful employment in the community, if desired, and also work in collaboration with local businesses to develop volunteer opportunities for our clients. Although paid work is the desired outcome for our clients, many are working as volunteers at a wide variety of nonprofit organizations throughout San Diego, Riverside and Imperial Counties. TMI further assists local school districts to secure jobs for students in their last year of public education to help promote and ensure a smooth transition from school to adult life where jobs are the first order of business.

Community Living Services: Toward Maximum Independence (TMI) is honored to offer Independent Living and Supported Living Services to individuals with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities. In order to live in a home or apartment in the community, one person may need live-in support, while others may need only intermittent “come in” support once or twice a week to help with such things as meal planning, grocery shopping or banking. TMI's mission and core values are the driving force behind our emphasis on helping people develop and build skills so they can do things for themselves; be independent. We also help people develop relationships with neighbors and other members of the community so they can identify and discover activities and places where they can meet people, make friends and become productive, contributing participants in the community.


Family Support Services: At Toward Maximum Independence (TMI), we are dedicated to supporting individuals with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities including youth; the period between childhood and adult age. As a licensed Resource Family Agency (previously named Foster Family Agency) (RFA License #370603102), TMI provides resource family placements for youth with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities. Resource families are available for youth with special needs who are unable to remain with their family of origin. Another aspect of TMI’s Family Support Services is that it seeks to prevent the need for out-of-home placements. Through TMI’s Family Focused Supports, the agency offers support to birth families and their children with the goal of addressing support needs before they reach a crisis level. The goal of our Assessment and Intervention Services program, with the support from members of the Interdisciplinary Planning Team, is to provide the supports and services necessary to ensure that individuals receive services which promote full inclusion in the “least restrictive environment.”

Headquartered in San Diego, Toward Maximum Independence (TMI) was formed in 1981 to provide independent living services as a vendor with San Diego Regional Center. In 1986, the agency became a California nonprofit 501(c)3 corporation. Over the next several years our services were expanded to include employment, supported living, family support and, in 2000, for the deaf and hard of hearing.

TMI has been accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) since accreditations started in 2001. For 2015, we were nominated for the East County Chamber of Commerce Community Service Organization for best nonprofit, as well as being nominated for Best Service Organization by the Temecula Valley Chamber of Commerce.

TMI is comprised of a governing Board of Directors, as well as a staff of more than 360. Currently, we hold several vendorizations through San Diego and Inland Regional Centers including Independent Living Services, Supported Living Services, Integrated Work and Family Focused Services. We also provide support to children through our Alternative Family program, which is licensed as a Resource Family Agency (formerly named Foster Family Agency). In addition, TMI has an agreement with the Department of Rehabilitation to provide Supported Employment services. We also provide services to the deaf and hard of hearing via our Evolution to Independence (ETI) division.

All supports provided by TMI are designed to enable people, regardless of age or level of disability, to live in real homes in the community and to be fully included in family, school, work and community life. In order to achieve our goals we have always placed a high priority on providing the highest quality training to agency staff. We have developed and continually maintain, through regular update and revision, a comprehensive staff inservice curriculum. This includes a series of inservices, incentives to encourage outside conferences and workshop/attendance and, historically, special staff retreats and trainings.

In Employment Solutions, we have placed more than 2,500 qualified applicants with disabilities in the San Diego, Riverside and Imperial Counties business sectors. Our clients with our Community Living Services program are living as independently as possible in a home of their choosing. The youth with our Family Support Services program are living in caring homes.

TMI has been rated "Excellent" in providing services and quality employees from 98% of its employers.

TMI has been awarded three-year accreditations for the National Rehabilitation Accreditation Committee (CARF).

TMI maintains an unprecedented status with the State Department of Rehabilitation and the communities we serve in providing services to all individuals, regardless of their disability.

We are continually looking to expand our services throughout Southern California, as well as look for new and innovative ideas to improve our programs. We will also continue to advocate for the rights of our clients, as well assist them with advocating for themselves. We will also continue to fight for much needed rate increases for our services.