Some Regional Centers will transfer a child to a new transition-focused service coordinator when they turn 14 in preparation for the transition to adulthood. Regional Centers do not usually pay for transition services that are otherwise provided by the school district, but Regional centers can participate in transition planning. You may ask the school to invite your service coordinator to be part of your child’s IEP team to help with transition planning. (You may also invite the Department of Rehabilitation to discuss vocational options.)
If your child used to be a Regional Center client but hasn’t received services recently, the transition to adulthood is a good time to reopen their case, as explained by Dr. Richard L. Rosenberg, a board member of the California Transition Alliance:
The Regional Center can support your young adult in developing their IEP transition goals and selecting services to help them reach those goals. The services can be community experiences, job development, and other goals for life as an adult. Your young adult can get training in daily living skills and an evaluation to see what their strengths and abilities are (called a functional vocational evaluation). Note that Regional Center can typically provide adult services only after your child leaves the school district at age 22 (or earlier if they obtain a standard high school diploma).
Regional Center can provide or coordinate independent living skills training, personal assistance, supportive housing, adult day programs, work opportunities, tailored day services, and more. The possibilities for how recipients can use Regional Center resources have grown with the Self-Determination Program.
Here are some commonly funded Regional Center services for young adults:
People who choose to live in their own homes will often need information about affordable housing options, sources of financial support such as Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and how to stretch a limited budget to meet living expenses. These are ordinary challenges that are inseparable from a truly self-directed life in the community.
Independent Living Services (ILS) are designed to support adults with disabilities while they are still living at home with their families. Typically, recipients of ILS already possess basic self-help skills (or employ personal care aides to assist with these skills), and they need functional training for activities such as household chores, laundry, budgeting, cooking, and grocery shopping. ILS are vendored and monitored by Regional Center and are generally not provided long-term; the hope is that once a person acquires the skills to live independently, the services can be faded out. The law says clients have the right to get ILS for as long as they need and benefit from such services.
Supported Living Services (SLS) are provided to Regional Center clients who are ready to move into their own home or shared living situation, and these services are specific to each person’s individual and ongoing support needs. SLS can help with activities of daily living, including social and behavioral training, maintaining a home, choosing roommates and personal and/or health aides, purchasing furniture and other necessities, and managing finances, to name a few. These services are designed to support an individual’s progress toward long-range personal goals and foster a meaningful place in their community. Because these are often life-long endeavors, SLS are offered for as long and as often as needed, with the flexibility required to meet a person’s changing needs over time and without looking solely at the level of disability.
Some Regional Centers offer roommate-matching opportunities and referrals to affordable housing options. In some areas, you will also find residential housing programs, although these are fewer and typically quite competitive to get into as they tend to remain at capacity. Undivided families have shared that it’s advisable to start getting on residential program waiting lists as soon as you think you may want one for your child.
Before your young adult leaves high school, make sure to talk to your Regional Center service coordinator about what programs are available so that you can prepare for them in your transition plan.
Once a person turns 18, they can apply online for Supplemental Security Income benefits (SSI) through the Social Security Administration. Qualifying for SSI is based on Social Security’s definition of disability and financial eligibility, and it automatically includes Medi-Cal coverage.
When a person with a disability is 18 or over, only their own income and assets are taken into account, not their parents’. For this reason, most 18-year-olds will qualify for monthly benefits, which can be used to help pay for daily expenses like food and housing (including paying their portion of rent). See our article on Supplemental Security Income to learn more about preparing to set this up for your child when they turn 18, how much they could receive, and common pitfalls to avoid.
The criteria for most public benefits programs is different for minors than for adults, so once your child turns 18, they may be eligible for more (or different) services.
Individuals who do not qualify for SSI may still be eligible for Medi-Cal and other public benefits programs like CalFresh (food stamps). It’s a good idea to stay on top of what public benefits are available, as guidelines for allowable income requirements and various Return to Work and incentive programs are regularly updated. You might find it helpful to take advantage of resources like Disability Benefits 101 or a disability benefits planner.
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