What is the paid internship program (PIP) for Regional Center clients?

Regional Center clients who want to engage in work experience can participate in a paid internship program (PIP). The program allows for maximum funding for an internship of $10,400 a year per client. Clients can get access to Regional Center vendors for job coaching and development.

If you want to help your young adult get started with a PIP, talk to your service coordinator. Your service coordinator will refer your child to a community partner who will find an internship that best suits your child's interests and helps them build skills. The PIP must pay at least minimum wage, with funding coming from Regional Center. Depending on the number of hours a person works, the internship may be as long as 18 months. For Regional Center clients in the Self-Determination Program (SDP), it comes down to whether the vendor willing to take on the SDP client.

Note that there needs to be a goal in their IPP related to employment, such as to gain experience and skills for future paid employment, or for the internship itself to lead to full- or part-time paid employment with the same job.

Paid internship programs are not meant to be permanent employment. For ongoing support obtaining and maintaining employment, young adults with disabilities should apply for services from the Department of Rehabilitation (DOR), which will coordinate with Regional Center.