How to rein in costs for persons with developmental disabilities in CA which doubled in last 10 years?

Standardization throughout the regional centers of Purchase of Services (POI) is a major way to contain costs.

Why not have an Internet method for regional center employees to suggest ways to reduce costs? The social workers who set up the POI’s probably have some excellent ideas how to reduce costs. So, ask the regional center social workers!

Once a regional center client — always a regional center client?

Some regional centers make little or no effort to exit persons who never belonged or who no longer are substantially disabled. Bad publicity and administrators think it a waste of time and resources because the Fair Hearing process is skewed in favor of the claimants.

Hence, the legislature needs to set a clear policy how all regional centers can exit clients who no longer are substantially disabled.

How? Every school age child who receives regional center services has a school Individual Education Plan. The legislature could require schools to automatically supply copies of 3 year re-assessments to the regional centers for review. And set up a standard method to exit children from the regional center based on progress made in school and regional center provided services.

LAOâ€s Office Releases Report for Options to Achieve Budget Savings in the Regional Center System

The Legislative Analystâ€s Office, a non-partisan Fiscal and Policy Advisor for the California Legislature, has issued a report providing recommendations regarding funding for the regional center service system.

Following is the introduction of the report:
“Total expenditures for the regional center system that provides services for persons with developmental disabilities more than doubled between 1999–00 and 2009–10, leading to a series of actions by the Legislature to slow down the growth in the program.

In this report, we describe and assess proposals in the Governorâ€s 2011–12 budget plan to achieve further cost containment in programs administered by the Department of Developmental Services (DDS), including community services. We also provide the Legislature with additional options to achieve savings in community services through expansion of the existing Family Cost Participation Program (FCPP) or through implementation of “means testing” to determine program eligibility. Either of the approaches that we recommend would help ensure the long–term sustainability of the program for those consumers with the greatest financial need for its services.”

Read the entire report online at the LAO Web site
Updated on February 03rd, 2011