Guiding You Through Every Step of Self-Determination, From A to Z
You Deserve a Facilitator Who Truly Understands
Hi, I'm Veronica Montgomery. I’m an independent facilitator, disability advocate, and founder of A to Z Facilitation.
Navigating the Self-Determination Program can feel overwhelming: the paperwork, the meetings, the decisions that shape your loved one's life. You shouldn't have to do it alone, and you shouldn't have to explain your experience to someone who's never lived it.
At A to Z Facilitation, I bring more than professional expertise to the table. As a disabled person myself, I understand what it means to advocate for a life of dignity, choice, and inclusion because I've done it for myself. That lived experience shapes everything I do, from the way I listen to the way I fight for the services and supports you deserve.
Whether you're just getting started with the Self-Determination Program or need ongoing support, I'm here to walk beside you every step of the way.
What I Do
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Person-Centered Planning
Your goals. Your dreams. Your plan. I facilitate meaningful planning meetings that put you at the center, as opposed to the system, paperwork or budget. Together with your circle of support—family, friends, service coordinators, and the people who know you best—we'll identify what's important to you and what's important for you, and build a plan of action that reflects the life you want to live.
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Budget Negotiation
The budget process doesn't have to be a battle. I advocate alongside you during budget negotiations to ensure your individual budget reflects your actual needs and goals, not just what's convenient for the system.
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Spending Plan Development
Once your budget is approved, I help you develop a clear, strategic spending plan that puts every dollar to work in service of your person-centered goals. That includes mapping your current services alongside new services you need: from Supported Living and Independent Living Services to Social Recreation, Transportation, Employment Support, and more. I also provide ongoing spending tracking so you stay on course throughout the year.
My Approach
How I Show Up
I specialize in supporting individuals living with complex support needs, and I know that complex needs require more than a checklist. They require someone who can hold the full picture.
That means building a real circle of support around you - gathering the people who know and love you best, whether they're in the room or joining by Zoom and facilitating conversations that honor every voice.
It means using frameworks like "What's Important To You" and "What's Important For You" to make sure your plan reflects not just what the system says you need, but what actually makes your life feel full, safe, and yours.
It means coordinating across your entire support team—medical providers, therapists, service coordinators, independent living staff, and family—so everyone is aligned and nothing falls through the cracks.
It means showing up as a partner, not just a professional.
New to Self-Determination?
Here's What You Need to Know
The Self-Determination Program (SDP) is a California program that gives individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and their families, more freedom and control over the services and supports they receive through the Regional Center. It is not an obligated program individuals need to take, but it is available to those who want to participate in it.
The program is built on five core principles:
Freedom: The right to choose where you live, who you live with, how you spend your time, and who supports you.
Authority: The ability to control a budget to purchase the services and supports of your choosing.
Support: Access to both formal and informal resources that help you live a full, community-connected life.
Responsibility: Taking ownership of your decisions and the use of public dollars while building a valued role in your community.
Confirmation: Recognition that individuals and team play the critical role in designing the systems they rely on.
Instead of the Regional Center choosing your services for you, SDP lets you choose your own services, hire providers you trust (including family members in some cases), manage an individual budget, and work with an Independent Facilitator (that's me!) to guide the entire process.
Think of me as your guide, your translator, and your advocate, all in one.
Have questions? Feel free to reach out to me via email.
Why Families Choose A to Z
Lived Experience
I don't just understand disability from a textbook, I live it myself. That perspective shapes how I show up for my clients: with empathy, with understanding, and with the kind of fierce advocacy that comes from knowing what's at stake.
Bilingual Services (English & Spanish)
Every family deserves to be fully understood, in their own language. I provide all services in both English and Spanish, so nothing gets lost in translation during the moments that matter most.
A to Z Support
My name says it all. I don't just help with one piece of the puzzle, I support you through the entire Self-Determination journey. From your very first question to your ongoing spending plan management, I'm with you from A to Z.
Meet Veronica
Hi, I’m Veronica Montgomery. I’m a San Diego–based independent facilitator, disability advocate.
My work has always been personal. I knows what it means to navigate complex systems, fight for the right services, and build a life rooted in dignity and choice because I’ve done it for myself. That perspective is what drives me to show up differently for every family I serve. I show up with empathy, with deep understanding, and with the kind of fierce advocacy that comes from knowing what's at stake for my clients from a personal perspective.
I believe every person deserves a facilitator who leads with listening and advocates without hesitation. That belief is the foundation of everything I do as a facilitator.
Let's Get Started
Whether you're exploring the Self-Determination Program for the first time or looking for a facilitator who truly gets it, I'd love to hear from you. Book a free consultation in English or Spanish, and let's talk about how I can support you and your family.