California Regional Centers are regionally based service providers for the Developmentally Delayed person. Regional Centers provide lifelong services for their clients.

For the child not being raised in their birth home, Regional Center workers will be a part of the placement and services planning. For the child in foster care, there is rarely coordination between a child welfare worker that is searching for a permanent home and the Regional Center worker who may be coordinating necessary services for the child and the caregiver's home.

FOCUS ON THE HOME

Prospective adoptive parents who are interested in adopting a Regional Center client do not need to be vendorized. This means that the adoptive home does not need to be licensed by the Regional Center. The home must still be licensed or certified by the adoption agency as safe and appropriate.

FOCUS ON THE CHILD

A caregiving home that is vendorized by Regional Center will still receive the support of the Regional Center case manager. This will include appropriate visitation by the case manager to assure the child's welfare and assist the family when questions or concerns arise. A child who is adopted in a nonvendorized home will not have visits from a Regional Center case manager.

FOCUS ON THE SERVICES

The Regional Center offers services that often cannot be acquired anywhere else. Therapy, educational options, and respite are common services provided by Regional Centers. These services cannot often be purchased elsewhere.

FOCUS ON ADOPTION

Regional Centers and Adoption Agencies must work closely together in the adoptive placement of a Regional Center Client. The success of the adoption and the child depend on close understanding of each support player's role.

This should include a discussion of:

• What services are needed
• Who can provide these services
• Lifelong expectations for the child
• Alternative resources

FOCUS ON THE FUNDING

If a Regional Center Client remains in Foster Care all payments come through the Regional Center. Comparatively, these rates are high for out of home placement of children. Regional Centers use evaluations structured in levels to determine a rate for a child. Rates do NOT consider the caregiving family.

In Adoption, payment is made through the county where the child was in Foster Care. Adoption Assistance Rates are structured county by county, using a variety of assessment tools. Adoption Assistance considers l.) The needs of the child and 2.) The resources of the family. Each county has its own cap on the available amount of funding.

The most Adoption Assistance funding a child can receive is the amount the family would have received had the child remained in foster care. For a Regional Center Client, this is determined by the Regional Center Rate. CDSS Adoption Regulations: 35333(4.)