If you have a family member with an intellectual and/or developmental disability (I/DD), you may hear that a regional center is an important place to start when looking for support. California regional centers are nonprofit organizations that contract with the California Department of Developmental Services (DDS) to help eligible individuals access and coordinate services. There are 21 regional centers across California, each serving a specific geographic area.
Understanding their basic role can make California’s developmental services system much easier to navigate.
What Does a Regional Center Do?
A regional center is a local resource for people with developmental disabilities and their families. Regional centers determine eligibility and help eligible individuals plan, coordinate, and access services and supports.
According to DDS, their responsibilities include assessment and diagnosis, case management, individualized planning, information and referrals, service coordination, and assistance accessing community resources. Regional centers may also purchase necessary services included in an individual’s Individual Program Plan (IPP).
One important distinction is that the regional center does not necessarily provide every service itself. An individual may work with a regional center for planning and coordination while receiving an authorized service from another provider.
Who Can Receive Regional Center Services?
For individuals age five and older, a developmental disability generally must begin before age 18, be expected to continue indefinitely, and constitute a substantial disability under California law.
Regional centers determine eligibility through diagnosis and assessment. DDS states that there is no charge for the diagnosis and eligibility assessment.
Different provisions apply to younger children. Infants and toddlers from birth through 36 months may qualify for services through California’s Early Start program. Children ages three and four may qualify for provisional regional center eligibility if they have significant functional limitations in at least two major life activities identified in state law.
Because eligibility is determined individually, families should contact their local regional center if they are unsure whether a child or adult may qualify.
What Is an Individual Program Plan?
Once a person is eligible, individualized planning becomes an important part of receiving services. For individuals age three and older, this includes an Individual Program Plan, commonly known as an IPP.
The IPP identifies the individual’s goals and the services and supports planned to address their needs. This process matters because people with I/DD have different abilities, interests, circumstances, and priorities.
One person might want to become more independent with everyday routines. Another may want more opportunities to participate in the community. The purpose of individualized planning is to connect services with the person’s own needs and goals rather than place everyone into the same type of program.
DDS describes regional centers as providing lifelong individualized planning and service coordination. As an individual’s needs and goals change, service planning can change as well.
Do Regional Centers Provide Services Directly?
This is a common point of confusion about California regional centers.
Regional centers perform certain functions directly, including eligibility assessment, case management, planning, and service coordination. However, some services included in an individual’s IPP may be provided by outside organizations.
Think of the regional center as an important connection point. It helps determine what an eligible individual needs, coordinates the plan, and helps the person access appropriate services and resources. A separate provider may then deliver an authorized service.
Understanding that difference can help families know where to direct questions. Questions about an IPP or overall service coordination may belong with the regional center, while questions about day-to-day activities within a particular service may belong with the provider.
What Is the Self-Determination Program?
Families may also hear about California’s Self-Determination Program (SDP). This program gives eligible regional center participants greater choice and authority over how certain services and supports are arranged.
Self-Determination operates within the regional center system rather than replacing it. Individuals participating in SDP continue to work with their regional center while having more flexibility in choosing services and providers within program requirements.
Canaan Cares provides Self-Determination Program services for individuals ages three and older through all California Regional Centers.
How Can Families Get Started?
If you believe a family member may be eligible for regional center services, the first step is identifying the regional center that serves the person’s area. DDS provides information about California’s 21 regional centers and the geographic areas they serve.
You can then contact that regional center to ask about eligibility and the application process.
As you move through the process, a few questions can help keep conversations focused:
- Who is our case manager or service coordinator?
- What needs and goals are identified in the IPP?
- What services are available to address those needs?
- How do we access an authorized service?
- Who should we contact when needs or goals change?
You do not need to understand every term or program before getting started. Asking questions is part of learning how the system works.
Understanding Where Service Providers Fit In
Once services have been identified, families may begin working with organizations that provide specific types of support.
Canaan Cares provides Independent Living Service and a Community Day Program in San Diego County through the San Diego Regional Center. The Community Day Program is community-based rather than facility-based and operates at a 1:4 ratio. Statewide, Canaan Cares also provides services through the Self-Determination Program where applicable.
The appropriate services depend on the individual and the planning process. The goal is not simply to enroll someone in a program. It is to identify support that reflects that person’s needs, interests, and goals.
Regional Centers Help Connect the Pieces
For families new to developmental services, California regional centers can be easier to understand when you focus on their central purpose: helping eligible individuals access and coordinate the services and supports they need.
Regional centers determine eligibility, provide case management, coordinate individualized planning, and help people connect with appropriate resources and services. Service providers may then become part of that larger support system based on the individual’s plan.
Learning this basic structure gives families and self-advocates a clearer starting point. You can identify your local regional center, ask about eligibility, learn about the IPP process, and explore the services that may help the individual work toward personally meaningful goals.
If you are interested in learning more about California regional centers in San Diego County and the surrounding areas, please contact the compassionate staff at Canaan Cares today: (858) 345-6546.
Canaan Cares proudly serves California Regional Centers throughout San Diego, Poway, Oceanside, Escondido, Carlsbad, El Cajon, Vista, Solana Beach, Encinitas, La Mesa, and Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, San Diego, and Riverside Counties.
To begin the eligibility process in your region, contact:
San Diego Regional Center
(858) 576-2996
Regional Center of Orange County
(714) 796-5100
Inland Regional Center
(909) 890-3000
Harbor Regional Center
(310) 543-0100
South Central Los Angeles Regional Center
(213) 744-7000
Eastern Los Angeles Regional Center
(626) 299-4700
Lanterman Regional Center
(213) 383-1300
Westside Regional Center
(310) 258-4000
Families may call any office for support, and staff will direct you to the correct intake coordinator.
