Report 2021-120 Recommendation 10 Responses

Report 2021-120: In-Home Respite Services: The Department of Developmental Services Has Not Adequately Reduced Barriers to Some Families' Use of In-Home Respite Services (Release Date: August 2022)

Recommendation #10 To: Developmental Services, Department of

DDS should amend its contracts with the 21 regional centers by February 2023 to require all regional centers to have a plan for ensuring that they have an adequate number of service providers for all in-home respite service delivery options, including the FMS option.

Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From August 2024

The department continues to make the development of additional Financial Management Service (FMS) providers to support self determination and participant directed services a priority. Since Fiscal Year 22/23 four new FMS providers were established, serving four respective regional center catchment areas. Additionally, another project was approved to establish FMS providers to operate in all 21 regional center catchment areas.

California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Resolved

DDS provided evidence that it has provided funding to support the expansion of FMS providers in all 21 regional center areas, which addresses our core concern.

1-Year Agency Response

DDS has completed the review of regional center Community Resource Development Plans, and therefore has completed the actions described in the Department's response to the audit report.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 1-Year Status: Pending

DDS provided guidelines to regional centers for FY 2022-23 and 2023-24 that included the priority of increasing additional Financial Management Services (FMS) providers. However, it did not amend its contracts with the 21 regional centers to require all regional centers have a plan for ensuring they have an adequate number of service providers for all in-home respite service delivery options, including the FMS option. The evidence DDS provided of the regional center Community Resource Development Plans did not show that all 21 regional centers have plans for ensuring they have adequate providers. Rather, the evidence they provided only showed that two out of the 21 regional centers included plans that identified increasing FMS providers. As we note in our report, at 13 out of the 21 regional centers very few families use the FMS option. Thus, DDS should amend its contracts with the 21 regional centers to require them to have a plan for ensuring that they have an adequate number of FMS providers.

6-Month Agency Response

DDS is in the process of reviewing and approving Community Resource Development Plans submitted by regional centers.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Pending

60-Day Agency Response

Consistent with our response to the audit report, the Fiscal Year 2022-23 Community Placement Plan and Community Resource Development Plan Guidelines, released September 29, 2022, include the priority of increasing additional Financial Management Services providers that support self-determination and participant directed services.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: Partially Implemented

Although DDS implemented a plan that includes the priority of increasing additional Financial Management Services (FMS) providers that support self-determination and participant directed services, it still has not amended its contracts with the 21 regional centers to require all regional centers to have a plan for ensuring that they have an adequate number of service providers for all in-home respite service delivery options, including the FMS option.

All Recommendations in 2021-120

Agency responses received are posted verbatim.