Developmental services: initial intake: assessment.

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide detailed information on how regional centers will assist in document collection beyond mentioning that they should ensure assessments are conducted quickly.

Developmental Services for Foster Children

This law changes how regional centers handle initial intake assessments for foster children with suspected developmental disabilities, requiring quicker assessments and prohibiting certain reasons for denying additional assessment.

What This Bill Does

• Requires regional centers to conduct an additional assessment within the first 15 days if a foster child is believed to have a developmental disability but eligibility cannot be determined.
• Prohibits regional centers from refusing further assessment based on lack of documentation or age at diagnosis for foster children.
• Ensures that assessments are completed as soon as possible, and no later than 60 days after the initial intake for foster children.
• Requires regional centers to assist in gathering necessary documents to speed up the assessment process for foster children.

Who It Names or Affects

• Foster children who may have developmental disabilities
• Regional centers that provide services to people with developmental disabilities

Terms To Know

Developmental Disabilities Services Act

A law that helps people with developmental disabilities get the support they need.

Initial Intake

The first step where a regional center checks if someone might have a developmental disability and needs help.

Limits and Unknowns

• Does not specify what happens after January 1, 2030 when the reporting requirement is repealed.
• Only applies to foster children and does not change rules for other groups of people with disabilities.

Official Summary Text

AB 1099, as amended, Bryan.
Developmental services: initial intake: assessment.
Existing law, the Lanterman Developmental Disabilities Services Act, requires the State Department of Developmental Services to contract with regional centers to provide services and supports to persons with developmental disabilities and their families.
Under existing law, a person believed to have a developmental disability, and a person believed to have a high risk of parenting an infant with a developmental disability, is eligible for initial intake and assessment services in the regional centers. Existing law requires that initial intake take place within 15 days following a request for assistance. Existing law, commencing January 1, 2025, requires a regional center, by the end of that 15-day period, to either determine if the individual is eligible for regional center services or determine if additional assessment is needed.
This bill would, for initial intakes involving a foster child, as defined, if the regional center has not determined, within the 15-day period following a request for assistance, that the foster child is eligible or provisionally eligible for regional center services, instead require the regional center to refer the foster child for, and conduct, that additional assessment. The bill would prohibit a determination not to provide additional assessment from being solely based on
either
the lack of specified
documentation.
documentation or the age of the person when they received a diagnosis of a qualifying condition, as specified.
The bill would require the department to
submit an annual report to the Legislature that includes
annually post on its internet website
specified data relating to initial intakes, including, among other data, the number of initial intakes, and the number of initial intakes involving foster children, received by a regional center.
The bill would repeal that reporting requirement on January 1, 2030.
Existing law, if assessment is needed, requires that the assessment be performed within 120 days following initial intake or as soon as possible and in no event more than 60 days following initial intake where any delay would expose the client to unnecessary risk, as specified.
This bill would also require the assessment to be performed as soon as possible and in no event more than 60 days if the client is a foster child. The bill would require the assessment to be conducted and an eligibility determination
to be made within the applicable timelines irrespective of whether the person, or a person acting on their behalf, possesses specified documentation. The bill would require the regional center to assist in collecting and procuring that documentation in order to ensure that assessment is conducted as soon as possible.

Current Bill Text

Download Bill PDF