SERVICE POLICY GUIDELINES
PERSON CENTERED ASSESSMENT AND PLANNING SERVICES
Tri-Counties Regional Center enhances the quality of life for persons with developmental disabilities by working with individuals and their families to secure those assessment and planning supports and services which maximize opportunities and choices for living, learning, working, and pursuing recreational activities in the community.
Working with individuals and their families to secure supports and services which maximize opportunities and choices for living, learning, working, and recreation in their community begins with assessment and planning services. Tri-Counties Regional Center employs a person centered planning process involving the individual and his/her family and/or primary care givers as an integral part of the Planning Team. This process will produce a written Individual Program Plan (IPP).
An Individual Program Plan will be developed for every individual over three years of age who, following the intake and evaluation process, is found to be eligible for regional center services. The Tri-Counties Regional Center service coordinator will ensure that the initial Individual Program Plan conference is accomplished within sixty (60) days of the evaluation and eligibility decision.
The Individual Program Plan for all other persons served by Tri-Counties Regional Center will be reviewed and modified as necessary in response to the individual’s achievement or changing needs, no less than once every three (3) years. If the person or, where appropriate, his/her family requests a review of their Individual Program Plan, the service coordinator will ensure that the review is completed within thirty (30) days of the request.
Tri-Counties Regional Center will not authorize funding for any assessment and/or planning service that is considered experimental, optional, or elective in nature. The expected result from the provision of an assessment and/or planning service must lead to the development of measurable outcomes stated on the person’s Individual Program Plan. Finally, the assessment and/or planning service must be both clinically and fiscally an effective use of public funds.
Exception Policy:
Tri-Counties Regional Center recognizes that some individual needs are so unique that they may not be addressed in this Service Policy and may require an exception. Such requests for an exception to a Service Policy will be made through the Planning Team process.
Clarification of terms:
The Planning Team is comprised of the individual and/or his or her representative and one or more representatives of the regional center. The person served may request that the regional center service coordinator invite others to participate on the Planning Team, including family members, friends, and/or providers of supports and/or services. Tri-Counties Regional Center will encourage individuals to enlarge their Planning Team as desired and to develop circles of support. The Planning Team will consider the needs and preferences of the person or, when appropriate, the person’s family. In addition, the Planning Team will give consideration to a range of support and service options proposed by Individual Program Plan participants, the effectiveness of each option in meeting the goals as stated on the Individual Program Plan, and the cost- effectiveness of each option.
The Individual Program Plan is at the center of Tri-Counties Regional Center’s role of planning for the needs of the person and his/her family. The Individual Program Plan is the written document where the supports and services necessary for each person served are recorded. Each Individual Program Plan will include a statement of goals, based on the person’s needs, preferences, and life choices, with a statement of specific, time-limited objectives for implementing the individual’s goals and addressing his/her preferences.
Approvals:
