The Ventura County Board of Supervisors on Oct. 14 received and filed an 18‑month progress report on the county’s Office of Disability Access strategic plan. Danny Anderson, the county’s disability access manager, told the board that 11 of the plan’s 20 goals have begun and described accomplishments and next steps across four priorities: accessible mobility and infrastructure, disability‑aware communications and culture, an inclusive county workforce, and youth leadership and independence.

Highlights Anderson cited include:

- Accessible transportation: rollout of new low‑floor buses at the county transit operator; active work on a paratransit integration study and additional on‑demand accessible options countywide.

- Digital accessibility: county websites have exceeded basic accessibility requirements through a tracking tool (UserWay) and ITSD is developing tools to accelerate PDF accessibility to meet WCAG‑2.1 guidance; a timeline was described to address PDF remediation.

- Facility access: a phased, multi‑year ADA self‑evaluation and transition plan assessment is planned to begin a broader Phase 2 in November and continue for several years.

- Workforce and youth: plans for a disability‑focused employee resource group and confidential self‑identification survey; ongoing trainings for county staff; and outreach to schools and youth leadership opportunities, including discussion of a regional youth leadership forum.

Speakers and community response: Rebecca Evans of the Ventura County Workforce Development Board described a new state grant–funded work experience program (Peer Up) that will support job placements and paid work experience for people with disabilities. Brian Schumacher of the Autism Society of Ventura County spoke during public comment to endorse the plan and encouraged continued emphasis on employment and youth leadership.

Board action and next steps: the board unanimously received and filed the report. Anderson said many goals are ongoing and that the office will continue implementation and return with future updates; staff indicated Phase 2 of the ADA assessment and further youth‑engagement planning will advance in 2026.