How To Become A Provider Links By Regional Center
Alta
East Bay
East LA
Harbor
Kern
Lanterman LA
North LA
Orange
San Diego
San Gabriel Pomona
South Central
Tri-County Ventura
West Side
Department of Developmental Services (DDS) governs the 21 Regional Centers in California
Map of Regional Centers Los Angeles by Zip Code
Map of Regional Centers California
Service Level Definitions
Direct Support Professional Training
Regional Center Staffing Requirements Title 17
Developmentally Disabled
Regional Center is governed by the Department of Developmental Services. Each Regional Center covers a specific geographic region known as a catchment area. Developmentally Disabled individuals typically have intellectual disability, autism, cerebral palsy seizure disorder and function at various levels of independence. Taking care of Regional Center consumers involves a considerable amount of work and commitment. Each Regional Center consumer has an Individual Program Plan that specifies the goals the client is working on. A typical goal might be “the consumer will learn to use city bus services,” or “...reduce in-stances of wandering,” or “...will take a community college class.”
The Regional Center has it's own application process that is separate from Community Care Licensing. Regional Center also requires that you attend a special orientation at their office. There are 21 Regional Centers in California. The Regional Center contracts with you to provide a specific level of care. There are different levels of care ranging from Level 2 through 4 with many sub levels.
Each Adult Residential Facility vendored by a regional center is designated to provide one of 4 service levels. Levels refer to facilities, not clients.
Facility Rates by Level 2019
Service Level 1: Limited care and supervision for persons with self-care skills and no behavior problems.
Service Level 2: Care, supervision and incidental training for persons with some self-care skills and no major behavior problems.
Service Level 3: Care, supervision and ongoing training for persons with significant deficits in self-help skills, and/or some limitations in physical coordination and mobility, and/or disruptive or self-injurious behavior.
Service Level 4: Care, supervision and professionally supervised training for persons with deficits in self-help skills, and/or severe impairment in physical coordination and mobility, and/or severely disruptive or self-injurious behavior.
Service Level 4 is subdivided into Levels 4A through 4I in which staffing levels are increased to correspond to the escalating severity of disability levels.
Working with Regional Center clients involves a considerable amount of work and commitment. Because of the unique needs of developmentally disabled individuals, Regional Center requires that the Administrator of the facility have experience working with the population. Most Regional Centers require direct experience in a residential setting.
Many people satisfy the experience requirement by working in a residential setting on a part time basis. You may contact homes to see if you can obtain a position working as a staff to satisfy the experience requirement. It is best to work for a larger company that has a training program and other benefits rather than a small family run business.
To become a vendor with Regional Center you must attend an orientation at their local office and write a Program Design based on the principles of normalization. The Regional Center Program Design is different from the Community Care Licensing Application. The Program Design requirements are specified in Title 17 (56013) and published by the Department of Developmental Services. Most Regional
Centers develop their own requirements for how they want the Program Design prepared.
Contact your local Regional Center to request their current Program Design requirements. An example of the vendorization steps for Inland Regional Center can be found here. South Central Regional Center information can be found here. Each Regional Center has different steps and requirements. Check with the Regional Center you wish to become vendored with about their requirements.
Person Centered Planning
Working with developmentally disabled individuals requires a philosophical shift from the traditional medical model of care. Historically individuals with a developmental disability have been treated like children placing the care provider in the role of parent. Services were recommended and implemented by physicians, social workers and family, friends and care providers.
Person Centered Planning turns this old medical model l upside down by shifting control to the individual who receives the services. The model is based on the simple idea that those who receive services have the right to chose which services they receive and by whom.
Mental Health clients suffer from psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and depression; they are usually on medication. Mental health clients pay for their stay in the facility through their Social Security disability income. This amounts to approximately $1000.00 per month. Mental Health clients are not managed by Regional Center. To be successful, you must market your facility to hospitals, psychiatrists and others in the mental health community. Most residential programs for mental health clients are large commercial facilities with over 100 beds.
Mental Health services in California are regulated by the Department of Mental Health.
Veterans
Many residential care
Veterans Hospital nearest you. Here are a list of helpful links to obtain information regarding housing programs and services for Veterans:
Veterans Hospital and Services
Contact the Social Service Department of a local VA hospital.
California Veterans Affairs
800.952.5626
Guide To Long-Term Care Veterans
Public Resources
[email protected]
718.982.5055
Housing Grants for Disabled Veterans
