History
BI and its various programs are the culmination of efforts on behalf of people with disabilities that began in the 1960s here in Sonoma County and in Sacramento. In 1967, a group of parents organized the first community-based adult program in Sonoma County called the Manual Skills Training Center. Two years later in 1969, the State Legislature passed the Lanterman Act which affirmed that people with disabilities had the same rights as all other people and that it is the responsibility of government to ensure that those rights are achieved. The Act set the stage for the establishment of community-based support services. Over the next decade additional support programs were established in Sonoma County. Finally in January 1980 this group of programs incorporated under the name of Becoming Independent and within a few years expanded to provide services in Napa and Solano counties. With this basic framework, BI evolved into the organization it is today.
Specialties
As the North Bay's largest nonprofit human services organization dedicated to people with developmental disabilities, BI services are available in Sonoma, Napa & Solano counties. We are dedicated to: Mission: