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AB 2424 (Beall) – FACT SHEET

Lanterman Developmental Disabilities Services Act Reform:
The IPP Process, Transition Planning, Employment First Policy

Background

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AB 2424 is based on the priorities of people with developmental disabilities, family members, advocates and other stakeholders, obtained through extensive community input. Meetings were held in 2006 pursuant to SB 1270 (Chesbro) to receive public input on ways to expand opportunities for people with developmental disabilities in the areas of employment and community participation. A resulting May 2007 Report to the Legislature and the Governor included recommendations for improvements to the transition services planning process for students and to the Lanterman Act Individual Program Plan (IPP) process. It also recommended policies and initiatives to expand employment opportunities for people with developmental disabilities.

In the summer and fall of 2007, the Assembly Human Services Committee held a series of Roundtables and Informational Hearings on "Taking the Lanterman Act Into the Future." Input was received on ways to expand choices and opportunities for people with developmental disabilities and their families and to improve the IPP process.

AB 2424 is the result of these efforts.

Summary

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  AB 2424 will update the Lanterman Act to ensure more effective individual and family participation in the IPP process and to promote integrated employment and other integrated community activities. The bill will:

The IPP Process and IEP Transition Process

• Ensure that regional centers provide understandable information at IPP meetings about integrated living, employment, and community participation options to enable people with developmental disabilities to make choices.
• Require IPP teams to start with the assumption that people can, and would prefer to, live, work, and participate in inclusive, integrated settings and are entitled to the supports and services necessary to do so.
• Require that IPPs identify barriers to more integrated services and the steps that will be taken to remove or address those barriers.
• Require that copies of completed IPPs, in the person's primary language, be provided within a reasonable time frame.
• Require that regional centers and other public agencies providing transition or employment services participate in the special education transition planning process.
• Require that IPPs for individuals over age 16 support the transition from school to work and community living by documenting that integrated options for employment, postsecondary education, volunteer activities, and living arrangements have been considered.
• Require that IPPs for people between the ages of 16 and 22 detail the transition services developed through the special education IEP process to help the transition from school to integrated work and/or other adult community activities and services.
• Require that IPPs for people over age 22 address integrated employment and the effects of employment on benefits; integrated social recreation, community participation, volunteer opportunities, postsecondary education and training; and integrated community living.
• Expand the scope of the Department of Developmental Services' (DDS) monitoring and review of the IPP process.
• Require data collection on unmet needs and gaps in the community service system.

Employment First Policy

• Establish a statewide Employment First Policy to increase the number of Californians with developmental disabilities who are productive, pay taxes, and are more self-sufficient and involved in their communities. Under the Employment First Policy:
• The primary option for working age adults is services and supports to pursue and maintain gainful employment at or above minimum wage in integrated community settings.
• People who directly support employment opportunities are to be well trained and make a living wage with benefits.
• The state will measure progress in moving towards increased gainful employment and community participation.
• Regional centers will employ staff with expertise in benefits and work.
• Mechanisms will be established to make recommendations concerning the Employment First Policy, the impact of eliminating sub-minimum wages and to do strategic planning to increase employment and track outcomes.

Status

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  Introduced February 21, 2008

Support

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  State Council on Developmental Disabilities (Co-Sponsor)
Protection & Advocacy, Inc. (Co-Sponsor)

Opposition

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  None received.

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Office of Assembly Member Jim Beall, Jr.
AB 2424 – Fact Sheet