Developmental Disabilities

California Contacts

State Agency Responsible for Providing Services to the Developmentally Disabled

The Department of Developmental Services is one of 13 departments and one board comprising the California Health and Human Services Agency. With a budget of more than $4 billion, the department provides services and supports for over 185,000 children and adults with developmental disabilities . Services are provided through state-operated developmental centers and contracts with twenty-one nonprofit agencies called regional centers.

Under the Department of Developmental Services there are 21 private, not for profit regional centers that are contracted by the state. These centers are the first point of contact for the developmentally disabled consumer interested in obtaining job placement. The regional offices then vendor services to private non-profit agencies or "programs" that supply job placement, job coaching and monitoring services. These programs are not licensed, but must be first certified by the Department of Rehabilitation and then later accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF). Concurrent to this process, the consumer is assigned a counselor from the Department of Rehabilitation who is responsible for advising the program of the consumer's restrictions, approving the job placement, and monitoring the placement until the consumer is considered "stabilized" on the job.

State Agency Responsible for Overseeing Employment Opportunities for the Developmentally Disabled

To apply for any type of private sector employment, the first point of contact is the regional center. For the current listing of regional centers and their contact information, go to:

Sheltered Employment

Sheltered Employment Settings: Work Activity Program (WAP) services through the Department of DDS include paid work, work adjustment and supportive habilitation services in a sheltered work shop setting. WAPs provide paid work in accordance with Federal and State Fair Labor Standards. They are required to provide work at least 50% of the time. Work adjustment services may include developing good work safety practices, money management skills, and appropriate work habits. Supportive habilitation services may include social skill and community resource training as long as the services are necessary to achieve vocational objectives.

Competitive Employment

Supported Employment (SE) services, administered jointly by the Department of Rehabilitation and the Department of Developmental Services, can be provided either through the vocational rehabilitation program or the Habilitation Services Program. SE services are aimed at finding competitive work in a community integrated work setting for persons with severe disabilities who need ongoing support services to learn and perform the work. SE placements can be individual placements or group placements. For individual placements, support is usually provided by a job coach who meets regularly with the person on the job to help him or her learn the necessary skills and behaviors to work independently. As the individual gains mastery of the job, the support services are gradually phased out. For further information, contact:

Health and Safety

The Cal/OSHA Consultation Service provides assistance to employers and workers about workplace safety and health issues through on-site assistance, high hazard consultation and special emphasis programs, and develops educational materials on workplace safety and health topics.

The safety and health of public employees is also covered by the Cal/OSHA program. Cal/OSHA is responsible for enforcing California laws and regulations pertaining to work and health and for providing assistance to employers and workers about workplace safety and health. The Cal/OSHA Enforcement Unit conducts inspections of California workplaces based on worker complaints, accident reports and high hazard industries. There are 22 Cal/OHSA Enforcement Unit district offices.

Reporting Abuse and Neglect

Title 17, Section 54327 of the California Code of Regulations (http://www.dds.ca.gov/Title17/SectionView.cfm?Section=54327.0) requires that anyone paid by the state to provide services or supports to a consumer with developmental disabilities is required to report suspected abuse or neglect. Each county has an Adult Protective Services agency to help elder adults (65 years and older) and dependent adults (18-64 who are disabled), when these elders and dependent adults are unable to meet their own needs or are victims of abuse, neglect or exploitation.

Protection and Advocacy

Protection & Advocacy, Inc. is a nonprofit disability rights organization, working to advance human and legal rights of Californians with disabilities. Protection and Advocacy, Inc. will also investigate complaints of abuse and neglect.