Report 2021-107 Recommendation 8 Responses
Report 2021-107: Department of Developmental Services: It Has Not Ensured That Regional Centers Have the Necessary Resources to Effectively Serve Californians With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (Release Date: June 2022)
Recommendation #8 To: Developmental Services, Department of
To ensure that consumers have convenient access to services, DDS should establish standards for measuring consumers' access to services by January 2023.
Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From March 2025
DDS continues to operate the Regional Center Performance Measures for regional enters and the Quality Incentive Program for services providers. Both programs have measures aimed at creating improved access to timely services. Additionally, on October 4, 2024, DDS launched a provider directory, an online portal that will be used to input, store, and view information about all service providers in the State. The Provider Directory will centralize information about service providers that work with multiple regional centers, help to clarify the organizational structure within companies, maintain up-to-date contact information, and assist communication among DDS, regional centers, and service providers. When fully developed, the Provider Directory will make it possible to determine where services are available and needed, track development of new resources and be searchable by self-advocates and families to identify service options in their community. Although not fully operational with all intended features, DDS is working with service providers to update their information, with the intent to publish this information for public access at a future date that is not yet determined. New statutory requirements in 2023 call for DDS to conduct a review of generic services that individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities use, and the availability of common regional center services. The review will consider barriers to accessing services and recommendations to make them more accessible. The review of generic services will be completed in 2025, with the review of common regional center services anticipated in 2026 or later as dependent upon the Provider Directory and other sources of information becoming more fully developed.
- Estimated Completion Date: TBD
California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Pending
Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From June 2024
DDS continues its work implementing Regional Center Performance Measures for regional centers and Quality Incentive Program measures for service providers. These measures include reporting of data from the point a service is agreed upon in the Individual Program Plan (IPP) to the start of the service. DDS is working with stakeholder workgroups and in 2024, began incentivizing regional centers and service providers on timeliness of access to services for individuals ages 0-3 in the Early Start program. While this work will continue, lack of data sources may impede DDS' ability to expand these measures to consumers of all ages. Development and implementation of the consumer electronic records management system (CERMS) will provide the necessary data to measure consumers' timely access to services.
- Estimated Completion Date: TBD
California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Pending
1-Year Agency Response
DDS continues its work implementing Regional Center Performance Measures for regional centers and Quality Incentive Program measures for service providers. These measures include reporting of data from the point a service as agreed upon in the Individual Program Plan (IPP) to the start of the service. DDS is working with stakeholder workgroups on the development of data elements and reporting mechanisms that will be used beginning in FY 2023-24 to determine consumers' timely access to services.
- Estimated Completion Date: TBD
- Response Date: June 2023
California State Auditor's Assessment of 1-Year Status: Pending
6-Month Agency Response
DDS began implementing Regional Center Performance Measures for regional centers and Quality Incentive Program measures for service providers in FY 2022-23. These measures include reporting of data from the point a service is agreed upon in the Individual Program Plan (IPP) to the start of the service. DDS is working with stakeholder workgroups on the development of data elements and reporting mechanisms that will be used beginning in FY 2023-24 to determine consumers' timely access to services.
- Estimated Completion Date: TBD
- Response Date: December 2022
California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Pending
60-Day Agency Response
DDS is implementing Regional Center Performance Measures for regional centers and Quality Incentive Program measures for service providers beginning in FY 2022-23. These measures will include reporting of data from the point a service is agreed upon in the Individual Program Plan (IPP) to the start of the service. DDS is working with stakeholder workgroups on the development of data elements and reporting mechanisms that will be used in subsequent years to determine consumers' timely access to services.
- Estimated Completion Date: TBD
- Response Date: August 2022
California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: Pending
All Recommendations in 2021-107
Agency responses received are posted verbatim.