The SSDAC recognizes the following training and education resources and curriculum as best or promising practices.

• People Planning Together – Person Centered Planning Training
  • The Learning Community for Person Centered Practices is a community of volunteers that provides education on methods of person-centered thinking, planning, and support across the lifespan for all people. The SSDAC recommends that self-advocates who need assistance with Person Centered Planning explore the People Planning Together Training, which is developed by and for people with disabilities. More information can be found at the following link:  https://tlcpcp.com/our-work/people-planning-together/

• San Diego Regional Center’s website has been identified by the SSDAC as an excellent example of how Self-Determination Program information should be organized and presented for people with I/DD and their families. This website is featured as a best practice due to the following features:

  1. Website content is written clearly and in plain language
  2. The 4 phases of enrollment in SDP are prominently displayed and described
  3. Testimonial videos from SDP participants are featured in multiple languages

   

  • SDRC’s website can be found at the following web address: https://www.sdrc.org/sdp

Person-Centered Planning is the first step of Self-Determination. During this process, the Self-Determination Program participant makes decisions about their personal dreams and goals to help determine what supports and services will allow them to live the life of their choosing. Below is a list of practices and resources to assist with Person-Centered Planning.

• People Planning Together – Person Centered Planning Training
  • The Learning Community for Person Centered Practices is a community of volunteers that provides education on methods of person-centered thinking, planning, and support across the lifespan for all people. The SSDAC recommends that self-advocates who need assistance with Person Centered Planning explore the People Planning Together Training, which is developed by and for people with disabilities. More information can be found at the following link:  https://tlcpcp.com/our-work/people-planning-together/

The Statewide Self-Determination Advisory Committee is made up of the Chairs (and/or Co-Chairs/Designees) of the Local Volunteer Advisory Committees (LVACs) of each of the 21 Regional Centers. These are the practices that the committee has determined to be useful in ensuring that LVACs function at their highest capacity:

• The SSDAC recommends creating and maintaining governance documents that establish policies and procedures for the operation of the LVAC and set guidelines for member conduct. The following documents are meant to serve as examples:
  • North Los Angeles Regional Center’s LVAC Self-Governance and Standards of Conduct, Attendance, and Participation
  • Valley Mountain Regional Center SDAC Bylaws
  • State Council on Developmental Disabilities Unprofessional Conduct Policy
• Establishing Sub-Committees, Workgroups, Ad-Hoc Committees and Task Forces
  • Guidance For Forming Working Groups on the LVAC 
• Training for LVAC Members
  • The Role of LVACs (SCDD Training PPT slides – Bilingual English/Spanish)
  • Robert’s Rules of Order Guide – Plain Language (English) (Spanish)

The SSDAC recommends using Self-Determination Program Implementation Funds to establish contracts with local agencies/organizations to address areas of concern in your region. Below you will find an example of a Request for Proposal (RFP) created by the Kern Regional Center’s LVAC that has resulted in the development of successful programs. In response to the referenced RFP, Kern was able to secure a grantee(s)/identify a project(s) that would:

• • • Increase the number of participants transitioned to Self-Determination.
    • Enhance participants’ and families’ working knowledge of Self-Determination.
    • Provide individualized guidance.
    • Establish accessible Self-Determination mentoring and technical support.
    • Provide group trainings and coaching to address specific topics (person‑centered planning, spending plan, generic resources, Financial Management Service selection, Independent Facilitation, etc.).
    • Provide other tailored trainings as identified by the regional center and local advisory committee to ensure quality of learning in all aspects of the SDP in English and Spanish.
    • Prepare and support the regional center, service providers and other stakeholders for increased Self-Determination implementation.
  • Kern Regional Center Self-Determination Local Advisory Committee Request for Proposals for Use of Self-Determination Implementation Funds

Far Northern Regional Center has used their Implementation Funds to establish an Independent Facilitator Grant, which offers funding to support cost that include but are not limited to the following:

• • • Person centered thinking training
    • Training materials
    • Travel expenses related to training within a 500 mile radius
    • Lodging
    • Mileage reimbursement and per diem
    • Technology equipment
    • Personal protective equipment (PPE)
    • Workshops/trainings related to IF and individuals with developmental disabilities
    • Fingerprinting and background check expenses

• Far Northern Regional Center Independent Facilitator Grant Request for Proposal

The SSDAC recognizes the following as best/promising practices in systemic program improvements.

• Far Northern Regional Center has created a specialized unit of Service Coordinators, including bilingual Spanish-speaking staff to serve Self-Determination Program participants. The SSDAC recognizes this as a promising practice in SDP implementation, due to the benefits that have been observed both for clients/families transitioning into SDP and to the regional center staff that serve them. 

• Benefits to consumers and/or families:

Those who are interested in the SDP are initially informed about the program by their current service coordinator, who is a known and trusted partner. They receive a warm hand-off to a service coordinator who is a specialist that can give them a more comprehensive understanding of the program and help them through the enrollment process.

Since this practice was implemented in May of 2023, FNRC has observed a positive trend in increased SDP enrollment, as shown in the graph below:

• Benefits to the regional center:

FNRC and regional centers across the state struggle with staffing due to retirements, promotions, filling vacancies, onboarding new staff, and ongoing efforts to support and retain current staff. By empowering SC’s to simply speak to their client and families about SDP, knowing that the burden of transition and in-depth education is in the purview of specialists and that their workload will not increase, morale is maintained within the organization. With support from the LVAC and the onboarding of a project coordinator, community outreach has increased and has proven to aid in channeling information to RC consumers, families, and professionals within the field.

With the hopes of seeing similar positive results, Kern Regional Center is also considering implementing this promising practice. The SSDAC will continue to monitor the results.

Regional centers employ a variety of outreach methods and create outreach materials to ensure that diverse communities throughout the state are informed about the Self-Determination Program and have the resources needed to enroll. This section will include best practices in conducting outreach, as well as examples of outreach materials designed to increase equity in access to the SDP.

• The brochures linked below have been identified by the SSDAC as examples of how regional centers can effectively present educational information to people interested in the Self-Determination Program
  • Regional Center of the East Bay SDP Brochure
  • Far Northern Regional Center SDP Brochure
• San Diego Regional Center’s website has been identified by the SSDAC as an excellent example of how Self-Determination Program information should be organized and presented for people with I/DD and their families. This website is featured as a best practice due to the following features:
  1. Website content is written clearly and in plain language
  2. The 4 phases of enrollment in SDP are prominently displayed and described
  3. Testimonial videos from SDP participants are featured in multiple languages

   

  SDRC’s website can be found at the following web address: https://www.sdrc.org/sdp

• Far Northern Regional Center developed a promising practice in Self-Determination Program outreach that takes a 2-pronged approach: The regional center/LVAC developed a film for outreach to educate the community about the Self-Determination Program. In 2022, they contracted with a local filmmaker Doug Churchill, (Doug Churchill Productions and Chico State Anthropology ALVA Lab) and a short documentary film was produced “The Self-Determination Program” for FNRC, featuring 3 families enrolled in the program (film project produced using SDP implementation funding). The purpose of the film is to show other families and individuals interested some of the possibilities through the program and how its improved their quality of life and services. The FNRC LVAC launched their outreach film in October 2023 through a “Premiere Event” and have continued hosting film showings through renting venues in various counties throughout its catchment area. The film events include:
  • Introduction of “The Self-Determination Program” short documentary film
  • Introduction of the FNRC LVAC members and FNRC SDP staff
  • Film Showing
  • Presentations from the families and individuals featured in the film
  • Presentation from the film maker
  • Question and Answer Session
  • Following the kick-off “Premier Event” and the number of questions about the program logistics, FNRC LVAC developed a 3-hour SDP

Workshop to follow the film showings to learn more about the “nuts and bolts” of the program. These workshops topics include:

• • Overview of the Self-Determination Program
  • My SDP Journey
  • Independent Facilitator (IF) Role
  • How My IF Helps Me with SDP
  • The Importance of Person-Centered Planning
  • Vendor Perspective and SDP
  • Financial Management Services and Models
  • Question and Answer Session

SDP Workshop PowerPoint Presentations:

• • An Introduction the Self-Determination Program (English) (Spanish)
  • Independent Facilitator Services Presentation (English) (Spanish)
  • Person-Centered Plan Presentation (English) (Spanish)
  • Self-Determination – A Vendor Perspective (English and Spanish)

Hard Copy Resources Shared at Workshops:

• • Self-Determination Participant Checklist (English) (Spanish)
  • Self-Determination Program Service Codes by Budget Category (English) (Spanish)
  • Self-Determination Program: What can or cannot be paid for and why? (English) (Spanish)

Marketing/Outreach for FNRC LVAC events includes:

• • FNRC’s website and Facebook page
  • SCDD, North State Regional Office distributes the event flyers through their community email listserv
  • SCDD, North State Regional Office features the events in their North State Newsletters
  • FNRC’s Service Provider Advisory Committee
  • FNRC LVAC members distributes through their networks
  • FNRC LVAC Project Coordinator distributes event flyers to community vendors and programs