DVU Brief

Coming Soon

Directive

November 6, 2025

TO: REGIONAL CENTER EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS

SUBJECT: REGIONAL CENTER REPORTING ABOUT LARGE CHANGES IN SELF-DETERMINATION INDIVIDUAL BUDGETS

This directive establishes a requirement and process for regional centers to provide information about large changes in a sample of already-certified individual budgets of participants in the Self-Determination Program (SDP) to the Department of Developmental Services (Department). The information will provide policymakers a better understanding of the reasons for large changes to SDP participants’ individual budgets. This directive does not give the Department a role in the approval of individual budgets or spending plans.

Annually, regional centers must provide the specified information about the designated number of individual budgets that increase by $20,000 or more compared to the participant’s prior year authorized services or SDP individual budget. The regional centers must randomly select the certified individual budgets to submit to the Department. For 2026, each regional center must provide this information for the designated number of participants listed below, which is proportionate to their total number of SDP participants. Regional centers shall submit the certified individual budget, certified or verified spending plan, and Attachment A to the Department. To maximize the accuracy of Attachment A, regional centers are encouraged to coordinate with the applicable service coordinator for the randomly selected SDP participants. Regional centers shall submit the required information no later than February 28 of each year.

Regional Center	Certified individual budgets for Ages 0-21 years old	Certified individual budgets for ages 22 years and older	Total Certified individual budgets
Alta California Regional Center	36	35	71
Central Valley Regional Center	11	10	21
Regional Center of East Bay	30	29	59
Eastern Los Ángeles Regional Center	21	21	42
Frank D. Lanterman Regional Center	24	24	48
Far Northern Regional Center	22	21	43
Golden Gate Regional Center	19	19	38
Harbor Regional Center	30	29	59

Inland Regional Center	44	43	87
Kern Regional Center	19	19	38
North Bay Regional Center	7	6	13
North Los Ángeles
Regional Center	38	38	76
Regional Center of Orange County	34	33	67
Redwood Coast Regional Center	4	3	7
San Andreas Regional Center	20	19	39
South Central Los Ángeles Regional Center	11	10	21
San Diego Regional Center	63	63	126
San Gabriel Pomona Regional Center	19	18	37
Tri-Counties Regional Center	8	8	16
Valley Mountain Regional Center	9	8	17
Westside Regional Center	38	37	75
Total	507	493	1000

Regional centers must submit the requested information to the Department through the regional center portal. Regional centers will receive a link to the secure portal via email. The Department will offer trainings and technical assistance on the use of the portal and implementation of this reporting process to regional centers.

Questions from regional centers should be directed to the Department’s Self-Determination Program Branch at sdp@dds.ca.gov.

Sincerely,

Original Signed by:

Yang Lee, Chief Community Assistance and Development

Attachment

cc: Regional Center Administrators

Regional Center Directors of Consumer Services

Regional Center Community Services Directors

Association of Regional Center Agencies

Link to Directive:

Regional Center Reporting About Large Changes In Self-Determination Individual Budgets

Attachment A:

Required Reporting Tool for Self-Determination Program Individual Budgets