Individual Budget
What is the Individual Budget?
Your budget is the money the regional center authorizes your Financial Management Service (FMS) to pay for the services and things you need based on your Person-Centered Plan (PCP) and Individual Program Plan (IPP). The regional center must certify that the amount of your budget is the same as you would have gotten in the traditional system. You decide how to use this money to reach your goals with a spending plan.
How is Your Budget Determined?
- Current Regional Center Consumers: If you’re already receiving services, your budget will start at what the regional center spent on you over the past 12 months. You will receive a prior 12-month spending report from your regional center.
- New Regional Center Consumers: If you’re new or haven’t received services for 12 months, the IPP team will decide your needs and budget based on the average costs for similar individuals, unless you have unique needs that require a different amount.
The budget is based on traditional system services. These follow the purchase of service standards for each regional center.
Developing Your Budget
You will have a budget meeting with your Individual Program Plan (IPP) Team to discuss what was spent in the previous 12 months and your person-centered plan (PCP) goals. Your IPP team can update your budget if:
- You have unmet needs
- You have a change in circumstance
This is why the Person-Centered Plan (PCP) is so important in the Self-Determination Program (SDP). Your plan may identify services or supports that have not been met before. or outline new goals.
If you want to add a service that requires an assessment, this assessment must be completed before the service can be added to your budget.
Regional Centers Certify the Budget
Regional centers must ensure your budget is the same whether you are in the Self-Determination Program (SDP) or the traditional system.
Once your IPP Team agrees on the services and the amount, both you and the regional center will sign the budget. The regional center certifies that this amount would have been provided had you stayed in the traditional system.
Disagreeing with Your Budget
If you disagree with the budget amount, you have the same rights as in the traditional system. You have the right to a fair hearing under The Lanterman Act.
Additional Resources:
Sample Budget Tool:
Your IPP Team will meet to talk about your budget. They will look at what you spent in the past 12 months and your person-centered plan. Each regional center has their own budget tool. However, the Department of Developmental Services (DDS) provided a sample one.
Don’t worry if you do not know the traditional system service codes or rates! You do not need to create this budget. Your service coordinator and independent facilitator will help you. But you should always be part of the process and discussion!
Traditional Regional Center Service Codes and Descriptions:
Here’s a list of services a regional center might offer. Not all centers provide every service. Some services are only given if other generic resources, like from a school or insurance, have been tried first or denied.