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Person-Centered Planning & Independent Facilitation

The participant sets the direction.

Practical navigation for California's Self-Determination Program

I'm Yasmin Herrera-Vilchez, an Independent Facilitator. I help people plan for what matters, understand California's Self-Determination Program, and work through barriers between a plan and support they can actually use.

You do not have to learn the whole system first.

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  • Participant-led
  • English + Español
  • California SDP
Illustrated California grizzly wearing a Hero Facilitation scarf
Access · direction · follow-through From paper to real life.

Find your starting point

What brings you here?

Choose what feels closest. You can also contact Hero directly. Communication and language access matter on every path.

Plan

I want to plan for the future

Start with the person's relationships, work, home, communication, community, and the life they want to build.

Explore planning
Explore SDP

I want to understand Self-Determination

Learn what SDP offers, how to prepare, and where to find help without learning every program term.

Start with SDP
In SDP

The person is already participating in SDP

See how Independent Facilitation can support implementation, address service barriers, and keep the participant’s choices central.

Explore Independent Facilitation
Support

I need help with a service or decision

A service has not started or has stopped, a provider is unavailable, or a decision is unclear. See how Hero approaches barriers.

See how Hero works

From paper to real life

What Hero keeps connected

The participant is the hero of their own journey. I facilitate the connections—access, communication, choices, planning, and follow-through—that help turn their direction into support in real life.

  1. 01

    Access

    Remove barriers to information, meetings, and participation.

  2. 02

    Communication

    Use the person's communication method and language.

  3. 03

    Participant direction

    Make the participant's goals, choices, and priorities visible.

  4. 04

    Planning

    Turn direction into an IPP, budget, or Spending Plan.

  5. 05

    Implementation

    Coordinate people, approvals, setup, and follow-through.

  6. 06

    Real-life result

    Check whether support actually starts and works in daily life.

Not a required sequence. These are connected priorities. An authorization matters, but the work is not finished until the participant can actually use the intended support.

How Hero Works

Bring the real situation

Not sure what to do next?

You do not need the right terminology or the whole plan figured out. Bring what is happening now and what you want to make possible.

Start a Conversation Explore SDP Resources