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Regional Center System
The State of California has a commitment to provide services and supports to individuals with developmental disabilities throughout their lifetime. These services and supports are provided through a combination of federal, state, county and local government services, private businesses, support groups and volunteers.
The Department of Developmental Services provides leadership and funding for these services and supports through state-operated developmental centers and contracts with twenty-one agencies called regional centers. The regional centers have offices throughout California to provide a local resource to help find and access the many services available to individuals with developmental disabilities and their families.
To be eligible for services funded by the California Department of Developmental Services, individuals must have a developmental disability as defined in Section 4512 of the California Welfare and Institutions Code. The disability must begin before the 18th birthday, be expected to continue indefinitely and present a significant disability. Also, the disability must be due to one of the following conditions:
- Mental retardation
- Cerebral Palsy
- Epilepsy
- Autism
- A disabling condition closely related to mental retardation or requiring similar treatment.
Infants and toddlers (age 0 to 36 months) who are at risk of becoming developmentally disabled or who have a developmental delay may also qualify for services. The criteria for determining the eligibility of infants and toddlers is specified in Section 95014 of the California Government Code.
Individuals at risk of having a child with a developmental disability may be eligible for genetic diagnosis, counseling and other prevention services.
A developmental disability does not include other disabling conditions that are solely physical in nature.
The Department of Developmental Services is responsible for designing and coordinating a wide array of services for California residents with developmental disabilities. These services are provided through a statewide system of 21 locally-based regional centers. Regional centers are nonprofit private corporations that have offices throughout California to provide a local resource to help find and access the many services available to individuals with developmental disabilities and their families. Both geographic accessibility and population density were considered when selecting locations for the 21 regional centers. The catchment area boundaries for the regional centers conform to county boundaries or groups of counties, except in Los Angeles County, which is divided into seven areas, each served by a regional center.
Regional centers provide or coordinate the following services for individuals with developmental disabilities and their families:
- Information and referral
- Assessment and diagnosis
- Counseling
- Lifelong individualized planning and service coordination
- Purchase of necessary services included in the individual program plan
- Resource development
- Outreach
- Assistance in finding and using community and other resources
- Advocacy for the protection of legal, civil and service rights
- Early intervention services for at risk infants and their families
- Genetic counseling
- Family support
- Planning, placement, and monitoring for 24-hour out-of-home care
- Training and educational opportunities for individuals and families
- Community education about developmental disabilities
There is no charge for diagnosis and assessment for eligibility. Once eligibility is determined, most services are free regardless of age or income. There is a requirement for parents to share the cost of 24-hour out-of-home placements for children under age 18. This share depends on the parents' ability to pay. There may also be a co-payment requirement for other selected services.
Regional centers are required by law to provide services in the most cost-effective way possible. They must use all other resources, including generic resources, before using any regional center funds. A generic resource is a service provided by an agency which has a legal responsibility to provide services to the general public and receives public funds for providing those services. Some generic agencies you might be referred to are the local school district, county social services department, Medi-Cal, Social Security Administration, Department of Rehabilitation and others. Other resources may include natural supports. This is help that you may get from family, friends or others at little or no cost.
Regional centers help coordinate the services that are needed because of a developmental disability. This is called case management or service coordination. A case manager or service coordinator will be assigned to help you. He or she will help develop a plan for services, tell you where services are available, and help you get the services.
The regional center uses a planning process called an Individual Program Plan (IPP). For children age 0 to 36 months this process is called the Individual Family Service Plan (IFSP). The plan is prepared by regional center staff and the individual or the parents of a minor child, a guardian or conservator (if any), or anyone else the individual invites to participate.
The IPP (or IFSP) lists goals and the services needed to reach those goals. It lists who will provide the service and who will pay for it. All services listed in the IPP will be provided either by a generic or natural resource, a regional center vendor (a business approved by the regional center) or directly by the regional center.
For more information about Regional Centers or the California Department of Developmental Services, go to their website at http://www.dds.cahwnet.gov.