Relocating to California from Michigan (Richmond: rent, crime rates, best school)

[Leaving the cold]

Here it is... I have a 10 year old son with autism. We live in Michigan, school funding has become so tight school programs are getting shutdown. If we stay here he will never reach his potential. As a parent I want to give my child the best opportunity in life. With the research we have done California is the best state to raise an autistic child. Now the question is where? Anywhere between San francisco and LA is where we have been looking. I know this is a bit of a stretch, but it is a start. I can list what I need and what I don't want, I can look up all kinds of data but word of mouth always seams to be more reliable.
Wants:
1. Excellent autism services
2. Fair rent animal friendly
3. Safe family friendly area
4. Weather as long as its not snowing 9 months a year I'm good
Don't want
1. High crime
2. Major cities
When we move the sole decision on where we live will be based off the autism programs and services. Any information would be appreciated.

[Snort]

With the research we have done California is the best state to raise an autistic child.

Where did you get that information?
At any rate, Emory and Yale are the universities you might want to contact. They might be able to tell you what researched programs are currently considered most effective.

[nullgeo]

I have no information to offer on autism ... however I have been involved in other disability support for many years. While I saw California as a pretty strong state for disability access and services at one time, I do not see any strong position now. State services are barely limping along. I hope you can verify such is not the case for autism and that there is a good opportunity here for you to escape Michigan ... (I am originally from Michigan.)

Caution: this forum is not a likely source for good information on your situation. If you have solid information about quality autism programs in California, ignore any negativity about lifestyle you read here and come take care of your son the best you can. But really do your due diligence research with the utmost caution. California can be a tough nut to crack economically given you are a single parent of a special needs child.

Good luck.

[NewToCA]

How about starting here for information concerning state supported programs:


California Autism Foundation


You can reach them at (510) 758-0433.

[Leaving the cold]

Originally Posted by Leaving the cold

Here it is... I have a 10 year old son with autism. We live in Michigan, school funding has become so tight school programs are getting shutdown. If we stay here he will never reach his potential. As a parent I want to give my child the best opportunity in life. With the research we have done California is the best state to raise an autistic child. Now the question is where? Anywhere between San francisco and LA is where we have been looking. I know this is a bit of a stretch, but it is a start. I can list what I need and what I don't want, I can look up all kinds of data but word of mouth always seams to be more reliable.
Wants:
1. Excellent autism services
2. Fair rent animal friendly
3. Safe family friendly area
4. Weather as long as its not snowing 9 months a year I'm good
Don't want
1. High crime
2. Major cities
When we move the sole decision on where we live will be based off the autism programs and services. Any information would be appreciated.

I got the information from the internet when I search top states to raise an autistic child.

[Leaving the cold]

Originally Posted by nullgeo

I have no information to offer on autism ... however I have been involved in other disability support for many years. While I saw California as a pretty strong state for disability access and services at one time, I do not see any strong position now. State services are barely limping along. I hope you can verify such is not the case for autism and that there is a good opportunity here for you to escape Michigan ... (I am originally from Michigan.)

Caution: this forum is not a likely source for good information on your situation. If you have solid information about quality autism programs in California, ignore any negativity about lifestyle you read here and come take care of your son the best you can. But really do your due diligence research with the utmost caution. California can be a tough nut to crack economically given you are a single parent of a special needs child.

Good luck.

Michigan just cut 350 million from the school systems state wide. I reside in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. This cut affects the programs in our community drastically. In the whole school district there is 3 autistic children. My son is the first high functioning autistic the school has had, they have had to develop a whole new system for him in the elementary level. However now that he is entering middle school they are at a loss as to what they are going to do. We can't take that chance of him not getting what he needs to function in society later in life. One day we wont be here to care for him and we need to give him every opportunity we can and Michigan is failing at providing this. Not only to disabled children but all the children in the state.

[Leaving the cold]

Originally Posted by NewToCA

How about starting here for information concerning state supported programs:


California Autism Foundation


You can reach them at (510) 758-0433.

I have looked into this Program, but I have heard bad things about Richmond as far as gangs and violence, and high crime rates. I was really interested in Richmond untill I read this info.

[ilushka]

Originally Posted by Leaving the cold

Michigan just cut 350 million from the school systems state wide. I reside in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. This cut affects the programs in our community drastically. In the whole school district there is 3 autistic children. My son is the first high functioning autistic the school has had, they have had to develop a whole new system for him in the elementary level. However now that he is entering middle school they are at a loss as to what they are going to do. We can't take that chance of him not getting what he needs to function in society later in life. One day we wont be here to care for him and we need to give him every opportunity we can and Michigan is failing at providing this. Not only to disabled children but all the children in the state.

I live in the Bay Area and I have a few friends who work with autistic children, and other kids with disabilities, at various schools. Apparently a lot of schools have programs that accommodate such children. One of my close friends works at a private school that accepts a lot of troubled kids and have a whole division dedicated to kids with various "mental disorders". You probably don't want your son there but I can try to ask her what would be the best school(s) for somebody who is not a trouble maker.

-- ilya

[nullgeo]

Originally Posted by Leaving the cold

I have looked into this Program, but I have heard bad things about Richmond as far as gangs and violence, and high crime rates. I was really interested in Richmond untill I read this info.

As I said: be extremely diligent in your research and decision making -- as moving to California, and setting up and staying here, is not a cheap move ... you'd hate, obviously, to arrive so far away to find disappointment or disaster.

That said, Richmond is a mixed bag ... not all bad ... some real bad ... a few areas really quite characterful ... don't discount a good program because it has a Richmond address (if it IS a good program: research research!).

[Ceece]

You may run into problems because every school district is not the same, regardless of what you've heard about CA itself. I don't know anything about autism but I know the schools are not throwing money at special services at this time.