When Steven Charles Tremblay left his Waterville, Maine home to head off for college, like so many young people before him, he was filled with hopes, dreams, and boundless optimism for the future.  He never expected to sustain a spinal cord injury that would change his life forever. No one ever does. When Steven returned home, it would be a gross understatement to say that many things had changed for him. But fortunately for the people of Maine, Steven recovered his boundless optimism and fueled it with a driving sense of purpose and tireless energy.  After a protracted period of rehabilitation, Steven launched the Independent Living movement in Maine and in 1978 founded Alpha One, a federally funded Center for Independent Living.

People with disabilities have always comprised the majority of Alpha One’s leadership, staff, and governing Board of Directors.  As a result, Alpha One has endeavored to examine issues first from the perspective of a disabled consumer.  To be sure, a wide array of stakeholders, providers, and state agencies contribute valuable insight and point of view in the complex matrix of long-term care services and supports. But at Alpha One, we look first through the lens of disabled people and their families.

Perhaps the best way to assess Alpha One’s quest to see things from the consumer’s point of view is to hear directly from the consumers themselves: View our consumer success stories here.