Services and Supports

The Department of Developmental Services is responsible for designing and coordinating a wide array of services for California residents with developmental disabilities. Regional centers help plan, access, coordinate, and monitor these services and supports.

A Person-Centered Planning approach is used in making decisions regarding where a person with developmental disabilities will live and the kinds of services and supports that may be needed. In person-centered planning, everyone who uses regional center services has a planning team that includes the person utilizing the services, family members, regional center staff, and anyone else who is asked to be there by the individual. The team joins together to make sure that the services people are receiving are supporting their choices regarding where they want to live, how and with whom they choose to spend the day, and hopes and dreams for the future.

Regional centers provide diagnosis and assessment of eligibility and help plan, access, coordinate, and monitor the services and supports that are needed because of a developmental disability. There is no charge for the diagnosis and eligibility assessment.

Once eligibility is determined, a case manager or service coordinator is assigned to help develop a plan for services, provide information where services are available, and assist in receiving the services. Most services and supports are free regardless of age or income.

There is a requirement for the parent to share the cost of 24-hour out-of-home placements for children under the age of 18. This share depends on the parents’ ability to pay. For further information see the Parental Fee Program at www.dds.ca.gov. There may also be a co-payment requirement for other selected services. For further information see the Family Cost Participation Program at www.dds.ca.gov.

Some of the services and supports provided by the regional centers include:

• 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 resources 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