California’s Protection & Advocacy System Toll-Free (800) 776-5746 Purchase of Service Data: San Diego Regional Center December 2013, Pub #F094.01 In 2012 a new law was added to the Lanterman Act. The new law, Welfare & Institutions Code Section 4519.5, was needed because of concerns that regional centers did not spend money equally on consumer services based on race and ethnicity. The law requires the following actions. First, regional centers and the Department of Developmental Services (DDS) now have to work together to on how gather information or “data” regional centers buy services and supports for the communities they serve. The of data because it shows how data is called “Purchase Service” (POS) much was spent by each regional center on services for groups of people, by race, ethnicity, language and disability. It also shows the number of people who are not receiving any POS dollars. Second, regional centers, including San Diego Regional Center (“SDRC”) have to put their POS data on their websites no later than December 31st of each year. Third, every regional center must schedule public meetings or “stakeholder” meetings, to explain the data and how the money was spent. These stakeholder meetings must happen no later than March 31st of each year. At least 30 days in advance, you should be able to know the date of stakeholder meeting and look at POS data by visiting its SDRC’s SDRC’s website. You can also see (and all other regional POS SDRC’s centers’) data and stakeholder meeting dates by going to DDS’ website at:
California’s Protection & Advocacy System Toll-Free (800) 776-5746 Purchase of Service Data: San Diego Regional Center December 2013, Pub #F094.01 In 2012 a new law was added to the Lanterman Act. The new law, Welfare & Institutions Code Section 4519.5, was needed because of concerns that regional centers did not spend money equally on consumer services based on race and ethnicity. The law requires the following actions. First, regional centers and the Department of Developmental Services (DDS) now have to work together to gather information or “data” on how regional centers buy services and supports for the communities they serve. The data is called “Purchase of Service” (POS) data because it shows how much was spent by each regional center on services for groups of people, by race, ethnicity, language and disability. It also shows the number of people who are not receiving any POS dollars. Second, regional centers, including San Diego Regional Center (“SDRC”) have to put their POS data on their websites no later than December 31st of each year. Third, every regional center must schedule public meetings or “stakeholder” meetings, to explain the data and how the money was spent. These stakeholder meetings must happen no later than March 31st of each year. At least 30 days in advance, you should be able to know the date of SDRC’s stakeholder meeting and look at SDRC’s POS data by visiting its website. You can also see SDRC’s (and all other regional centers’) POS data and stakeholder meeting dates by going to DDS’ website at: