The Many Hats of a Regional Center Service Coordinator

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A California Regional Center service coordinator helps people with developmental disabilities and their families get the services and supports they need. Service coordinators wear many hats! They meet with the person and family, write and update the person’s individual plan, find and arrange services and supports (like education and training, job supports, housing), check that … Read more

Art Bolton From the Bronx to California

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Art is credited with playing a major role in writing the Lanterman Act in California. This is the story of how he traveled from the Bronx to California. He was also a great guy! Below you will find links to two YouTube videos. One is the back story of the Lanterman Act and the other … Read more

Effective Ways that Regional Center Service Coordinators Can Advocate for Individuals with IDD and Their Families

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Summary: Service coordinators can be strong, practical advocates — inside the  regional center and across systems — by using the IPP process, documenting needs, coordinating assessments and services, negotiating with vendors/schools/health plans, and connecting families with legal/advocacy resources when needed. Below are specific actions they can take, limits to their authority, a simple step-by-step checklist families can use, and sample … Read more

We Have Human Rights

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by the Harvard Project on Disability (www.hpod.org) Welcome to the power of human rights. This book is for people with developmental disabilities. You can use it to learn about your rights. You can also use it to talk with others about your rights. When you speak up for yourself, you are a self-advocate. When you work … Read more

The Architects of Person Centered Planning and Practices

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The foundations of person-centered planning, thinking and practices are rooted in the writings of a number of individuals. Here are some of the key figures often thought of as the “architects” of person-centered planning and practices. In addition, you’ll find a brief history of The Learning Community for Person Centered Practices here.

What’s New in Research and Practice for Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

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Researchers and people who provide services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities are shifting from “fixing problems” to helping people live full lives. That means more focus on rights, participation, and supports that help people make their own choices. At the same time, there are big advances in genetics and technology, new ways to … Read more

Person-Centered Planning: Choosing the Approach that Works for the Person

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Person-centered planning is not one defined process, but a range or continuum of processes allunderpinned by the same values base and goal – to provide supports necessary to assist people to gainagency in their lives. – Valerie Bradley Here’s an excerpt from this excellent NCAPPS article. You can find it here. “Over the past several … Read more

John Shea – R.I.P.

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John Shea earned his Ph.D. in Economics from Ohio State University, where he focused on workforce and education planning, human resource policy, and labor economics. In the 1970s, he worked in higher education research. He was a Senior Fellow with the Carnegie Commission and Council on Policy Studies on Higher Education in Berkeley, California (1973–79), … Read more

Patterns of Supported Living

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Although written in 1993, this piece still contains great stories of supported living from California. PrefaceAt one point in completing this work, we were overwhelmed by how it could easily go wrong. That is, we could just paint a picture called Supported Living and hope for the best as people tried to reproduce it. Instead, … Read more