What is the cost of services?
There is no charge for assessment services or for service coordination provided to those served by the regional center. There is also no charge for most of the other services and supports individuals and families receive. However, certain services are subject to Family Cost Participation, which is a sliding scale based on a family’s ability to pay. Also, parents of children under 18 whose adjusted gross family income is at or above 400% of the federal poverty level, are assessed an Annual Family Program Fee of $150 or $200, depending on their income.
How does the regional center decide what services it will and will not pay for?
The Lanterman Act and related laws passed by the California Legislature determine what regional centers can and cannot pay for on behalf of those it serves. In general, regional centers can only purchase services and supports that are necessary to achieve the goals in the person’s Individual Program Plan (IPP) and they are prohibited from funding experimental therapies.
In addition, regional center boards of directors create policies called Purchase of Service (POS) Guidelines that service coordinators follow when authorizing service requests.
What is Family Cost Participation?
The California Legislature created the Family Cost Participation Program (FCPP) several years ago, requiring parents with higher incomes to share in the cost of regional center services for their children who are under the age of 18 and living in the family home. At this time, the only services funded by the Regional Center of Orange County that are subject to FCPP are Child care and respite.
The cost-sharing for these services is on a sliding scale, ranging from 10 percent to 100 percent, depending on the family’s income and the number of persons living in the home. It does not apply to any family whose income is less than 400 percent of the federal poverty level.
When a family meets the criteria for FCCP, the family pays the service provider directly for the portion of the cost for which it is responsible, while the regional center makes a separate payment to that service provider for the portion that is the center’s responsibility.
Family Cost Participation Assessment Schedule is a table showing the sliding scale that RCOC is required to use to determine what, if any, share of service costs a family must pay.
Family Cost Participation Program Guide is a quick guide to the program prepared by the Department of Developmental Services and regional centers.
The Department of Developmental Services has answered some Frequently Asked Questions to provide responses to common questions families have about this program.
NOTE: The Family Cost Participation Program is separate from the Parental Fee Program which assesses a fee to parents of children under the age of 18 who receive 24-hour out-of-home services purchased with State funds through a regional center.