How Do You Receive Regional Center Services?
- A person can qualify for services at any age, however, the person must be diagnosed with an intellectual and/or a developmental disability before the age of 18.
- Regional centers do not provide support to persons who are only diagnosed with a mental illness (i.e. depression, schizophrenia), have a learning disability (i.e. dyslexia, auditory processing disorder), are only deaf or blind, or only have a speech disorder.
- The primary diagnosis must be an intellectual and/or developmental disability. A person can be found eligible who is dually diagnosed with an intellectual or developmental disability as well as other disabilities described above.
- However, if you feel someone is delayed, and are unsure if they would qualify for SCLARC services, please refer them for an assessment.
Regional Center Eligibility
- Income is not a factor for eligibility.
- Services are provided for free.
- Services are provided regardless of citizenship or residency status – consumers can receive services if they are undocumented.
Intake Process
- If you think a person may be eligible for services, call SCLARC at (213) 744-7000 and ask for “Intake”.
- Indicate the age of the person being referred.
- Birth to 3 – Early Start/PRRS Intake
- 3 and above – Regular Intake
- Intake Worker completes an initial telephone screening and schedules an appointment for an office visit if needed. Early Start may schedule an in-home visit if needed.
- Please call first, do not walk in.
- Helpful to bring any documentation that indicates why the person may meet eligibility criteria, i.e. medical records, psychological/ psychiatric evaluations, school records (IEP’s, report cards, etc.)
- Intake Service Coordinator (SC) will interview the potential client and family and complete a psycho-social assessment within 15 days of initial request for screening.
- Other clinicians, such as a psychologist, physician, OT/PT, or others may also assess the prospective client if needed.
- In some cases, Intake may observe the individual in the community, i.e. in school, to ensure an accurate assessment.
- Finally a “Core Staffing Team” comprised of clinicians, managers, and the Intake SC will make a determination regarding eligibility.
- For those not found eligible, referrals will be made to appropriate alternative resources in the community.
- The intake process for ages 3 and older generally takes 45-120 days to complete.
- Birth to three cases are reviewed by the Early Start Eligibility Team which generally takes 45 days to complete.
