Little Hoover Commission Hearing on the Developmental Disabilities System

Resharing the "Buidling Our System Forward" e-mail from ARCA about the Little Hoover Commission Hearing on the Developmental Disabilities System:

For over fifty years, California's regional centers have provided community-based services to people with developmental disabilities to meet local needs. And as times - and needs - change, so does our system. 

The Little Hoover Commission, an independent state oversight agency, is holding hearings on the developmental disabilities services system. They've been exploring the challenges the system is facing and will be making recommendations for how to strengthen it. 

Recent independent surveys of people served give a clear picture. The experiences of the vast majority of people served in our system are positive. We have a strong foundation to build from that respects people, supports their choices, and helps them lead good lives. Knowing this, ARCA and the regional centers remain committed to equitably serving Californians with developmental disabilities and their families, and helping them to meet their unique needs.

The Little Hoover Commission is asking for ways to make the system work better. ARCA submitted a letter with our ideas, which cover topics ranging from ending family fees, to eliminating the requirement families appeal denials from generic agencies, to letting social recreation be easier to use, to updating regional center funding calculations. 

ARCA and the regional centers will use our proposals to build upon and improve a system that works, spending the next 14 months on four major focus areas:

1. Standardizing how family support needs, including respite, are assessed
2. Making it easier to access regional center data reports
3. Simplifying the process for new service providers to contract with regional centers
4. Creating intake processes that are more similar statewide and smoother, particularly for foster youth

ARCA and the regional centers are committed to seeing these improvements happen by the end of 2023. We appreciate all opportunities to advance the service system, including collaborating with the Little Hoover Commission and stakeholders to improve the experience of all individuals with developmental disabilities and their families - regardless of race, ethnicity, language, or place in the State.

Are you one of the hundreds of thousands of families whose lives have been improved by their regional center? The Little Hoover Commission needs to hear from you!

The biggest challenge your service coordinator has is time - regional centers struggle to hire enough staff to ensure there's enough time to develop the relationships that move your service experience from good to great. Click here to e-mail them your story of how your service coordinator helped you - and to urge them to "modernize regional center funding!"