Services for All Ages

The regional center provides life long services and supports for people with developmental disabilities in San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties. The diagnoses that qualify for services are Intellectual Disability, Autism, Epilepsy, and Cerebral Palsy. This brochure gives an overview of the many types of services provided for qualifying individuals and families.

Living Options

TCRC believes that people with developmental disabilities should be able to participate in family life and in the community where they live. A high priority is placed on supporting children living with their families and an equally high priority for adults living as independently as possible in their communities. Persons served by the regional center who are eligible for Supplemental Security Income use this income or Medi-Cal benefits to pay in part for residential services. 

All living arrangements are expected to provide an atmosphere that respects the individual’s preferences, values, ethnic differences, and beliefs and maximizes individual growth, self-sufficiency and independence. Homes should be located in neighborhoods allowing for independent access to community resources. Provisions for health care and for the overall physical and emotional well-being of persons served by the regional center are expected to be supported. Residential services include:

Licensed Residential Homes.

Adult Family Home Agencies.

Foster Home Agencies.

Independent Living Services (ILS).

Supported Living Services (SLS).

Licensed Residential Homes

Licensed residential homes can be an option for either adults or children. Community Care Facilities (CCFs) provide 24-hour non-medical care and supervision. Intermediate Care Facilities (ICFs) offer 24- hour personal care, habilitation, developmental, and supportive health services to people with a recurring, but intermittent, need for nursing services.

Adult Family Home Agencies 

Adult Family Home Agencies coordinate care for people living in homes that have been certified to provide care to non-related adults. The providers offer family-type care to the people living with them and care for only one or two adults at a time. The Adult Family Home Agency is responsible for developing, supporting and monitoring the homes, and they work with Service Coordinators to make a good match between homes and residents.

Foster Home Agencies

Licensed by the State Department of Social Services, Foster Home Agencies train and certify foster families. They staff professionals such as social workers to provide ongoing support. The foster family does not replace the child’s own family. Rather, it ideally becomes an extension of the family system. 

Independent Living Services

Independent Living Services (ILS) may be an option for an adult who wishes to live independently, yet needs some support to develop skills such as money or household management. Training focuses on areas of daily living such as budgeting, shopping, health care, meal preparation, and use of public transportation.

Supported Living Services 

For adults who wish to live independently, Supported Living Services may be an option. They are customized for each individual to meet needs that are identified in the Individual Program Plan. Services are determined by the planning team for assistance with common daily living and routine household activities. In some situations, training and habilitation services are provided to increase a person’s ability to meet his or her own needs without assistance. These services help a person make progress toward becoming more independent.

Coordinated Family Supports

Coordinated Family Supports (CFS) is a service for adults 18 and older who are served by a regional center and live with their families. The program helps coordinate services, connect people to community resources, and build skills that support living at home. Providers create a personalized plan to reduce barriers and increase independence. Talk to your Service Coordinator or complete an interest form to get started.

Day Programs 

Day programs are community-based programs for individuals served by a regional center. They are designed to provide interesting activities and training opportunities in a structured setting. The planning team agrees upon the most appropriate program in advance and then the services are included in the person’s Individual Program Plan (IPP). Day program services may be at a fixed location or out in the community.

Types of services available through a day program support the development of:

Self-help and self-care skills.

The ability to interact with others, making one’s needs known and responding to instructions.

Self-advocacy and employment skills.

Community integration skills such as accessing community services and resources.

Behavior management to help improve behaviors

Social and recreational skills.

There are many different types of day programs that provide a diverse range of opportunities. If you are interested in learning more about day program services, contact your Service Coordinator. Some day programs have waiting lists, so it is important to plan in advance.

Transportation 

A Transportation Access Plan (TAP) will be developed by the IPP planning team. The plan describes how individuals use specialized or public transportation, such as to day services or employment. TCRC may fund transportation to day services when generic resources are not feasible.

With an emphasis on safety, travel training is a program that teaches people with developmental disabilities to access public transit services within their community. The trainees learn to read service schedules and perhaps even learn to route their trip. Common forms of travel include public transit buses, walking and riding a bike. Although the most popular training destination is from home to program and back, training may be provided to other locations as needed.

Respite 

The regional center supports families living together. Respite services may be available to assist families and help people remain in their family homes. The planning team will determine the desired family support outcomes, identify and access all private and generic resources available to meet the need for services, and will determine which, if any, regional center funded family support services are to be used to meet any remaining need for family support services. For more information, review TCRC’s Respite brochure.

Health Care Services

Health care services may be provided when a person needs specialized health care services directly related to, or the direct result of, a developmental disability, and the care is required to protect health or safety or to prevent regression. These services include specialized medical, dental, nursing, nutritional or pharmaceutical services.

Durable medical equipment includes those mechanical, assistive or adaptive devices which are designed to sustain life or to facilitate mobility, communication, community access or environmental control in order to promote increased independence. Wheelchairs, apnea monitors and communication devices are examples of durable medical equipment.

Non-durable medical equipment and supply services include those expendable products which are designed to assist an individual to maintain optimal health and to promote maximum adaptive functioning such as prescription medication, eyeglasses, diapers, hearing aids, and orthopedic shoes.

Behavior Intervention Services

Behavior intervention services may be provided when an individual shows maladaptive, harmful, socially unacceptable, or developmentally inappropriate behaviors that create safety risks or significantly affect participation in school, work, family life, or residential options.

These services are prescribed assessments or treatments delivered by, or under the supervision of, a qualified licensed or certified professional trained in behavior management. Services use specialized strategies to teach social and adaptive skills and train family members or caregivers to use positive behavior management techniques.

Behavioral services support IPP goals by teaching effective, socially acceptable skills that reduce challenging behaviors. Research shows individuals learn and maintain new skills most successfully when families incorporate behavior strategies into everyday routines.

Regional center behavioral services do not replace those provided by schools, day programs, residential providers, or other generic resources. Families must first pursue private health insurance coverage and follow their insurer’s process for accessing services. A denial letter or proof of appeal is required before TCRC funding can be considered.

Behavioral Services Orientation

TCRC offers an orientation for family members and caregivers of children referred for behavioral services. The orientation explains available services and expectations for family participation. Completion is required before services begin or before enrolling in Group Parent Training in Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA).

Group Parent Training

To help families gain a foundation of knowledge in Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA), they are referred to Group Parent Training. Behavioral services may begin once this training has been completed.

Use of Generic Resources

Generic resources are other publicly funded services and supports available to people receiving services and supports from TCRC. According to the law, regional centers must exhaust all available generic resources before accessing their funded services. After generic resources like the school district, health insurance, and CCS have been used, TCRC can consider funding services like Speech Therapy, Occupational Therapy and counseling.

Speech Pathology, Physical & Occupational Therapy Services

Speech Pathology services include assessment of and therapy for receptive and expressive communication skills, including oral language (speech), sign language, gestural, written communication and/or the use of appropriate augmentative communication systems. 

Speech and Language Therapy may be provided when it is clinically indicated and will result in significantly improved communication skills. These services are intended for individuals whose communication skills are significantly delayed relative to other areas of their development. 

Physical and/or Occupational Therapy services are prescribed by a physician and provided under the supervision of an accredited and licensed physical or occupational therapist. These services are provided to individuals who have significant deficits in the areas of fine and/or gross motor skills, or the skills related to activities of daily living. They are also provided when the therapy is likely to make a significant improvement in the individual’s capabilities, or to prevent deterioration of function or health. Treatment activities include range of motion and home evaluations to assess equipment needs. They also include activities to improve overall coordination, develop self-help, daily living, and motor skills. 

Counseling Services

Counseling services may be provided when a person or his/her family member require a deeper understanding of social or psychological problems that are associated with the developmental disability and that adversely affects an individual’s living arrangements or other services and supports. Clinicians will identify problems and expectations, create time lines, and set goals. People or families are referred to counseling by the planning team.

Counseling services are provided by licensed specialists. At times, counseling may be part of a comprehensive intervention program that includes medication, behavioral management, or other related treatments. TCRC may authorize short-term or crisis counseling services.

Obtaining Services 

The planning team determines needed services.

Services authorized for payment by the regional center will be included in the individual’s IFSP or IPP.

Prior to authorization of regional center funding, an exploration of the availability of other funding sources is required. These sources may include private health insurance, personal resources or services available through other publicly funded agencies.

Except as legally prohibited by the terms of a Special Needs Trust, trust funds established for the care or benefit of a person served by TCRC are considered a private resource. Trust funds shall be used prior to regional center funds.

TCRC will help to ensure that other publicly funded agencies and private therapy service providers fulfill their obligations. These agencies and programs include mental health agencies, local education agencies, health care facility providers, private health insurance, trust funds, and Medi-Cal or Medicare.

The purchase of any service must be an effective use of public funds, both clinically and fiscally.

For individuals receiving early intervention services, children in public school programs, and those who reside in health care facilities, services (health care and or therapies including behavior intervention) are expected to be a part of the individual’s program, rather than as a separately funded service.

TCRC cannot fund any service that is considered experimental, optional or elective in nature.

If another publicly funded agency or private health insurance denies a service, the denial will be appealed. TCRC may authorize funding for a service during the appeal process if the planning team determines that the service is required to protect the health and safety of a person served by the regional center, or that a prolonged wait for the service will have an irreversible impact on that individual’s health and safety.

It is the financial responsibility of persons served by the regional center or their families to pay premiums and meet any required deductibles. Funding of copayments or coinsurance will be considered by the IPP planning team. 

TCRC recognizes that some individual needs are unique and may require an exception. Exception requests will be made through the planning team.