How does a person apply for services?
To apply for services; parents, unconserved adults, legal guardians or conservator should contact the Intake Referral Coordinator at 707-256-1180 or intake@nbrc.net
Parents, guardians and conservators, or an adult with a developmental disability that was diagnosed before age 18 may initiate the application process. A professional, such as a pediatrician, or other interested party may also do so, but only with permission from the individual or family.
What services are available?
The regional center uses a planning process to assess for service needs and identify how those needs will be addressed by service provision.
For children age 0 to 36 months this process is called the Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP). The plan is prepared by you, parents of a minor child, a guardian or conservator (if any), anyone else you invite to be with you, and regional center staff.
The IPP (or IFSP) identifies your goals and the services needed to reach these goals. It identifies who will provide the service and who will pay for it. All services listed in the IPP will be provided either by a natural resources, e.g., family member or friend, a generic (community) resource, or a regional center vendor (a business approved by the regional center to provide services). Services available will depend on what support needs have been identified by the planning team and agreed to. Learn more by clicking here (link to the Client Services page)
Are there fees for services?
There is no charge for assessment services or for service coordination provided to client sand families by the regional center.
For most Lanterman Act and Early Start services, there is no charge to the client or family for services and supports that are specified in the client’s Individualized Program Plan (IPP) or the Individual Family Services Plan. However, certain services are subject to Family Cost Participation, which is a sliding scale based on a family’s ability to pay. Also, parents of children under 18 whose adjusted gross family income is at or above 400% of the federal poverty level, are assessed an Annual Family Program Fee of $150 or $200, depending on their income.
What are generic (community) resources?
Generic resources are those services typically funded by a government or community entity, complete with a set of eligibility criteria and regulations of their own. Generic resources may include the school districts, Society Security Administration, Housing Authority, California Children’s Services, MediCal, Medicare, community colleges; literacy services; libraries; and the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Program.
The Lanterman Act names regional centers the “payor of last resort” and specifies they exhaust all other possible sources of funding for needed services before regional center dollars can be used to purchase services on behalf of clients and families.
Transition Services
Transition Fact Sheet – Spanish
What is the Medicaid Waiver, or Home and Community- Based Services?
Medicaid Waiver is a federally funded program that pays for some regional center services. Most regional center clients are eligible to participate in the Medicaid Waiver program, but in some cases, a client’s individual circumstances may not fit within the program requirements.
