My Residents and Regional Center

There are two major groups of clients that live in Adult Residential Facilities: The Developmentally Disabled and Mental Health Clients.

Mental Health clients suffer from psychiatric disorders such as  schizophrenia, bipolar disorder  and depression; they are usually on medication. Mental health clients pay for their stay in the facility though their Social Security  disability income.  This amounts to approximately $900.00 per month. Mental Health clients are not managed by Regional Center.  To be successful you  must market your facility to hospitals, psychiatrists and others in the mental health community. Most residential programs for mental health clients are large chimerical facilities with over 100 beds.  

Developmentally Disabled

Services  for developmentally disabled individuals are delivered through a network of 21 Regional Centers in California.  These 21 regional Centers are funded and regulated by Title 17 through  the California Department of Developmental Services.    Each Regional Center covers a specific geographic region  known as  a catchment area.  Developmentally Disabled individuals typically have mental retardation, autism or a seizure disorder and function at various levels of independence.    Each Regional Center client has an  Individual Program Plan that specifies the goals the client is working on.  A typical goal might be “the consumer will learn to use city bus services,” or “...reduce instances of  wandering,” or “...will take a community college class.” 

Becoming Vendored with Regional Center

Working with  Regional Center clients involves a considerable amount of work and commitment.  Because of the unique needs of developmentally disabled individuals, Regional Center requires that the administrator of the facility have experience working with the population.  Each Regional Center  interprets the experience requirement differently.  Some Regional Centers  require  direct experience  in a residential setting. Other Regional Centers may consider related experience as  a nurse or health professional in evaluating  experience.  Many people satisfy the experience requirement by working in a residential setting on a part time basis.    Click this link to  view a list of So California Homes contracted with Regional Centers where you might get your experience requirement satisfied. It is best to work for a  larger company that has a training program and other benefits rather than a small family run business.    

Person Centered Planning

Working with developmentally disabled individuals requires a philosophical shift from the traditional medical model of care.   Historically individuals with developmental disability have  been  treated like children placing the care provider in the role of parent.  Person Planning is an attitude and process of working with clients that supports the individual's choice and preferences.   The client is at the center of planning which  services and supports he or  she will receive. While family and friends, care providers  participate in the planning process, is is the individual who receives those services who has the loudest voice. Click here to learn more about Person Centered Planning. 
 

Direct Support Professional Training

Title 17  also requires all individuals who work in a residential setting to complete Direct Support Professional Training within 1 and  2 years of working in the facility.  Some  Regional Centers require DSPT training prior to being vendored.  For  a schedule of courses click here  DSPT Training .