Facts Sheet

Mission

The sole mission of Desert Arc is to: Enhance the quality of life and create opportunities for people with disabilities.

Clients Served

Desert Arc serves people with developmental disabilities, including autism, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, mental retardation and other medical conditions. Many have multiple disabilities and nearly all are low income. Currently Desert Arc has 550 clients enrolled in at least one program. In total, 900 clients are enrolled in all programs. The client base of Desert Arc is dynamic with a general trend of 3-5% enrollment growth per year. All clients are adults 18 and over.

Programs & Services

Desert Arc offers a broad array of services tailored to the unique needs of each client with the goal of helping them live as independently as possible. Programs and services include: vocational training; job development; job placement and employment; independent living support and 24 hour emergency assistance; hot meals and nutrition; transportation; support and training for self help and independent living; case management and personalized coordination of client services; advocacy for client needs and community integration.

Service Area

Desert Arc's primary service area is the greater Coachella Valley and the Morongo Basin. It also serves people as far east as Blythe and as far west as Temecula. Further geographic expansion is possible in the future.

Client Race/Ethnicity

Caucasian: 50%
Latino/Hispanic: 39%
African American: 5%
Asian American: 2%
Native American: 1%
Other: 3%

Income Level

Ninety-nine percent of Desert Arc clients are classified as low income and receive Social Security and Medicare benefits.

Client Residence Locations

70 Indio

18 Bermuda Dunes

5 Indian Wells

55 Yucca Valley

14 Thermal

4 Morongo Valley

53 Cathedral City

10 Hemet

3 North Shore

51 Palm Desert

11 Hemet

3 Sky Valley

41 Desert Hot Springs

10 Thousand Palms

2 Landers

40 Coachella

9 Mecca

2 Temecula

36 Palm Springs

8 Blythe

1 Ripley

33 Joshua Tree

8 Rancho Mirage

1 Yucaipa

32 La Quinta

6 Cabazon

21 29 Palms

6 San Jacinto

Desert Arc Facility Locations

Desert Arc's primary campus, which includes its administrative offices and most of its program space, is located at 73-255 Country Club Drive, Palm Desert, CA, 92260. The location is at the southeast corner of Country Club and Sagewood. This location is about ΒΌ mile east from the intersection of Monterey/Country Club. The phone number is 760.346.1611.

Desert Arc has a smaller facility located at 6540 La Contenta Rd. Yucca Valley, CA, 92284. The phone number is 760-346-1611.

The Recycling Center is located at 81824 Trader Place, Building A, Indio, CA 92201 Call Angelique Ontiveros at 760-346-1611 x 232 for more information.

Enrolling a Person in Desert Arc Programs

Services for people who are developmentally disabled are delivered through a state network of Regional Centers that work with eligible people and their caregivers to determine appropriate programs for placement. Most Desert Arc clients are placed by the Inland Regional Center (IRC), which is a non-profit agency located in San Bernardino. IRC has a long-standing contract with the State of California Department of Development Services to provide, among other things, case management and referral services for eligible people with disabilities. They refer their clients to agencies located generally within the geographic areas defined by Riverside and San Bernardino Counties. Desert Arc contracts with IRC to provide certain services for IRC clients and their caregivers. Desert Arc cannot enroll eligible people without advance authorization from IRC. IRC can be contacted at 909.890.3000. Their website is www.inlandrc.org.