News, Updates, & Events
Message From the Executive Director for All Californians
California’s Lanterman Act was developed with two primary goals in mind for individuals with developmental disabilities and their families. First, there was an interest in keeping families together and meeting the needs of the family unit related to the individual’s disability. Second, a long-standing focus has been supporting people with disabilities to actively participate as active members of their communities. Recent events have left some people worried about how they can stay together with their families and continue accessing their communities.
Regional centers remain committed to supporting ALL Californians who are eligible for their services. Protecting individual privacy is a central promise regional centers have made and kept to those they serve. Only the information needed to meet people’s person-centered needs is collected.
As the recent community message from the Department of Developmental Services explained, if you or your family member have changing service needs, please reach out to your service coordinator. They can help you meet your urgent needs and explore ways many of your services should change, including being provided remotely if that is your preference.
Regional center staff have the honor of walking along people they serve in good times and bad. Do not hesitate to reach out to them. They are there to support you during this uncertain time.
Mark Klaus
Executive Director
We Need Your Input!
Join DDS Town Halls: Tell Us What You Want in a New Case Management and Communication System
We Want to Hear from You! Making sure you get the best support from the Department of Developmental Services (Department), regional centers, and service providers is important to us. A new online system is being built for everyone, including you, to manage information, communication, schedules, and provider payments. It’s called the Life Outcomes Improvement System, or LOIS.
LOIS should work for YOU. It could help you to do things like:
• Make it easier to talk with your regional center and the Department
• See your information any time, from anywhere
• Share updates and documents with your service coordinator
• Provide new tools to make choices about your services and supports
What can this online system do to fix today’s problems and make services better in the future? 🗣️ Tell us! People with intellectual and developmental disabilities, family members, and advocates are invited to a series of in-person and virtual Town Halls.
Watch the Kickoff Webinar to learn about the project and how you can begin sharing what you want LOIS to be able to do.
In-person town hall meetings will be held across the state at the locations below. There will be two online-only sessions too. The focus of these events will be for DDS to listen and hear what individuals and families want the new online system to do for you.
To register for the town halls near you, ask questions, or to share your ideas online, visit www.dds.ca.gov/LOIS
2023/2024 Annual Report is Now Available!
Dear Community Partners, Friends, and Colleagues, looking back at this remarkable year, we are grateful for what we’ve accomplished together. Our heartfelt thanks go to our Board members, service providers, community partners, and the SDRC team for their dedication and collaboration. Your unwavering commitment has been essential in helping us empower individuals with developmental disabilities, highlighting their strengths and enriching lives throughout our community.
The National Core Indicator (NCI) Survey is currently underway!
This year’s survey is the Adult In-Person Survey. This survey is conducted face-to-face with individuals 18 years and older who receive at least one funded service from San Diego Regional Center (SDRC). The responses are collected by the Department of Developmental Services (DDS) and shared with the State Council on Developmental Disabilities (SCDD). It will be used to help regional centers and DDS understand how services and supports impact participants and their families, and areas of improvement.
The survey takes place November 2024 through June 2025. This is voluntary and representatives from SCDD will make contact with SDRC participants who meet survey criteria. We need a minimum of 400 participants. Your feedback is important.
Reach out to your service coordinator if you have questions
DDS Website: National Core Indicators : CA Department of Developmental Services
Adult In-Person Survey: In-Person Survey (IPS) Domain Dashboard : CA Department of Developmental Services
Your Input is Requested
San Diego Regional Center (SDRC) has received notice from the Department of Developmental Services (DDS) that we are out of compliance with certain caseload ratio requirements. In response, SDRC has drafted a Plan of Correction.
We invite clients and their family members to review the DDS letter and SDRC’s draft Plan of Correction and share your input by October 15, 2025.
Comments may be submitted by:
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Email: ratio.input@sdrc.org
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Fax: (858) 576-2873
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Mail: Mark Klaus, Executive Director
San Diego Regional Center
4355 Ruffin Road
San Diego, CA 92123
News from DDS
Announcing the Early Childhood & Transition Resource Lookup
DDS is excited to share a valuable new tool that enhances access to early childhood and transition resources for families. The Early Childhood & Transition Resource Lookup is a user-friendly and interactive map that centralizes information for families navigating early childhood services in their communities.
KEY FEATURES:
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Comprehensive Resource Listings: Includes regional centers, Family Resource Centers, childcare providers, schools, Head Start programs, and Family Empowerment Centers
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Customizable Search Options: Families can locate resources in their own communities by zip code, address, or city
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Time-Saving Consolidation: Provides addresses, phone numbers, emails, and websites for resources in one quick and accessible location
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Up-to-Date Data: Maintained with collaboration from state departments and community partners for accuracy and reliability
Explore the Early Childhood & Transition Resource Look-Up dds.ca.gov/childhood.
New DDS Provider Directory Launched on October 29, 2024!
On October 29, 2024, DDS's Provider Directory launched. Its full capabilities will be released in phases. In the first phase, service providers and designated regional center representatives will be invited to create an account and collaborate to ensure accurate provider information is in the system. DDS will offer incentive payments to service providers through the Quality Incentive Program (QIP).
Support, including on-demand training, is available now at www.dds.ca.gov/initiatives/provider-directory/.
Questions? Email providerdirectory@dds.ca.gov.
DDS Directive, dated July 2, 2025, outlining changes to the hold harmless policy related to the ongoing rate reform for service providers. It revises the end date of the hold harmless provision—previously set for June 30, 2026—to February 28, 2026. Starting March 1, 2026, provider rates will adjust to align with the fully funded rate models, based on quality incentive eligibility.
SDRC & Community Events
Virtual Coffee with Community Services
Last Monday of every month from 8:30 – 9:30 am
Join Zoom Meeting: https://sdrc-org.zoom.us/j/84004343896
Meeting ID: 840 0434 3896
Organizer: SDRC's Community Services Department
Join Us! At the 3rd Annual Family & Vendor Resource Fair
Saturday, October 4, 9:00 am - 3:00 pm at San Diego Convention Center Hall F
Organizer: San Diego Regional Center
Wednesday, October 8, 10:00 - 11:00 am via ZOOM
Organizer: San Diego Regional Center
Saturday, October 11, 4:00 - 9:00 pm at Bucklin Park, 1350 S 8th St, El Centro, CA 92243
Organizer: Donnelly Community Services Center
Community LINK: San Diego American Indian Health Center
Wednesday, October 15, 10:00 - 11:00 am via ZOOM
Organizer: San Diego Regional Center
Saturday, October 18, 8:00 am - 3:30 pm at Otay Ranch High School, 1250 Olympic Pkwy. Chula Vista, CA 91913
Organizer: FERIA
Wednesday, October 22, 9:00 am - 2:00 pm at the Balboa Park Club, 2144 Pan American W Rd, San Diego, CA 92101
Organizer: SDCEPD
October
Filipino American History Month
National Down Syndrome Awareness Month
World Blindness Awareness Month
National Disability Employment Awareness Month
National Physical Therapy Month
Dyslexia Awareness Month
October 6: World Cerebral Palsy Day
October 9: World Sight Day
October 10: World Mental Health Day
October 11: National Coming Out Day
October 13: Indigenous People's Day
October 16: Boss's Day
October 31: Halloween
November
Native American Heritage Month
National Epilepsy Awareness Month
National Family Caregivers Month
Epilepsy Awareness Month
Movember (Men’s Health Awareness Month)
November 1 & 2: Dia De Los Muertos
November 11: Veteran's Day
November 18: National Entrepreneurs Day
November 19: International Men's Day
November 20: Transgender Day of Remembrance
November 27: Thanksgiving
November 28: Native American Heritage Day
November 29: Small Business Saturday
December
Universal Human Rights Month
December 2: Special Education Day
December 2: Giving Tuesday
December 3: International Day of Persons with Disabilities
December 10: Human Rights Day
December 14-22: Hanuka
December 24: Christmas Eve
December 25: Christmas Day
December 26 - January 1: Kwanzaa
December 31: New Year's Eve
LEARN ABOUT REGIONAL CENTERS
Enjoy this short video packed with humor and information about the complex but critically important Regional Center system for Californians with intellectual or developmental disabilities, their families, service providers, and staff of thousands of vendors across the state.
This video comes from the creators of the HCBS Final Rule series initiated by the Tri-County Regional Center to share with families and individuals receiving regional center services. See the collection.
The San Diego Regional Center is dedicated to promoting the use of person-centered practices with individuals accessing SDRC services. This Person-Centered Thinking Training was developed by The Learning Community for Person-Centered Practices (www.tlcpcp.com) and teaches the principles behind person-centered thinking and provides attendees with a variety of tools and techniques to implement person-centered thinking practices. Information in the training is relevant to all aspects of service coordination and provision and is consistent with HCBS Final Settings Rule, Self-Determination, and Employment First. All SDRC trainers are certified by The Learning Community.
For more information about Person Centered Thinking, please contact Johanna Stafford.
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THE SDRC REPORT - an internal newsletter
In this issue:
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Employee Spotlights
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Mission Moments
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California DSP Awards
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Risk Busters
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And more!
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Pedestrian Safety
The Department of Developmental Services (DDS) is pleased to share the latest Wellness and Safety Bulletin posted in the DDS Wellness Toolkit. Wellness and Safety bulletins provide relevant health and wellness information as part of DDS’ ongoing effort to improve our collective management of risks to the health and safety of the individuals that we serve. This bulletin addresses pedestrian safety. Since the start of 2023, four individuals served by regional centers were killed while navigating sidewalks and roads as a pedestrian. Know and share precautions with the individuals you serve to protect their health and safety when using sidewalks or crossing roads.
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