Are you interested in getting regular updates from us on the work of the Master Plan Stakeholder Committee? Sign up by contacting DSMasterPlan@chhs.ca.gov.

Are you passionate about improving services for individuals with developmental disabilities in California? California’s Health and Human Services Agency (CalHHS) with the Department of Developmental Services is looking for passionate individuals to join our new workgroups. The workgroups will help us develop recommendations for a better developmental disabilities service system. We need people from all backgrounds representing diverse communities to lend their expertise and make a difference. This includes people with disabilities, and those with personal or professional experience with developmental service system.

These working groups will meet monthly by Zoom starting in July 2024 through early 2025. Members will spend meet for about 3 hours each month and will also work individually between meeting on their group’s priority issues and developing recommendations.

To learn more about the workgroups and apply to join, please complete our online application survey. https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/H5R2S8L. You will be asked to provide information about your interest and your background. To help us recruit diverse members you will be asked some optional demographic questions which will be confidential. The deadline for submitting the application is June 28. If you need accommodations or assistance to complete the application form, please email us at DSMasterPlan@chhs.ca.gov with the subject line “application help”.  Thank you for your interest and support!

¿Le apasiona mejorar los servicios para personas con discapacidades del desarrollo en California? La Agencia de Salud y Servicios Humanos de California (CalHHS) con el Departamento de Servicios de Desarrollo está buscando personas apasionadas para unirse a nuestros nuevos grupos de trabajo. Los grupos de trabajo nos ayudarán a desarrollar recomendaciones para un mejor sistema de servicios para discapacidades del desarrollo. Necesitamos personas de todos los orígenes que representen comunidades diversas para aportar su experiencia y marcar la diferencia. Esto incluye personas con discapacidades y aquellas con experiencia personal o profesional con el sistema de servicios de desarrollo.

Estos grupos de trabajo se reunirán mensualmente por Zoom desde julio de 2024 hasta principios de 2025. Los miembros se reunirán durante aproximadamente 3 horas cada mes y también trabajarán individualmente entre las reuniones sobre los temas prioritarios de su grupo y el desarrollo de recomendaciones.

Para obtener más información sobre los grupos de trabajo y solicitar unirse, complete nuestra encuesta de solicitud en línea. Se le pedirá que proporcione información sobre sus intereses y sus antecedentes. Para ayudarnos a reclutar miembros diversos, se le harán algunas preguntas demográficas opcionales que serán confidenciales. La fecha límite para enviar la solicitud es el 21 de junio. Si necesita adaptaciones o asistencia para completar el formulario de solicitud, envíenos un correo electrónico a DSMasterPlan@chhs.ca.gov con el asunto “ayuda para la solicitud”. ¡Gracias por su interes y apoyo!

您是否热衷于改善加州发育障碍人士的服务？加州卫生与公众服务局 (CalHHS) 和发展服务部正在寻找热情人士加入我们的新工作组。工作组将帮助我们制定更好的发育障碍服务系统的建议。我们需要来自不同背景、代表不同社区的人们提供专业知识并有所作为。这包括残疾人士以及在发展服务系统方面具有个人或专业经验的人。

这些工作组将从 2024 年 7 月开始到 2025 年初每月通过 Zoom 举行会议。成员每月将花大约 3 个小时开会，还将在讨论其小组的优先事项和制定建议之间单独工作。

要了解有关工作组的更多信息并申请加入，请完成我们的在线申请调查。您将被要求提供有关您的兴趣和背景的信息。为了帮助我们招募多元化的成员，您将被问到一些可选的人口统计问题，这些问题将是保密的。提交申请的截止日期为 6 月 21 日。如果您需要帮助或协助填写申请表，请发送电子邮件至 DSMasterPlan@chhs.ca.gov，主题为“申请帮助”。感谢您的关注和支持！

Issue

The Regional Center of the East Bay (RCEB) is requesting a 637 waiver to the Department of Developmental Services (DDS) for an Alternative Services Delivery to waive California Code of Regulations (CCR), Title 17, Division 2, Chapter 3, section 54342(58) (A)&(B) which governs out-of-home respite services and lists by service code the type of agencies which may be vendored to provide such respite service. The provision does not include an FHA as a type of agency that can provide out-of-home respite.

Enriching Lives is a Family Home Agency vendored with The Regional Center of the East Bay.  Regional Center of the East Bay (RCEB) is requesting that California Code of Regulations (CCR), Title 17, Division 2, Chapter 3, section 54342(58) (A)&(B) be waived to allow Enriching lives as an FHA to be an agency that can provide out-of-home respite to all current 5 tier level rates.

Impact to RCEB Clients Under Proposal

This request will affect RCEB clients in the following way:  this proposal is to allow FHA model to offer out-of-home respite to adults living with their families.

Impact on Regional Center and State Budget

There are no additional costs to The Regional Center of the East Bay. The bed used for respite may not be the same bed funded by the Regional center for a permanent resident.

Payment for respite services shall be calculated according to CCR, Title 17 Section 57332, and Maximum Rates of Reimbursement for Non-Residential services.

Public Comments

This information will be made available via the RCEB website www.rceb.org, on Wednesday May 15^th 2024 . A public meeting for comments on this proposal will be held on Wednesday May 29, 2024 from 10am to 11am via Zoom:

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85270446157?pwd=WGVWTjRyOEEycWJpSStyTGJyRW9idz09

Meeting ID: 852 7044 6157
Passcode: 481952

Written comments can also be sent to: Rparada@rceb.org through May 29^th, 2024.

Over the last few years, in partnership with the Legislature, the Newsom Administration has made historic investments to increase rates within the developmental services system. The Master Plan will leverage these investments to strengthen accessibility, quality, and equity for all consumers.

In recognition that California’s developmental disabilities system is deeply connected to other health and social systems, the Master Plan will seek to create and strengthen bridges that connect the developmental services system to other critical systems across CalHHS, and other systems and services including education, housing, employment, transportation, and safety.

For more information about the Master Plan, roster of committee members, and meeting dates/locations, please visit the Master Plan website.

In fiscal year 2019-2020, Regional Center of the East Bay (RCEB) received Community Resource Development Plan funding from the Department of Developmental Services to develop affordable housing units. RCEB has been working with Satellite Affordable Housing (SAHA) on  a multifamily project called  “The Grinnell”. The Grinnell is located at 2527 San Pablo Avenue, in Berkeley, on the corner of Blake Street and San Pablo Avenue.

The Grinnell is a 63 unit, affordable housing complex which is nearing construction completion and it is anticipated to open in early 2024. The Grinnell will have on site housing support services through Housing Consortium of the East Bay and all units will be accessible.

RCEB has 12 units (8- one bedroom and 4-two bedroom units) that are set aside for clients of the Regional Center of the East Bay. All units will be project based section 8, meaning that there are income limits that are 30% of the Adjusted Median Income (see flyer for details).

As these units are set aside for clients with an intellectual disability, at least one of the household members needs to have a developmental disability.  If there are non-disabled parents, with a child with that has a developmental disability, who meet the income requirements, and are in need of affordable housing, they could potentially qualify.

We are starting to develop a list of potential clients for these units and will be collecting names as referred by the case manager. We will be randomly selecting names from this list to submit to SAHA. The due date for collecting names will be August 25, 2023.

Please contact your RCEB case manager with questions and to be added to the list. Please let your case manager know your house hold size and your address, phone, and/or email address. You can also email this information directly to  Grinnell@rceb.org

Satellite Affordable Housing Associates staff will reach out to those who are selected and will be working with the client through the process of certification for the project based section 8. SAHA is hoping to have individuals complete the certification process by December 2023.

Please see the flyer for more details.

Housed in the Department of Developmental Services, the Ombudsperson assists regional center clients and their families to access their regional center services available under the Lanterman Act.

Office of the Ombudsperson

Regional Center of the East Bay (RCEB) would like to thank you for filling out and submitting the survey regarding the types of services and supports to meet current and future needs of individuals and their families in the community.

The information gathered in this survey will be considered for new program development as part of the Community Resource Development Plan (CRDP). The goal of the CRDP is to expand the availability, accessibility, and types of services and supports to meet current and future needs of individuals and their families in the community.  Limited funding from the Department of Developmental Services (DDS) will be available for program development.

Based on the information gathered from the surveys, RCEB will prioritize requesting start up funding to DDS for the following services:

1)      A service provider for a specialized residential facility to serve 4 individuals who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing and require staff fluent in American Sign Language.

2)      10 affordable housing units at a Multifamily development in Newark, California.

3)      A special needs dental surgery resource for clients who may require dental work completed under sedation or general anesthesia.

4)      A short term step down Specialized Residential Facility designed to work with adult clients transitioning from Community Crisis Home and other crisis facilities.

5)      Behavioral respite that can provide supports to clients residing in the family home who may require Registered Behavior Technician level of staffing.

6)      An employment services vendor that may be able to provide supports to adult clients interested in micro-enterprise or self-employment.

The Department of Developmental Services has approved RCEB to seek housing development organization(s) to acquire, build and or renovate a suitable property for: 1-enhanced behavior support home for females and 1-specialized residential facility for those who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing who require staff who are fluent in American Sign Language (ASL).

The Community Resource Development Project/ Community Placement Plan awardees for Fiscal Year 2021-22 are:

Housing Developer Organization to acquire and renovate One (1) Enhanced Behavior Support Home for Four (4) adult females who are dually diagnosed.
Awardee: Brilliant Corners
Acquisition Amount: $400,000          Renovation Amount: $400,000

Housing Developer Organization to acquire and renovate One (1) Specialized Residential Facility to serve Four (4) regional center clients who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing or who require staff fluent in American Sign Language
Awardee: Bay Area Housing Corporation
Acquisition Amount: $400,000          Renovation Amount: $350,000

The Early Start program has a variety of multilingual brochures, booklets, publications, and other free resources are available for parents, professionals, and others. These publications, resources, and program guidance support the statewide, comprehensive and coordinated system of child find, public awareness and outreach. Please see DDS’ website for resources: https://www.dds.ca.gov/services/early-start/early-start-publications-resources-and-program-guidance/

The Early Start Newsletter provides quarterly updates on Early Start events, resources, and other important material for families, regional centers, and service providers: https://www.dds.ca.gov/services/early-start/early-start-publications-resources-and-program-guidance/online-resources/

April Newsletter (English)

April Newsletter (Spanish)

Vaccine Information for Family Members?

January 20, 2021

The letter below from the Department of Developmental Services clarifies that family members of certain people are “health care workers” pursuant to the State of California’s Vaccination Plan (https://covid19.ca.gov/vaccines/). Per the letter, the eligibility of these family members can be established by documentation from RCEB verifying the qualifying condition of the family member.

If your family member is served by RCEB, please use the individual’s Individual Program Plan (IPP) or Individual Family Service Plan(IFSP) as documentation.  If you do not have a copy, please reach out to the case manager for your family member.

We cannot provide documentation for those who are NOT served by RCEB. However, if you believe you may be eligible for services please contact our intake department for information about how to apply. https://v6q.90e.myftpupload.com/clients/am-i-eligible/

RCEB is NOT a vaccine provider. Please check with your county for information on how to access a COVID-19 vaccine at the links found below. Based on eligibility as a family member/health care worker, you can follow the links for “health care worker” on these sites. You can also reach out to your individual health care provider.

Please be prepared to explain as some vaccine providers may NOT be aware of eligibility for I/DD family members to receive the vaccine. Have all of your documentation on hand (the DDS letter AND a copy of your family member’s IPP/IFSP).

There is currently a high demand for and limited supply of the vaccine.  Appointments are not always available quickly for those who want them. In the coming months, we expect that supplies will increase.

Phase 1A Vaccine Information as of January 13, 2021

Attached are letters from the Department of Developmental Services explaining the role of direct service employees, family members and certain regional center employees in caring for consumers and thus are prioritized for COVID-19 vaccination within Phase 1A:

• For Family Members of Persons Served by Regional Centers
• For Select Regional Center Employees
• For Direct Service Professionals/Employees
• Resources for Direct Services Employees

From the Department of Developmental Services and Department of Public Health

• Vaccines and Testing Information – DDS
• Vaccine FAQ’s from DDS – January 8, 2021
• CDPH Allocation Guidelines for COVID-19 Vaccine During Phase 1A: Recommendations

From Our County Partners in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties

• Alameda County Vaccination Guidance and Resources: for Alameda County Residents, Employees, and Health Care Providers
• Contra Costa County Vaccine Information – January 12, 2021

Plain Language Information About Vaccines

• State Council on Developmental Disabilities: Things to Know About the Vaccine
• PowerPoint Presentation: Vaccine Information
• Avoiding COVID Scams

Important Information for Families on Health Insurance Coverage of Behavioral Health Treatment for People with Autism or PDD/NOS announcements intended for Clients and Families.

• California Department of Insurance
• California Department of Health Care

Documents needed:

• Most recent complete Federal 1040 Tax Form for family/individual (for clients age 3 and up only)
• The treatment plan from the Behavioral Health Treatment provider.
• Information on the frequency of treatment (e.g. 5 days per week). Usually part of the treatment plan.
• Summary of Benefits for your health insurance that includes information on the plan year, copayments or coinsurance amounts, and out of pocket maximums for the individual.
• For plans with deductibles and coinsurance: a copy of the billing statements/explanation of benefits from the health plan that indicate the deductible and /or copayments/coinsurance that is charged for Behavioral Health Treatment Services

Copay Checklist | PDF Download

The Internal Revenue Service is working with the Social Security Administration in an effort to get stimulus payments for SSA, SSI and RR recipients issued quickly and directly deposited into your account.

IRS: Payment Information- Economic Impact
IRS: Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Recipients
Social Security Administration Information