Certify the Budget
Budget & Regional Center Approval
Once the Individual Program Plan (IPP) has been completed, the regional center develops a budget based on how much they would otherwise have spent on services to meet the goals and needs listed in the approved IPP.
What is the budget?
The budget is the amount that would have been authorized for services if the person weren’t in SDP. It is the total amount of money that a participant has available to purchase needed services and supports over 12 months in SDP.
How is the budget calculated for new SDP participants?
Currently the local regional centers usually begin with the amounts that were authorized for the most recent 12-month period. The budget can be adjusted up or down depending on the participant’s current needs, circumstances, and resources listed in their IPP. The regional center must verify the amounts used to calculate the participant’s budget would have occurred, regardless of the individual’s participation in SDP.
For participants who are new to the Regional Center, or individuals who do not have a 12-month history of purchase of services costs, the individual program planning team will identify the needed services, supports, and available resources for the individual. The Regional Center calculates the annual costs of these services to produce a proposed total budget amount.
What if the participant does not agree with the budget total that the regional center offers?
When a participant does not agree with the proposed budget total, the participant has a right to request a “fair hearing” and appear before an administrative law judge under the Lanterman Act in California.
During hearings, participants can contest the regional center’s proposed budget amounts and potentially re-negotiate an amount that better fits their present needs. Participants can learn more about the process by viewing the “filing complaints and fair hearings” section.