About New “Cost-Effective” Rule and Self-Determination Budgets
California is writing, for the first time, a statewide definition of what counts as a “cost-effective” service for people with developmental disabilities. If you’re in the Self-Determination Program (SDP), the exact wording could affect how much you’re allowed to pay your providers. Download the complete article here.
Recent Research on Person Centered Planning
A compilation of studies from the past two years. The common thread seems to be that while the use of person-centered planning is well established, real choice-making still lags theory in everyday practice. Download here.
Master Plan for Developmental Services – Summary of the First Annual Report
California released its Master Plan for Developmental Services — 167 recommendations for improving life for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) — on March 28, 2025. Here’s a summary of the first annual report. Download here
Some Thoughts About the California Developmental Services System
For the past six months, we have provided Claude AI with access to resources regarding the California Developmental Services System. We recently asked it to write up as summary about the current state, strengths, challenges and needs. Download that unedited summary. What are your thoughts? — July 2026
Recently Featured Articles with Descriptions and Sources
The following articles were researched using Claude AI and reviewed, fact checked and edited by Allen, Shea & Associates. View that list here.
Risks and Opportunities
There are many dimensions which shape a life of quality for members of any community. When considering how to support people with developmental disabilities in living a life of quality we need to think about those elements which add quality to our own lives. For example, a local family doctor frequently gives lectures about how to live a balanced life. He suggests that the characteristics of the “best possible life” are: good health; reasonable wealth; family; peace; security; friends; time; and, growth. He feels so strongly about this advice that he lists these qualities on the back of his business card and hands them out to anyone who will listen. People with developmental disabilities want the best possible life as well and supported living services can help achieve that goal. Download the rest of the chapter excerpted from Patterns of Supported Living.
Websites for Self-Advocates and Their Families
Free websites about rights and support with California specific resources. Download here.
What California’s Master Plan for Developmental Services Means for You
In March 2025, California released the Master Plan for Developmental Services: A Community-Driven Vision. It’s a big deal — the most ambitious effort in decades to rethink how the state supports people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) and their families. Read a summary here.
Effective Ways that Regional Center Service Coordinators Can Advocate for Individuals with IDD and Their Families
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 language to use when asking the coordinator for help. Download the complete article here.
Paper and Practice
Person-centered planning in California was written in law in 1992. That was the year that the Lanterman Act was amended to require that IPPs reflect a person’s own preferences, strengths, culture, and vision for their life. To this day, individuals and families often report a difference between that promise and what happens. You can download that article here.
How to Read Your Regional Center Assessment
If you have been referred to a regional center in California — or if you are a family member supporting someone who has — you may have heard the words “assessment” or “evaluation” and wondered – what does that actually mean? What are they looking at? And what happens with the results? You can find those answers in How to Read Your Regional Center Assessment.
Positive & Productive Meetings
by Helen Sanderson and Jean Balfour with Barney Cunningham and Amanda George
Illustrations by Marc Archambault
Positive and Productive Meetings (PPM) is a set of strategies initially developed by consultants in England attempting to steal back their own time and energy as well as that of the people they worked with everyday. Over time very simple, yet effective principles became clear. If teams want to work together positively and productively, they must:
- Have a clear purpose and clear outcomes for each meeting;
- Create a process and environment where people can be listened to and think for themselves, and;
- Work to people’s strengths and share responsibility for different roles in the meeting.
Positive and Productive Meetings download here
A Glossary of Terms
This glossary explains common terms used in the field of intellectual and developmental disability (I/DD). It is written for individuals, families, and service coordinators. Terms with special meaning in California are noted. Download here.
The Many Hats of a Regional Center Service Coordinator
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 services are working, respond in crises, and help families understand benefits and rules. They also keep records, report suspected abuse, and work with schools, doctors, and other agencies so everyone is on the same page. Download and read more about the many hats here.