State has pulled $1 billion in funding since 2008; nonprofits losing money

While California’s budget is balanced with a $3.6 billion surplus, agencies that provide services to individuals with developmental disabilities say Gov. Jerry Brown’s proposed spending plan for fiscal year 2016-17 puts their agencies at risk of collapse. Read more.

Regional Center of the East Bay receives county recognition: The Alameda County Board of Supervisors voted today to commend a San Leandro facility for providing essential supportive services to people with developmental disabilities and their families for 40 years. Supervisor Nate Miley said the Regional Center of the East Bay serves 18,500 residents in Alameda and Contra Costa counties and is the fifth largest regional center in the state. Miley said the state Legislature’s passage of the Lanterman Developmental Disabilities Services Act 50 years ago created a system of regional centers that guaranteed that people with developmental disabilities have the right to receive services and support that help them to live more independent and productive lives in their communities. Read more.

A one-hour drama about a family with a young child who has just been diagnosed with autism is headed to television. SundanceTV will air the six-episode series “The A-Word” later this year.

Described as “thought-provoking and lighthearted,” the show focuses on 5-year-old Joe, who is newly-diagnosed on the spectrum, and his parents Paul and Alison who are struggling with different child-rearing approaches. Read more

As people with Down syndrome live longer, they are increasingly grappling with a problem of aging—Alzheimer’s disease.

New efforts are under way to address the challenges, including a push to find early changes in the blood or brain associated with Alzheimer’s, research into a possible vaccine, and the building of new homes to provide specialized care. Read more.

ARCA is seeking a vendor with the appropriate experience, knowledge, and proven expertise to conduct an assessment of the requirements for a possible replacement of its legacy, custom-developed, fiscal/accounting system.

The deadline for submitting responses is January 29, 2016 at 12:00 pm. Contact information is provided in the link by clicking here.

Next week the National Core Indicators (NCI) Project surveys will be mailed to all (about 1308) NBRC families with children ages 3-18 who live at home and receive at least 1 funded service.