May 2024
* American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) for Part C
1
DEPARTMENT OF DEVELOPMENTAL SERVICES
EXAMPLES OF INITIATIVES & RESOURCES TO ADVANCE EQUITY
1.
African American and
Hispanic/Latino Focus Groups
Focus groups to bring together leaders from all over the state
including self-advocates, service providers, family members,
community-based organizations, staff from the regional centers
and DDS to expand efforts to support service access and equity
for the African American and Hispanic/Latino communities.
Began July 2020 and May 2023,
respectively
2.
Autism Focus Group
Focus group of self-advocates (individuals) to provide
recommendations to DDS on policies, services and supports that
impact individuals on the autism spectrum.
Began May 2023
3.
Bilingual/Multi-Lingual Pay
differential for Direct Service
Professionals
Provide a pay differential to direct service professionals (DSP)
who can communicate with consumers in a language or
medium other than English.
Soft rollout - 4 RCs
4.
Communication Assessments for
Consumers who are Deaf
Complete communication assessments for individuals who are
deaf or hard of hearing to improve services.
5.
Community Navigator Program
Establish a community navigator program using family resource
centers to help families connect with services.
Began Spring 2022
6
Consumer Electronic Records
Management System (CERMS)
Implement a statewide Consumer Electronic Records
Management System to standardize and improve access to
individual records.
7.
Coordinated Family Support
Services
A new service option to improve and expand supports for
individuals living at home with their family.
Began January 2023
DEPARTMENT OF DEVELOPMENTAL SERVICES
* American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) for Part C
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8.
Culturally Sensitive Child Find and
Outreach*
Targeted and culturally sensitive outreach and Child Find to
increase Early Start enrollment for children from communities
that have low rates of participation in Early Start, or from families
that are fearful of accessing services due to their immigration
status, or families experiencing homelessness.
Began Fall 2022
9.
Data Definitions for Race, Ethnicity
and Language
Establish common data definitions. Regional centers shall start
recording race, ethnicity, preferred language at milestones.
Public input underway
10.
Deaf Access Specialists
Provide increased expertise at DDS and all regional centers to
support services, and improve access and equity, for consumers
who are deaf.
Began July 2022
11.
Early Start Information Packet
Early Start packet is for parents and other caregivers of infants
and toddlers who may have, or are at risk to have,
developmental delays or disabilities. Provides details about the
regional center system, resources, rights and other information
about how to become eligible for services.
12.
Early Start Outreach to Tribal
Communities
Conduct engagement and outreach with tribal communities to
improve access and utilization of Early Start services.
Began Spring 2022
13.
Enhanced Service Coordination
for Consumers with Low or No POS
Time-limited enhanced service coordination for up to 4,200
consumers annually with low or no purchase of service (POS)
expenditures.
Began 2021
14.
Expanded Early Start Eligibility
Criteria
Lowering the eligibility threshold from 33 percent to 25 percent;
separating communication delays to two distinct categories
(expressive and/or receptive language); and identifying Fetal
Alcohol Syndrome as a risk factor for developmental delays.
Began June 30, 2022
15.
Expansion for Early Start
Professionals*
Pilot a provider recruitment program to increase the availability
of a provider network that reflects the cultural and linguistic
diversity of the community.
Began January 2023
DEPARTMENT OF DEVELOPMENTAL SERVICES
* American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) for Part C
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16.
Implicit Bias Training for Regional
Centers
Implicit Bias training to all regional center personnel, as well as
contracted staff involved in intake and assessment and eligibility
determinations.
Began Fall 2023
17.
Independent Evaluation of the
Service Access and Equity (SAE)
Grant Program
Contracted with Georgetown University National Center for
Cultural Competence and Mission Analytics group for an
independent evaluation of the SAE grant program.
18.
Language Access and Cultural
Competency Orientations and
Translations
Promote language access and cultural competency across the
regional center system through orientations and specialized
group and family information sessions, culturally sensitive
outreach efforts, and translation services.
Began Summer 2022
19.
Lanterman Act Provisional
Eligibility - Birth through age 4
Establishes provisional eligibility for Lanterman Act services for
infants and toddlers who meet specified eligibility requirements.
Began July 2021 for ages 3 & 4
Expanded in July 2023
20.
Lanterman Information Packet
Packet will be focused on information related to the Lanterman
Services Act and will be helpful for individuals, parents and other
caregivers of individuals over the age of 3 years who may have,
or are at risk to have, developmental delays or disabilities. This
packet will provide details about the regional center system,
resources, consumer rights and other information about how to
become eligible for services.
21.
Rate Reform and Quality
Incentive Program
Multi-year process for rate adjustments and implementation of
rate models, consistent with the 2019 Rate Study, which shall
include a quality incentive program, create an enhanced
person-centered, and outcomes-based system by July 1, 2025.
22.
Reduced Caseload Ratios Ages
0-5 to 1:40
Reduce caseload ratios for children birth through age five to
support access to services and through early childhood
transitions.
Began July 2023
DEPARTMENT OF DEVELOPMENTAL SERVICES
* American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) for Part C
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23.
Regional Center Cultural
Specialists
Provide increased expertise at DDS and all regional centers to
support services, and improve access and equity, for individuals
from diverse backgrounds.
Began Fall 2016
24.
Respite Cap Lifted
Lifted statutory restrictions that limited purchase of in-home and
out-of-home respite services.
Began January 2018
25.
Review of Generic Services
Provide information about generic services and coordination,
evaluate availability of common services and supports.
26.
Service Access and Equity Grant
Program
Annual grant program for regional centers and community-
based organizations to implement strategies to reduce
disparities and increase equity in opportunities to access
regional center services.
Began 2016
27.
Service Provider Directory
Establish an online statewide service provider directory to
centralize information. When fully developed, the directory will
make it possible to determine where services are available and
needed, track development of new resources and be
searchable by self-advocates and families to identify service
options in their community.
28.
Social Recreation, Camp and
Non-Medical Therapies
Restore previously suspended social recreation services, camp
services, educational services, and nonmedical therapies.
Began July 2021
29.
Social Recreation Grants
Grant program to enable regional centers and local
communities (i.e., local park and recreation departments) to
leverage local resources and increase integrated and
collaborative social recreational options. (Limited term
resources)
Began August 2023
DEPARTMENT OF DEVELOPMENTAL SERVICES
* American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) for Part C
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30.
Spanish Translation of the
Lanterman Act
Spanish translation of the Lanterman Developmental Disabilities
Services Act as an additional resource to support individuals and
families with access to the Lanterman Act.
31.
Standardized Individual Program
Plan (IPP) Template
Establish a standardized IPP template and procedures to be
implemented statewide.
Public input underway
32.
Standardized Intake Processes
Establish standardized intake processes to be implemented
statewide.
33.
Standardized Respite Assessment
Procedures
Establish standardized processes, including standardized
templates, for assessing a consumer’s need for respite services.
34.
Standardized Vendorization
Procedures
Establish standardized vendorization procedures to be
implemented statewide.
35.
Training for Early Start Providers*
Culturally and linguistically sensitive training for Early Start
providers to enhance participant outcomes such as implicit bias,
Adverse Childhood Experiences and toxic stress, and reflective
supervision training
Began January 2023
36.
Transitional Support for Self-
Determination Program
Funding to support enrollment steps for participants entering the
Self-Determination Program.
Began July 2022
37.
Wellness Grant*
Family wellness pilot program with Valley Mountain Regional
Center (VMRC) and Far Northern Regional Center (FNRC) to
provide support to parents when facing stress that may arise
with their child’s eligibility for Early Start.
Began Spring 2023