• Skip to content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • Shop ModernMom
  • Become An Insider

ModernMom

The premiere destination for moms

  • Parenting
    • Pregnancy
    • Baby
    • Kids
    • Tweens and Teens
    • ModernMom Monday Videos
  • Cooking
  • Living Healthy
    • Breast Cancer
    • Health & Fitness
    • Body after Baby
    • Beauty
    • Relationships
    • Love
  • Lifestyle
    • Crafts
    • At Home
    • Education
    • Travel
    • Pets
    • Decorate
    • Money
    • Brooke Burke
  • Celebrate
    • Holidays
      • Easter
      • Valentine’s Day
      • New Year’s
      • Christmas
      • Hanukah
      • Halloween
      • Thanksgiving
    • Birthdays
    • Parties
  • Must Have
  • Contests
  • Entertainment

California Regional Centers and Your Child with Autism

March 2, 2016 by kimkaplan Leave a Comment

This may come off as a rant, but really it’s a warning to new parents out there.

What is a California Regional Center?

From the CA.gov website:

“Regional centers are nonprofit private corporations that contract with the Department of Developmental Services to provide or coordinate services and supports for individuals with developmental disabilities. They have offices throughout California to provide a local resource to help find and access the many services available to individuals and their families.”

Which means what?

It means if I have concerns that my child may have autism, I can get my child evaluated at a regional center, and if the evaluation places my child on the autism spectrum, regional centers will provide services to help my child.

That’s in theory.

What happened to us?

In 2004, my fourteen-month-old son was provisionally diagnosed with autism and was accepted as a client with our regional center’s early intervention program. When he was age three, he was given the diagnosis of autism, and those services continued.

Also, at the same time, the school district assessed my child, placed him in an appropriate educational environment, and provided an aide, speech therapy, and occupational therapy.

Along with regional center services!

What recently happened to a child?

I have a friend who is a pediatrician. He has a two and a half-year-old patient whom he referred to the regional center. The parents took the child and got him evaluated. The psychologist evaluated the child and gave him a diagnosis of autism.

And, they assigned the child a case worker.

The holidays came and the regional center told the parents that they wanted to wait during the “slow Holiday period” before beginning services.

January came and went as the parents called and didn’t receive a call back from the regional center.

February came and the regional center told the parents that they didn’t have funds for services for new clients. They had to direct the funds they did have to established clients. They told the parents that they would have to call their insurance.

What is the warning here?

Here is the lesson for those of you that live in California.

*Regional centers have to evaluate any child that has a concern about autism – Parents can have this concern, pediatricians, school officials. They cannot turn away your child.

*Regional centers cannot diagnose over the phone.

*If regional center assigns an autism diagnosis to a child—and assigns a case worker—they have to provide services to that child.

Regional centers cannot turn away that child.

They cannot tell the family to “go check your insurance.”

They have to provide services.

And, they have to return phone calls. Our regional center has a 48 to 72 hour return call policy.

This family waited two weeks.

What about the school district?

The school district will provide some services, but the regional center is responsible for services like ABA at-home services, Discreet Trail Training at-home services, Floor Time at-home services, and respite at-home services.

Respite is now a service that is partially paid by the family—depending on family income.

But, ABA services, Discreet Trail Training services, and Floor Time services have to be provided by the regional center for as long as the child needs.

Especially when that regional center has assigned a diagnosis AND a case worker!

They cannot say they don’t have funds for a new client.

What should a parent do in this case?

Call them back and ask to talk to a supervisor.

Ask them when your child will be receiving services. Not IF but WHEN. Tell them that you know that a regional center cannot pick and choose who they want to provide services to.

If they respond that they cannot provide services because of lack of funds (like they did in this case), tell them you are consulting an attorney.

And, then consult an attorney.

It’s that important. Your child is that important. And, it’s that important to not let any regional center treat you AGAINST the state-wide regional center policy.

It’s unfortunate that you have to fight like this for your child, but sometimes you do. I’ve heard about fights like these too often.

So, put on your fighter-advocacy cap and step into the ring.

More on Kimberly Kaplan:
To purchase “Two Years Autism Blogs Featured on ModernMom.com”
or “A Parentsʼ Guide to Early Autism Intervention” visit Amazon (print or digital) or Smashwords
Twitter: tipsautismmom
LinkedIn: Kimberly Kaplan

Comments

comments

Filed Under: Uncategorized

About kimkaplan

As Kim and her husband cared for their son with autism, Kim was led back into writing. She wrote about her son's journey with autism which includes her son's struggles, the parental learning curve, their good fortunes...and a myriad of missteps. The resulting book "A Parents' Guide to Early Autism Intervention" has helped many parents with young children on the autism spectrum. She followed that book with another autism-related book, "Two Years of Autism Blogs Featured on ModernMom.com."
Kim continues to be active in the autism world. She blogs weekly for Modernmom.com as well as her own website. Her screenplay writing has blossomed with the addition of many autistic characters. She was featured on Shannon Penrod's show, "Autism Live." She volunteers and attends conferences as well as helps parents whenever she can.

Reader Interactions

Primary Sidebar

Search

Tell a friend

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
ModernMom Boutique

ModernMom TV

Featured

What To Expect When You Are No Longer Expecting

The world is full of advice for pregnant and … [Read More...] about What To Expect When You Are No Longer Expecting

Must Have

STEM-related Toys to Include in Your Child’s Easter Basket This Year 

April has arrived which means it’s time to pull out the food … [Read More...] about STEM-related Toys to Include in Your Child’s Easter Basket This Year 

Did you know?

Early Signs of Pregnancy While on Birth Control

Early Signs of Pregnancy While on Birth Control

Symptoms of Pregnancy If HCG Injection Is Taken

When Should You Give a Pacifier to a Baby

When Should You Give a Pacifier to a Baby?

Substitutes for Butter When Baking Cookies

Use Frozen Bananas for Baking

How to Use Frozen Bananas for Baking

Decoding a Man’s Hug

Decoding a Man’s Hug

Child Too Big for a Toddler Bed

When Is a Child Too Big for a Toddler Bed?

Footer

  • About Us
  • Contact ModernMom
  • Advertise With Us
  • Press
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Contributors

Copyright © 2023 Modern Mom. All Rights Reserved.

Reproduction of any portion of this website only at the express permission of Mom, Inc.

The information provided on ModernMom is for educational use only. It should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.