How to Become a Service Provider
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Welcome!
Thank you for your interest in becoming a service provider for Lanterman Regional Center. Service providers offer a variety of services that are responsive to the needs of the Lanterman community. As the needs of the individuals we serve and their families change, the types of services we develop do too.
Vendorization Rollout in Provider Directory
Beginning December 3, 2025, Frank D. Lanterman Regional Center (FDLRC) may begin using the Provider Directory for new vendorizations.
Starting on March 1, 2026, FDLRC must begin using the Provider Directory fornew vendorizations.
Contact vendorization@lanterman.org for guidance on how to begin your application between December 3, 2025 and March 1, 2026.
How to Become a Service Provider / Vendor
Service providers must be vendored by a regional center before they can provide and be reimbursed for services. The following describes how to become a vendored service provider.
What is Vendorization?
“Vendorization” is the term used to describe the approval process to provide services through regional centers to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
You apply for vendorization online through the Provider Directory. This is where you will submit required information and documents, communicate with regional centers, and track your progress.
Your application will be reviewed by the vendoring regional center – the center responsible for the geographic area (also known as catchment area) where your site-based service or operating office is located. The regional center will review your documents and determine if you meet the requirements. If approved, you’ll be assigned a vendor number and a service code in the Provider Directory.
Who Can Apply?
- Potential New Providers: People or agencies who want to start offering services and supports to Californians with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
- Existing Providers: Providers who want to add new services or expand to new areas.
- Family Members or Guardians: People supporting individuals through the provision of specific services agreed upon by the individual program plan team.
Who Cannot Apply in the Directory?
Entities seeking to provide service to individuals in the Self-Determination Program cannot apply in the Provider Directory, except for Financial Management Services (FMS) service codes 315-317.
Vendorizations for 024 (Purchase Reimbursement), 065 (SSP Restoration), and 400 (Non-reimbursed Personal and Incidental (P & I) are to be completed outside the Provider Directory.
When should you apply for vendorization in the Directory?
Applicants can start a vendorization application at any time.
However, if applying for an emergency vendorization or applying for vendorization of certain specialized facilities through the Community Placement Plan (CPP) or Community Resource Development Plan (CRDP) project, contact FDLRC to learn how to begin your application process and when to create your login profile to apply in the Provider Directory.
How can I prepare?
You must determine what service type you are planning to provide and understand applicable statutes, regulations and directives issued by the Department of Developmental Services based on your experience and expertise. The Department of Developmental Services is governed by Title 17 Division 2 of the California Code of Regulations (CCR). Vendorization is governed by Title 17, Division 2, Chapter 3, Subchapter 2. These rules explain:
- What services regional centers can fund
- What providers must do to qualify
- How the vendorization process works
- What is required to maintain your vendorization
- The commonly used terms you need to know
To learn more about services offered through regional centers, visit the Regional Center Services and Descriptions webpage on the Department of Developmental Services’ website.
What services are needed?
What are the Steps to Apply?
The vendorization process is done online through the Provider Directory.
Here’s what to expect:
Step 1: Create or login to existing Provider Directory Profile
- Open browser and type caddsprod.servicenowservices.com/spd
- If your business is new to the Provider Directory, create login profile.
- If your business is in the Provider Directory, login with existing credentials.
Step 2: Submit requirements
- Submit information to show you meet the minimum requirements.
- The regional center will review your request within 15 calendar days.
Step 3: Submit application
- If you meet the basic requirements, you’ll be asked to submit additional information and documents to support your application.
- When all requested information is received, the regional center will review your application for completeness within 30 calendar days.
- If anything is missing or incorrect, you’ll have 30 calendar days to submit it. The submission review timeline/clock pauses for the regional center during this time and does not reset.
Step 4: Receive decision
- When the application is complete, the regional center will review the application
- The regional center will make a vendorization decision within 45 calendar days.
- If approved, you’ll receive a vendor number.
- If not approved, you’ll receive a denial notice with rights to appeal the decision.
Who Can Use Vendored Providers?
Once vendored, a service provider may be utilized by other regional centers, known as “user” or “utilizing” regional centers, as well as the originally vendoring regional center.
NOTE: The vendor identification number assigned by the vendoring regional center must be used by all regional centers purchasing the vendored service.
Do you need help?
For on-demand resources, such as step-by-step guides, FAQs, and an overview of the vendorization process, go to the DDS How to Become a Vendor web page.
If you have questions or need help with the process, contact us at vendorization@lanterman.org or 213.383.1300. We’re here to support you every step of the way.
Important Note About Vendorization
Pursuant to Title 17 of the CCR section 54322(d)(10), vendorization does not guarantee that individuals will be referred or placed with a vendored provider.
FAQ
Get Answers
How do I become a Lanterman service provider?
Service providers must be vendored by a regional center before they can provide and be reimbursed for services. Please see our “How to Become a Service Provider” page, which provides detailed instructions.
What additional information would be helpful to me in becoming a service provider?
If you are interested in becoming a regional center vendored service provider, please review the following:
- DDS Vendorization and Rates Home Page
- Title 17 of the California Code of Regulations
- Lanterman Act and Related Laws
- DDS- HCBS and Person Centered Thinking and Planning
Interested parties are also strongly encouraged to become familiar with our Purchase of Services Service Standards for funding of services.
How can I make a change to the services I provide?
Any change to your existing vendorization needs to be reviewed and processed by Lanterman’s Community Services Unit.
- Organizational changes require submission of a letter in advance of the change consistent with the parameters and process found here.
- If you are interested in providing additional services, use the contact form to connect with one of Lanterman’s Resource Developers.
How can I renegotiate my rate?
Rate setting rules are established both by the statute (Lanterman Act) and regulation (Title 17) and dictate the type of rate needed for a particular service type. Providers with negotiated/median rates or DDS set rates can adjust rates based on minimum wage ordinances, Health and Safety Waiver needs or statutory/regulatory changes. Providers with Medi-Cal set rates, can see rate changes consistent with Medi-Cal rate changes. Usual and Customary Services providers can request rate adjustments consistent with changes to their general fee schedule. Please click here for a full description of different rate types and a description of rate changes.
What is FDLRC’s service provider insurance requirement?
All service providers, whether vendored by Lanterman or another regional center that serve Lanterman individuals, must carry liability insurance and name Frank D. Lanterman Regional Center as additional insured consistent with the following insurance memo. Additionally, updated insurance certificates must be submitted to Irma Padilla at ipadilla@lanterman.org.
What is a DS1891 and why do I need to resubmit?
The DS1891 Disclosure Statement is a Department of Developmental Services (DDS) form which must be completed at the time of vendorization and subsequently every 2 years moving forward unless requested by the regional center sooner. In short, this statutory requirement (WIC Code § 4748.12) does not allow individuals or organizations convicted of fraud, abuse or neglect to be vendored. Regional centers are required to monitor vendorization requirements biennially per California Code of Regulations Title 17 § 54332(b).
How can I get help with e-billing?
Every regional center service provider has an assignment Accounting Associate who can help with all payment and billing issues. You can find your assigned Accounting Associate here and by logging into your e-billing portal.
How can I let service coordinators know about my services?
At the time of vendorization, Community Services notifies all of service coordination staff of the newly vendored service provider. Capacity and availability can be communicated to Quality Assurance Manager Sonia Garibay at sgaribay@lanterman.org or Director of Community Services Pablo Ibañez at pibanez@lanterman.org. In turn, Community Services will notify service coordination of your services.
How do I find out who is the service coordinator assigned to the individual we are serving?
For school aged individuals and younger, please contact Associate Director of Client and Family Services Rose Chacana at rchacana@lanterman.org. For adults served by the regional center, please contact Associate Director of Client and Family Services, Megan Mendes, at mmendes@lanterman.org.
What if an individual or family wants to receive services from a provider outside of the Lanterman's service area?
While each regional center develops their own resources/vendors for the communities we serve, there are times when an individual or family served by our Center is interested in receiving services from a provider outside of our area who is either already vendored by another regional center or needs to become vendored. These types of vendorizations are driven by the individual, their family and the IPP planning team, including the service coordinator, who will start the process with Community Services to complete the out of area vendorization.
There are two kinds of out of area vendorizations. The first is an out of area vendorization for a provider already vendored with another regional center to provide services that just needs to be added to our system, and a courtesy vendorization for a provider that is not already a regional center vendor and needs to complete the entire vendorization process with the local regional center before they can provide services and be added to our system.