Disability Resource Agency for Independent Living (DRAIL)

The Disability Resource Agency for Independent Living (DRAIL) promotes and implements the concept of independent living by aiding persons with disabilities to obtain the tools they need to be self-sufficient.

DRAIL services are tools that assist people with disabilities to live more independent lives. Independence requires support for both the physical and emotional needs of the individual. DRAIL services are designed to empower individuals to achieve personal goals, renew confidence and enable independence.

Our six core services include:

• Housing Referrals: Provides information and education to consumers and landlords about accessible and low-income housing.
• Information and Referral
• Peer Counseling: Provides consumers with peer advising resources through workshops that facilitate frank, honest discussions about dealing with one’s disability and related issues, such as socialization, emotional adjustment, accessing resources and family relations.
• Personal Assistant Services: Provides a referral list of potential care providers. Specialists assist persons with disabilities to find appropriate care providers.
• Independent Living Skills Training: Provides consultation and training in individual settings based on individual needs for persons with disabilities to acquire practical daily living skills for home and community accessibility.
• Individual and Systems Change Advocacy

In addition, DRAIL has a variety of non-core services available. Not all non-core services are available in every office. Contact your local DRAIL office to determine availibility. Some of these non-core services include:

• Benefits Advising: DRAIL can advise you and your family about your rights and responsibilities regarding possible or actual public benefits (i.e. SSI, SSDI, Medicare, Medical, etc.).
• Utility Assistance Programs: DRAIL’s staff has been trained to assist low-income persons with disabilities with utility company applications for discounts on their utility bills. These application forms are available at all DRAIL offices.
• Computers in a Nutshell: This is a basic computer training class that teaches computer operations, Internet search, email usage and word processing.
• Braille Read-n-Write: This class will teach you how to use Brailling equipment as well as how to read it. Braille students begin by learning the alphabet then advance to level one and eventually level two Brailling. (Modesto office only)
• Dial-a-Ride Certification: DRAIL is an authorized agency that provides certification of persons with disabilities for Dial-a-Ride services, paratransit organization. Contact your local office for more information. (Modesto office only)

Language and sign language interpreters are available to help you communicate with DRAIL representatives upon request.