The Ventura County Office of Disability Access reported progress on Oct. 14 to the Board of Supervisors, saying 11 of the 20 goals in the county's disability access strategic plan have begun and several multi‑year projects are starting this fiscal year.

Danny Anderson, the county’s disability access manager, gave an 18‑month progress update on a plan the board approved in January 2024. Anderson told the board the report covers four strategic priorities: an accessible transportation and digital foundation; greater inclusion of the disability community across county programs; internal county workforce actions to improve recruitment and retention of employees with disabilities; and youth leadership and independence programs.

Examples of work under way include deployment of UserWay tools to improve website accessibility and an ITSD‑supported effort to meet the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 standard for PDFs by an upcoming April deadline. Anderson said a multi‑year ADA assessment and transition plan (phase two) will begin in November and span several years. He also noted paratransit integration studies and expanded on‑demand transportation options countywide.

On workforce issues, Anderson said the county plans a confidential self‑identification survey and intends to form an employee resource group for staff with disabilities; those efforts are scheduled to move forward in 2026. In youth services, Anderson said he is working with local and state partners on forums and trainings; he chairs the statewide youth leadership forum governance group and intends to pursue a regional youth leadership event with community partners.

Board members thanked Anderson and noted the government and disability summit earlier this year drew national interest; supervisors praised the emphasis on youth programs and vowed continued support. The board received and filed the 18‑month progress report without action.