Channel Islands Social Services

CISS is a family-operated, private service organization committed to providing direct support to individuals and their dedicated caregivers/parents. We know how stressful life can be without support from friends and family. Likewise, all of us need a break from time to time to help us take care of our own needs and to refocus our own priorities, so that we can continue to be strong for those who need us. Our committed team of caregivers specializes in providing support to a variety of families including those caring for people who have developmental disabilities (such as but not limited to Autism, Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, and intellectual disabilities), Foster Parents and Kinship Caregivers of young children. Inspiration for the organization was sparked during the summer of 2004 when co-founder, Sharon M. Francis, then Director of Community Development for Tri-Counties Regional Center, identified the unmet needs of children with developmental disabilities living in Ventura County with no local option for respite services. Until then, all agency respite services had been provided by home health agencies offering CNA, LVN, or RN services, or from large L.A.-based multi-service companies. Some of these agencies serve more than a dozen regional centers and more than 10,000 people. This was not the personalized care that local families deserved. After seven years of service at TCRC, Sharon left and launched Channel Islands Social Services with her husband Tim, so that local families could have flexible, local respite options. Please call us so we can start getting to know and help you.

Sharon began her career supporting individuals with developmental disabilities and their families in 1993. Prior to launching CISS, she spent four years helping adults with special needs in supported employment and seven years at Tri-Counties Regional Center managing and performing quality assurance and resource development. Sharon has been instrumental in the Ventura County community in various roles and nonprofit groups and she has been a CPR and First Aid instructor with the American Red Cross since 2005. She serves on the boards of Tri-Counties Association for the Developmentally Disabled (as the Vendor Advisory Rep.), and was a long-time board member of the Autism Society Ventura County and Partners in Housing. In 2015, she was recognized by the Autism Society of America as their Autism Professional of the Year, and in 2021 was recognized by the Autism Society Ventura County with a lifetime achievement award.