Creative Living Options, Inc.

Creative Living Options owes its existence to two amazing men, Deron Schmidt and Jason Coon. Their mothers, CEO Joan Schmidt and Co-Founder Kathleen Campbell, shared their challenges and journeys from infancy through adulthood managing profound developmental disabilities. As their sons grew and developed, Joan and Kathleen became experts on supporting family members with developmental disabilities. They served as mentors and advocates for families living with children and young adults experiencing developmental disabilities. Joan and Kathleen pioneered Supported Living Services, becoming "single-household vendors" for their own sons. They created a manual (See 'Available for download' on our website's Links page) that is the definitive resource for families embarking on SHV supported living in California. They served on legislative advisory committees, contributed to policy formation, and presented at conferences around the country. Founding a supported living agency was a natural outgrowth of their accomplishments. Creative Living Options began supporting its first consumer in March 2001, under the auspices of another, established non-profit agency, and CLO became an independent entity in October 2001. CLO's driving force continues to be keeping families and consumers at the center of every phase of its operation. In order to maintain that focus, Joan and the Board of Directors have committed to keeping the agency small. CLO serves as a leader and exemplar in the supported living field.