School’s almost out and summer’s almost here, and that means it’s time to start planning for that extra summer support for your kiddo! Whether they’re headed to camp and might need a 1:1 aide, or staying at home with you while you’re working, your Regional Center may be able to able to step in and offer more services and funding to ensure that your child (and you!) has the supports they need. From respite hours to art classes, self-determination, IFSPs and IPP goals (and everything in between!), we’re breaking down how to get started and feel prepared for summer this week.
Our top piece of advice? Start as soon as possible! Every Regional Center works a little differently — plus, the IPP format has been updated as of January 2025! — and approvals can take a while. You’ll need to take a few steps to ask for that support, so now’s the time to start talking to your service coordinator.
5 steps to get the most out of Regional Center this summer
Whether your child accesses Regional Center services through the traditional route or the Self-Determination Program (SDP), requesting extra services starts with reviewing your child’s Individualized Program Plan (IPP) goals and reaching out to your service coordinator. Check out our 5 simple steps to requesting extra hours and services from Regional Center.
What summer supports and services are available through Regional Center?
Regional Center may be able to help cover a wide range of summer services and activities for your child, including social-recreation services, educational support for kids ages 3 to 17, and non-medical therapies like art, dance, or music. Regional Center can also increase respite hours, so you may be able to get extra support during the summer. If it supports your child’s development and fits within their IPP goals, it’s worth asking about! We’ve created a list of supports, plus some great tips on how Regional Center may be able to supplement educational services offered by the school district, how to prepare for an IPP meeting, and more! Read the article→
Still searching for a summer camp or class for your child?
We’ve got you covered with our annual California summer camps roundup, full of awesome options for kids to socialize, have fun outdoors, build skills, and fill their summer hours with new activities. Some of the camps in our roundup are even designed just for kids with various disabilities, while other programs invite campers of all abilities to participate.
Check out these disability conferences!
Conferences provide valuable opportunities for parents, educators, and providers in the disability community to share resources and support. We asked parents and professionals at Undivided which conferences they recommend attending — plus tips on how parents of children who are Regional Center clients can get funding assistance for attending conferences and trainings — put these events on your list!
🎧 No time to read? We’ve got you. 🎧
We’ve taken our most helpful parent articles and turned them into short, on-the-go podcast episodes you can listen to anytime. Catch the latest episodes of our AI-powered podcast in our podcast playlist here! This week’s lineup? ▶️ Episode 8: Regional Center Respite & Specialized Supervision.
Join us for expert office hours
Do you have specific questions about requesting additional services from Regional Center to meet your family’s needs over the summer? Or do you have other questions about Regional Center, Medi-Cal, IHSS, and other public benefits in California? Join us on Wednesday, May 14 at 12:00 p.m. PT for expert office hours with Undivided Public Benefits Specialist Lisa Concoff Kronbeck. Lisa will be available to answer your questions directly on Zoom. If you’re not an Undivided member yet, get started here to join us for office hours every week.
Tune in
Check out our these Undivided Conversations happening this week on our Facebook page:
- Getting Ready for Summer with Regional Center. Join us Friday, May 2, at 12 p.m. PT to learn our expert tips on how to maximize your child’s summer with the help of Regional Center.
- Regional Center’s Social-Rec Services. Join us Saturday, May 3, at 10 a.m. PT with SCDD’s Chris Arroyo as he explains how Regional Center funding for social-recreational services works, what to expect, and more.
- Getting the most out of the Self-Determination Program. Join us Sunday, May 4, at 10 a.m. PT as we tackle essential questions about how families can SDP to secure supports and services for their kids.
One of our parent members told us, “Before working with Undivided, my daughter had minimal IHSS benefits and just respite care. Now, we have IHSS Protective Services which has been life changing. We also have Regional Center social recreation and, more importantly, I feel empowered and confident as her advocate. Undivided has provided the guidance and support I needed to navigate this journey.”
Summer is getting ever closer! Do you have something fun planned for yourself or your family? Join the discussion in our Facebook group for parents→
“Social-rec,” what’s that? Hear a short explanation of what social-rec is, why these programs are helpful for our kids, and how to access them through Regional Center. Watch on YouTube→
Did you know that some families get their Undivided membership cost funded through Regional Center and SDP? Learn how in this Instagram post→
Join our network of parents and professionals working to improve disability inclusion and access! Connect with Undivided on LinkedIn→
