SELF-DETERMINATION PROGRAM
FINALLY BEGINS TODAY!
October 1st Names of Initial
Participants Drawn by DDS
October 9, 2013
Governor Jerry Brown signs Senate Bill 468, authored by Senator Bill Emmerson, surrounded by family members and self-advocates who fought for the bill's passage. Later, some of these advocates founded Disability Voices United.
Message from Judy Mark, President, Disability Voices United

It's been a long five years, but we are thrilled that the Self-Determination Program will officially launch TODAY, October 1, 2018. Leaders of Disability Voices United fought hard for this game-changing law putting individuals with developmental disabilities directly in charge of the services and supports they receive. We are proud that our organization remains extremely active in efforts to put the law into effect:

  • Five of our board members are critical participants of the Department of Developmental Services' (DDS) statewide workgroup and have been vocal advocates on every area of implementation;
  • Our board members and Ambassadors sit on most of the 21 regional center Self-Determination Local Advisory Committees;
  • We have been leading informational meetings and trainings throughout the state in English and Spanish to encourage individuals to sign up for the random selection;
  • We have been monitoring the selection process to ensure that the initial individuals selected represent the diversity of each regional center area;
  • Our organization successfully advocated for the state legislature to include important language in this year's budget prioritizing funding for participant and family training and person-centered planning.

As you can see, we've been extremely busy. And we have so much more in store to ensure that the Self-Determination Program is implemented well.

In the coming months, we will publish a book to inspire you to "think outside of the box" with concrete examples of real individuals called, Profiles in Self-Determination. We are also developing a website for participants and family members to share information and ask questions about the Self-Determination Program. In addition, we will be co-sponsoring independent facilitator trainings and a conference over the next year.

In the meantime, we wish all of you luck if you have applied to be part of the random selection. Below you will find a link to the DDS website where you can check to see if you've been selected. But no matter what happens, remember that the Self-Determination Program is open to everyone no later than June, 2021. If you are not selected today, please stay involved in self-determination!

To those of you lucky enough to be selected as participants for the phase-in period, CONGRATULATIONS! You have a great opportunity that thousands of others wanted, so make the most of it! You will have significant choice and control over your life now, but also great responsibility. We have suggestions below for some things you can do and think about if you've been selected.

Please stay in touch with us as your self-determination adventure begins. Any questions or concerns can be sent to [email protected].

We wish you great luck and we will be in touch again very soon. 

Best wishes,

Judy
How to find out TODAY if you've been
selected for the Self-Determination Program

On October 1, the Department of Developmental Services will randomly select the 2,500 individuals to participate in the 3-year phase-in of the Self-Determination Program. Individuals became part of the random selection by attending a training or informational meeting conducted by community organizations or regional centers and submitting their name and UCI# (Unique Client Identifier). The 2,500 individuals selected will be diverse based on geography (their regional center), and their race/ethnicity. Over 9,000 people signed up for the 2,500 slots. Here is how you find out if you've been selected:

  • Click on the link below. It is unclear exactly what time DDS will post the selection information. The link currently just verifies that your name was submitted for random selection. Keep checking back.
  • Put in your UCI# in the blank box. You can find your UCI# on your IPP or you can call your regional center.
  • You will get one of three responses:
  1. You have been selected. Congratulations!
  2. You were not selected but will be part of future selections. We know that some participants will drop out. DDS will draw another random selection in the near future and you have another chance to get picked.
  3. Your UCI# was not submitted. If you believe that you received this message in error, please contact the regional center or organization that hosted the informational meeting you attended and submitted your information.

Other ways to find out if you've been selected

  • Regional centers will receive the names of each participant from DDS. They should be notifying participants or you could call your service coordinator to ask.
  • Each individual who applied will receive a letter in the mail telling them whether they got in the program.
CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW TO FIND OUT IF YOU'VE BEEN SELECTED:
Ideas of what you can do if you were selected today

  • Call your regional center service coordinator. In many regional centers, only certain service coordinators will be working with self-determination participants and you may be getting a new case worker.

  • You will be required to attend an orientation before you begin. Ask your regional center and local advisory committee when the orientations will be. The dates may not have been set yet but urge them to set it as soon as possible.

  • Look up your annual cost statement, which you should receive annually from your regional center. This tells you how much the regional center has spent on you over the past year. You can ask your service coordinator for an updated statement. This will help you think about what your individual budget amount will be.

  • Get involved with your regional center's Self-Determination Local Advisory Committee. This is where you can meet other participants and family members, get critical training, and make sure that the Self-Determination Program is being done correctly at your regional center. The schedule for your committee's meetings should be on your regional center's website.

  • Start thinking about people in your life who could be your Independent Facilitator and others who could be part of your circle of support.

  • Start thinking creatively about your future and unique ways to meet your life goals.
WHAT CAN YOU DO TO STAY ON TOP OF INFORMATION ON THE SELF-DETERMINATION PROGRAM?

JOIN AND/OR DONATE TO DISABILITY VOICES UNITED!
Please support our important work advocating for self-determination. 
Disability Voices United is a statewide advocacy organization directed by and for individuals with developmental disabilities and family members.
We advocate for:
  • Choice and control over our lives,
  • Meaningful outcomes that matter to us, and
  • Systems that are equitable and accountable to us.