About ASTLA
Adaptive Skills Training & Life Autonomy. That’s what ASTLA stands for.
It’s not named after my brother. It’s because of him.
We grew up together in a military family, bouncing small town to small town while our dad served 36 years enlisted. My brother has a disability. Everything I believe about what good support looks like — real skills, real independence, dignity in the everyday stuff — I learned watching him navigate a world that wasn’t built for him. He guides my thinking on adaptive skills training to this day.
ASTLA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in Bakersfield, California, in my home office. The founding documents say so. If you dig deep enough, you’ll find the address, and you’ll realize our world headquarters has excellent plumbing.
Is it LA?
Is LA in our business name? Yes. Is it Los Angeles? No. No people, no buildings, no ocean.
We’re a Kern County nonprofit serving families in Ridgecrest, Lake Isabella, and the Indian Wells Valley. We do one thing: one-to-one adaptive skills training that helps people build real independence, at home and out in the community.
How we’re different
No waitlists. Ever. When families need us, we staff up. Assessments in 3 to 5 days, not 3 to 5 months. Every dollar goes back into supporting families, not shareholders.