Letter to the Lanterman Community from Robert Wedemeyer, Chair, Board of Directors
Regarding the Revised Version of Toward a Sustainable Entitlement for the Developmental Services System: A Regional Center Perspective

February 4, 2004

A year ago, in January of 2003, the board of directors of Lanterman Regional Center adopted a position paper entitled, Toward a Sustainable Entitlement for the Developmental Services System: A Regional Center Perspective. We developed this paper in response to the financial crisis facing the state of California at that time – a budget shortfall significantly greater than any other in the state’s history. Our great concern was that the escalating rate of service growth and the cost of those services in the regional center system are not sustainable in the long term, given the limitations of public resources. We were also concerned that the entitlement to services could be threatened. We decided, therefore, to take a proactive stance and offer our perspective on the challenges and recommend potential solutions.

This paper included a set of recommendations for changes to the developmental services system that we believed would result in an equitable and cost-effective entitlement program under the Lanterman Act while allowing the program to be sustained for future generations of people with developmental disabilities and their families. Many of the recommendations were based on Lanterman Regional Center’s experience over the years as we have tried to meet the needs of clients and families while being good stewards of public funds. Many reflected strategies that had been used successfully by Lanterman and other regional centers as they addressed challenges in their own communities.

In its attempts to solve the recurring budget crises, the state has repeatedly resorted to unallocated reductions in regional center budgets. This strategy has not only repeatedly failed to limit spending system-wide, but also contributed to inequities in service funding for clients and families across regional centers. We believe that effective solutions will require structural change to the developmental services system. Our paper is an attempt to facilitate discussion about what such changes might look like. A key strategy discussed in that paper was implementation of uniform standards applied to purchase of services. Such standards would not only be cost-effective and control spending growth, they would also result in increased equity in service funding across regional centers.

The state now finds itself in a situation much more grave than that of 12 months ago. In response to this escalating crisis, Governor Schwarzenegger did, in fact, make a proposal that would have, among other things, suspended the Lanterman Act and created waiting lists for regional center services. In response to very vocal opposition, including public demonstrations, on the part of clients, families, advocates and others, the Governor withdrew these extreme recommendations. He subsequently offered other proposals for reducing costs and, at the same time, asked for all stakeholders to work with him and the Legislature to create solutions that would reduce costs while maintaining necessary services for people with developmental disabilities and their families.

We continue to strongly support the vision of the Lanterman Act and the principle of entitlement to services for people with developmental disabilities. At the same time, we believe we have a responsibility to our families and our community to respond to the Governor’s request and contribute to the search for solutions – solutions that will result in a fair, equitable, and sustainable developmental services system. We believe that the only way to protect the vision is by ensuring judicious use of limited public resources.

To that end, we are reaffirming our support for the position put forth in the January 2003 paper and have revised it to reflect the economic and political events that have occurred since its initial publication. This revision also includes expanded discussion of some issues, most notably the use of cost-effective services and supports, particularly those provided in integrated (included) settings and those with a preventive focus.

Our intent is to give this paper wide distribution. At the end of this letter, you will find a link to the revised paper as well as to an executive summary of the paper. It has also been sent to Governor Schwarzenegger’s staff, selected state departments, and members of the Legislature.

This is an important time in our history and a most critical time for all of our voices to be heard. One of the core values of the Lanterman Community is leadership. As leaders, we want to be proactive in finding real solutions to the challenges that face the regional center system. We believe this paper makes a positive contribution to the search for solutions.

Robert Wedemeyer, Chair, Board of Directors

Read the revised version of Toward a Sustainable Entitlement for the Developmental Services System: A Regional Center Perspective.

Read the executive summary of Toward a Sustainable Entitlement for the Developmental Services System: A Regional Center Perspective.

Por favor lea el resumen ejecutivo acerca del Mantenimiento del el Sistema de Servicos para Individuos Con Discapacidades de Desarrollo: Perspectiva del Centro Regional.