Lanterman Act
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The Lanterman Developmental Disabilities Services Act
The Lanterman Act outlines the rights of individuals with developmental disabilities and their families, how the regional centers and service providers can help these individuals, what services and supports they can obtain, how to use the individualized program plan to get needed services, what to do when someone violates the Lanterman Act, and how to improve the system.
Know the History
In the years preceding the advent of the regional center system, the only option for government-funded services for people with developmental disabilities was the state institution. The typical advice given to parents of children with developmental disabilities was to place their child in an institution and “get on with” their lives. This resulted in these individuals and their families living in a shadow world of isolation and denial, virtually invisible to the larger society – with little hope of a future.
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In the 1950s, committed parents in California banded together to create their own services in the community, and by the early 1960s, widespread parental dissatisfaction led them to begin agitating for social change through legislation. These parents, along with the professionals working with them in the community, found a sympathetic ear in Assemblymember Frank D. Lanterman. Driven in part by national events and in part by a committed group of fearless parents, professionals and legislators, this spirit of change gathered momentum.
This pioneering group challenged the State over its treatment of people with developmental disabilities and proposed creating a network of regional community-based agencies to provide services rather than building more institutions. Legislation passed in 1965 authorized the establishment of two pilot regional centers, one in Los Angeles and one in San Francisco. The centers were intended to call attention to the unmet needs of people with intellectual disability, facilitate the development of services, maintain records, provide systematic diagnosis and follow-up, and assist state hospitals in moving their residents to the community. In January 1966, the regional center for the Los Angeles area opened its doors at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.
A 1969 report concluded that the pilot regional centers were successful and that the model should be expanded statewide. Buoyed by this report, Assemblymember Lanterman introduced AB 225, the Lanterman Mental Retardation Services Act of 1969, which extended the regional center network of services throughout California and established area boards for planning and monitoring services. Four years later, AB 846, also authored by Assemblymember Lanterman, extended the regional center mandate to other developmental disabilities, including cerebral palsy, epilepsy, autism and other conditions closely related to intellectual disability. The name of the act was also amended to the Lanterman Developmental Disabilities Services Act. This legislation is commonly known as the Lanterman Act.
The actions of this small and persistent group of parents, professionals and legislators sparked a revolution and created the regional center system that we know today.
Excerpt from the Lanterman Act
Section 4501 of the Lanterman Act states: “The state of California accepts a responsibility for persons with developmental disabilities and an obligation to them which it must discharge. Affecting hundreds of thousands of children and adults directly, and having an important impact on the lives of their families, neighbors and whole communities, developmental disabilities present social, medical, economic and legal problems of extreme importance…”
Click on the following links to access the full text of:
- Lanterman Act and Related Laws
- View a searchable PDF of the Lanterman Act (updated with changes for 2023)
- Lanterman Act (client-friendly version)
- Rights Under the Lanterman Act (written by Disability Rights California)
Video: We're Here to Speak for Justice
Watch the historical film We’re Here to Speak for Justice and the follow-on video How Far We’ve Come.
Playlist
The companion booklet to the film “We’re Here to Speak for Justice” is available as a downloadable PDF.
A Shared Responsibility: The Regional Center and the Family
The Lanterman Act established an entitlement to services and supports for persons with a developmental disability and gave the State a responsibility to provide services and supports. At the same time, the State does not bear the sole responsibility. Families are also responsible for helping their children achieve the highest level of self-sufficiency possible, as well as helping them lead productive, independent and satisfying lives as part of the communities in which they live.
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The Lanterman Act also requires regional centers to ensure that generic resources are accessed when purchasing services and supports, and to take into account the family’s responsibility for providing similar services and supports to a minor child without disabilities.
Lanterman Regional Center is designated as the central coordinating agency in a community network of services and supports that is both large and complex. It works in partnership with families to ensure that their children receive the services and supports necessary to achieve the goals of their Individual Program Plan.
Responsibilities Designated to Regional Centers by the Lanterman Act
The Lanterman Act assigns to regional centers the responsibility for providing a range of direct services and supports to individuals and their families. These include:
- Assessment and evaluation to determine eligibility for regional center services.
- Development of an Individual Program Plan (IPP), through a person-centered planning process.
- Coordination of services and supports to help individuals and their families achieve the desired outcomes specified in their IPP.
- Assistance in finding and using community and other resources.
- Support and facilitation of the inclusion and integration of children and adults with developmental disabilities with their non-disabled peers.
- Outreach activities to identify persons who may need regional center services.
- Development of innovative and cost-effective services and supports that are flexible, individualized and promote community integration.
- Assurance of the quality and effectiveness of services and supports provided to individuals and their families.
- Advocacy to protect the legal, civil and service rights of people with developmental disabilities.
- Information, referral and support.
Funding for Lanterman Regional Center
Lanterman Regional Center is funded through a combination of state general fund tax dollars and federal Medicaid funds. On July 1, the start of each fiscal year, we receive from the State a new contract with a budget that is determined by the Legislature during the annual budget process. Our budget is divided into two parts – Operations and Purchase of Services.
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The Operations portion of the budget funds direct services that our staff provide. These services include service coordination, intake and assessment, clinical services, advocacy, and quality assurance. They also cover other costs of operating the Center, such as rent, internet and telephone, and supplies.
Purchase of Services funds are used to purchase services and supports for individuals from our community service provider network when no other source of funding is available.
There are many needs in the Lanterman community that cannot be met through the regular state budget. To help address these needs, the Center engages in fundraising activities, pursues grant opportunities, and develops community partnerships to innovatively meet these needs and challenges.
Lanterman Act’s Financial Requirements of Regional Centers
The Lanterman Act requires regional centers to be responsible and accountable stewards of the funds we receive.
We are required to:
- Live within our budget each year.
- Ensure that the regional center does not pay for services and supports that should be provided by other agencies, such as local school districts, Medi-Cal and Social Security.
- Secure services from qualified service providers.
- Only continue purchasing services where there is reasonable progress in achieving the IPP goals and agreement between the family and the regional center that the services should be continued.
- Locate or develop innovative and cost-effective ways to achieve desired outcomes identified in the IPP.
- Help families access typical community resources and develop natural supports.
- Develop and purchase specialized services only if generic services and supports, or typical community resources, do not meet the client’s needs as specified in his or her IPP.
Purchase of Services
Regional Center Responsibility for Purchasing Services
Regional centers are responsible for helping families identify and access the services and supports necessary to achieve the desired outcomes specified in their family member’s IPP. The Lanterman Act instructs regional centers to do these things in ways that are “innovative and economical.”
FAQ
Get Answers
What are generic services?
There are many public agencies that are legally required to provide services to individuals with developmental disabilities. We refer to these agencies as generic agencies and to the services and supports they provide as generic services. Each of these agencies has its own guidelines for eligibility and services. Generic agencies include, but are not limited to, Medi-Cal, public schools, county mental health agencies and the Social Security program.
What are natural supports?
Excerpt from the Department of Developmental Services’ publication, “How to Develop Natural Supports”
As defined in the Lanterman Developmental Disabilities Services Act, Section 4512 of the Welfare and Institution Code, Part (e): “Natural Supports” means personal associations and relationships typically developed in the community that enhance the quality and security of life for people, including, but not limited to, family relationships; friendships reflecting the diversity of the neighborhood and the community…
What does “Natural Supports” really mean? Think about all the people in your life – friends, family, co-workers – who are important to you and on whom you depend. Relationships with these people are your natural supports.
Read the entire publication:
What services does Lanterman Regional Center provide?
- Assessment and diagnosis
- Service coordination linking people with services
- Lifelong individualized planning
- Assistance in finding and using community resources
- Purchase of services identified in the individual plan
- Advocacy for the protection of legal, civil and service rights
- Early intervention services for at-risk infants and their families
- Information and referral
- Family support
- Training and educational opportunities
- Community outreach, awareness and education about developmental disabilities
- Quality assurance and enhancement activities
- Resource development
- Client benefit coordination
- Koch-Young Resource Center