How to Access Services
You can apply for regional center services by telephone or by written request. A basic screening will then be conducted to determine if further assessment and diagnostic services are appropriate.
Assessment
During the Assessment Period, the records that the applicant and/or applicant’s family submits will be reviewed. The psychosocial assessment covers birth and developmental history; family constellation and functioning; and the applicant’s level of ability in the areas of cognitive, motor, communication, social, emotional, educational/vocational. and self-care/independent living skills as reported by the applicant/family and as observed during the interview. The current health status of the applicant will also be reviewed and any barriers to service are noted. During this period, additional evaluations may be recommended by the assessment team in order to confirm an applicant’s eligibility and ensure that the appropriate services are provided.
Historical information that will be gathered include:
- School records
- Medical records
- Psychological records
- and/or Psychiatric records
If the applicant is determined eligible, an assigned service coordinator will develop the Individual Program Plan (IPP) Objectives. The service coordinator will then notify the applicant and their family about the Living Services Program that they are eligible for and the different agencies that provide these services.
For consumers who will receive Supported Living Services
After the IPP has been developed, the client will receive a referral for a comprehensive assessment to be conducted by the chosen SLS provider. The service coordinator will then schedule a core staffing and will include all parties considered necessary for viewing the SLS request. Necessary parties would include, at least, regional center staff and the client and his or her personal advocate. Should SLS remain the preferred choice after the staffing, the SLS provider of client’s choice will be so advised by the service coordinator. The SLS provider will be responsible for developing a comprehensive SLS plan, which would be subject to review and approval by the planning team (at minimum composed of the service coordinator and the client and/or his or her personal advocate). Upon approval of the SLS plan, the SLS provider will be responsible for documenting activities, which exhibit efforts to access all relevant natural and generic resources.
The SLS provider will be required to provide one or more of the following to the consumer:
- Personal Support Service
- Training and Habilitation Service
- 24-Hour Emergency Assistance
- Supported Living Services will be provided only if such services are:
- cost effective, and
- cannot be feasibly provided without cost, or at a lesser cost, through services and supports available in the community
For consumers who will receive Independent Living Services
After the IPP has been developed, the client will receive a referral for a comprehensive assessment to be conducted by the chosen ILS provider. Within 15 days of completing the assessment, the ILS provider shall submit an assessment and individual service plan (ISP) with a measurable definition of: (a) baselines, (b) goals, (c) objectives, (d) plans, and (e) hours proposed to implement each plan. The planning team will then review the assessment and ISP. If all parties agree with the plan, the service coordinator shall authorize ILS training for the duration of up to six months.