integrity, impact, and inclusion.
The California Policy Center for Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (CPCIDD) is a non-partisan, non-profit policy center established to identify best practices that inform, support, and improve upon statewide policies that impact the lives of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The Center’s focus is to identify priorities within the IDD community and provide policy recommendations based on objective, evidence-based research, data, and policy analysis to help inform the community, as well as the policymaking process.
California is the only state in the nation that has an entitlement to services and supports for people with IDD and their families. This entitlement is known as the Lanterman Developmental Disabilities Services Act (Lanterman Act) and it creates a legal right for people with IDD to receive services and supports, based on individual needs, to live as independent and productive lives as possible in the community. To implement the Lanterman Act, the California Department of Developmental Services (DDS) contracts with 21 Regional Centers throughout the state to coordinate services and supports to over 400,000 individuals with IDD and their families.
The system of services and supports for people with IDD as well as the number of people being served, has grown, and changed dramatically since the enactment of the Lanterman Act in 1969. While the Lanterman Act has been amended many times over the years the fundamental principle remains the same in that people with IDD and their families have a right to get the services and supports they need to live the same as people without disabilities in the community.
There is an immense amount of policy – housing, employment, transportation, workforce, rate reform, access to dental care, access to health care, education, state budget, public safety, and the list goes on – that directly impacts the IDD community. CPCIDD will serve as an important conduit between individuals with IDD, families, advocates, experts, stakeholders, and the various branches of California’s Government for trusted policy insights and the impacts of these policies on the IDD community.
focus areas
Direct Support Professional (DSP) Workforce
CPCIDD will address the complexities of the DSP workforce shortages, such as recruitment, retention, training, compensation, and recognition, and provide policy recommendations to improve the quality and availability of DSPs for people with IDD.
Housing
CPCIDD will assist with gathering accurate data on the projected need and availability of housing for people with IDD, and identify the various factors that impact housing, such as affordability, accessibility, choice, and community integration.
Employment
CPCIDD will identify the barriers and facilitators to employment of people with IDD, such as funding, incentives, expectations, and supports.
Early Start Services
CPCIDD will study the issue of children in foster care who may not be able to access or benefit from Early Start services, which are designed to enhance the development of infants and toddlers with disabilities.
topics
Updates
Double Your Impact This GivingTuesday with CPCIDD!
Our Newest Board Member Helps Celebrate National Cerebral Palsy Awareness Day / Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month
KPFZ Interviews CPCIDD on the release of our Homelessness and Housing Report
CPCIDD issues statement on Ryan Gainer
More »From the Desk of…
Join Us in Celebrating National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM)
From the Board Room: Sean Spence
From the Desk of Our Executive Director – May 2024
From the Desk of Our Executive Director – March 2024
More »Research & Reports
Improving Transition for Youth with IDD Through Virtual Community Conversations
Affordable Housing is Essential for Inclusion
CPCIDD studying the impact of the direct support professional (DSP) workforce shortage on people with intellectual and developmental disabilities
Inclusion: Advancing and Expecting Inclusive Research
More »Community
