Who is eligible for Regional Center services?

For children under age three, the Regional Center provides early intervention services to children with a diagnosed developmental disability and to children who are at risk of developmental delay. After age three, eligibility requires a diagnosed developmental disability that constitutes a substantial disability for that child or adult. (For more info, check out this self-advocacy manual titled Rights Under the Lanterman Act, published by Disability Rights California. It’s available in sixteen languages!)

A developmental disability under CA law is a disability that:

• started before your child turns eighteen;

• continues, or can be expected to continue, indefinitely; and

• constitutes a substantial disability for that child or adult.

For more information, check out our article Regional Center 101.