There’s a new alternative for developmentally disabled adults and their families in Gilroy now that New Perspectives has opened its doors at 6400 Monterey Road. The sparkling facility, housed in the old Gilroy Dispatch building, is loaded with activities such as an art room, computer room, kitchen and even a stage that includes musical instruments such as guitars, a keyboard and a drum set.
Each area is designed to allow clients to interact, learn life skills and explore their creativity. Modeled after a similar facility in Salinas, New Perspectives in Gilroy focuses on developing the everyday abilities to help its clients integrate into everyday life.
“We’re an option for adults who don’t want to stay home or stay in a group home,” Chris Montoya, 35, program director said. “We’re an option that gets them out of the house and learning. It also provides an alternative when an adult is leaving a school transition program from 18 or 22 years of age.”
Sean Suh, 40, owner of New Perspectives, started his career in long-term care with interest in helping vulnerable people. His interest was piqued after he placed a nanny cam in the Sacramento nursing home that cared for his grandmother in 2011, and found she was being abused. It led to the institution being shut down, and inspired him to create one that served people better.
After the 2015 opening of a similar New Perspectives in Salinas, the San Andreas Regional Center (a state-funded agency that serves people with developmental disabilities) expressed interest for Suh to open a facility in the Gilroy, Hollister and Morgan Hill area.
“We have people who are still learning to tie their shoes, or learning how to make the bed,” Suh said. “Those basic needs and life skills are something they can achieve by being involved in a company like mine. There’s no graduating from that and if a person feels like they still need to work on those things, we’ll be their Monday through Friday resource.”
When the center is fully operational, Suh expects to hire up to 30 to 40 employees with a ratio of three employees for every client. The state covers expenses of $1,500 a month for those who need the care.
“We like to focus on the educational aspects of everything that we do,” said Montoya. “In our kitchen, for example, there are individual learning stations, where they can work on cooking or food prep. They can make different variations or work on different recipes.”
“In Salinas, we have a guy who’s learning to drive and another who’s learning how to tie his shoes,” Suh said. “It’s a very wide spectrum of people to work with. It’s a good reflection of the community. Everyone can learn from each other in our program.”
During the intake process when New Perspectives works with prospective clients and their families, they work to make sure they can provide the best care possible. For each client, a different day program is crafted to suit their needs and interests.
“If someone has a money management goal, we’ll work with them here, then take them out into the community to work on the skills they’ve learned,” Montoya said. “The ultimate goal is that they will be more independent and that they can shop for themselves.”
For clients and families at New Perspectives, there are little to no out-of-pocket costs. The program is funded by the state Department of Developmental Services, which funds the San Andreas Regional Center, that funnels money into programs such as New Perspectives.
New business gives new perspective
