SERVICE POLICY GUIDELINES
EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLY SERVICES
Tri-Counties Regional Center enhances the quality of life for persons with developmental disabilities by working with individuals and their families to secure assessment and treatment supports and services that maximize their opportunities and choices for living, learning, working, and pursuing recreational activities in their community.
Tri-Counties Regional Center will coordinate, support and advocate for persons served to obtain appropriate equipment and supply services in their community. Tri-Counties Regional Center will work with and advocate within the communities it serves to develop and identify appropriate devices and supplies provided by professionals experienced with and sensitive to the needs of individuals with developmental disabilities. Such services maximize the potential for persons served to develop and/or prevent deterioration in areas of their development.
Tri-Counties Regional Center recognizes that some of the needs for equipment and supplies of individuals with developmental disabilities are similar to those of the general population. Like the general population, persons served must have access to and use private or public resources to meet their general equipment and supply needs.
Access to specialized equipment and supply services to meet needs directly related to the developmental disability of the person may be necessary for the health and functional ability of some individuals. Tri-Counties Regional Center may authorize funding for an equipment and/or supply purchase that is related to the individual’s disability when it is determined by the Planning Team that the service is required and that there are no generic or private resources, including private or public health insurance, available or responsible to meet the need.
The need for formula, nutritional supplements or incontinence supplies for a child who is under three years old will not be considered as non-durable supplies unless the family can demonstrate a financial need and there is indication that the purchase is necessary to enable the individual to remain in the family home.
When the need is directly related to, or is the direct result of, a developmental disability and all generic and private resources, including private medical insurance, deny a necessary specialized equipment or supply purchase, Tri-Counties Regional Center may authorize funding for the purchase of specialized durable and/or non-durable equipment and supplies as recommended by the Planning Team. Tri-Counties Regional Center will ensure that all reasonable efforts are made to select wheelchairs and/or other equipment which will be accessible on public transportation.
For individuals receiving early intervention services, participating in public school programs, and/or who reside in health care facilities, needed equipment and supplies are expected to be provided as part of the individual’s program, rather than as a separately funded service. Tri-Counties Regional Center service coordinators will actively advocate with early intervention services providers, local education agencies, California Children’s Services, health care facilities providers, and health care agencies to ensure the delivery of required and mandated health care services.
Tri-Counties Regional Center will advocate for and work with individuals and their family members to ensure that generic and private resources discharge their obligations to meet the equipment and supply needs of persons with developmental disabilities. It is the financial responsibility of individuals or their families to pay premiums and meet any required deductible amount or co-payment liabilities as determined by generic resources and/or private insurance carriers. Except as legally prohibited by the terms of a Special Needs Trust, trust funds established for the care or benefit of a person served are considered a private resource and, therefore, it is expected that this source of funds be used prior to regional center funds.
If a generic or private resource initially denies a required equipment and/or supply purchase that Tri-Counties Regional Center has determined to be their responsibility, that denial will be considered for appeal. Tri-Counties Regional Center may authorize funding for equipment or supplies while an individual or family member appeals a denial of service by a generic or private resource under the following circumstances:
Tri-Counties Regional Center will not authorize funding of any equipment and/or supply service that is considered experimental, optional, or elective in nature. The expected result from the purchase of equipment and/or supply services must meet measurable outcomes as stated on the person’s Individual Program Plan. The purchase of any equipment and/or supply 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:
Durable equipment includes those mechanical, assistive, or adaptive devices which are designed to sustain life or to facilitate mobility, communication, community access, or environmental control in order to promote increased independence. Durable equipment includes, but is not limited to: wheelchairs, apnea monitors, and communication devices.
Non-durable equipment and supply services include those expendable products which are designed to assist an individual to maintain optimal health and to promote maximum adaptive functioning. Non-durable equipment includes, but is not limited to: prescription medication, eyeglasses, hearing aids, orthopedic shoes, and equipment maintenance and repairs.
Approvals:
