The Self-Determination Program (SDP) is California’s Department of Developmental Services initiative to “provide Regional Center consumers and their families with more freedom, control, and responsibility in choosing services and supports to help them meet objectives in their Individual Program Plan (IPP)”.
The 5 Steps to Self-Determination
- Create a Person-Centered Plan that defines the hopes and dreams of an individual by listening to their friends, family, and other members of their circle of support.
- Meet with the Regional Center case manager and use the budget tool to create a budget for services.
- Create and document a spending plan that will be used to create an SDP Individual Personal Plan (IPP) for the year.
- Select an Financial Management Service (FMS) who will validate and follow the spending plan to pay for services.
- Live your Self-Determined Life!
Why I Believe Self-Determation is Important
I have two I/DD children who Regional Center services. Unfortunately, there are no traditional vendorized services to meet their needs. With Self-Determination, they can pick the services they need from non-vendorized sources as long as the types of services they select are supported by DDS. Their hope is to have the life they’ve always dreamed of.
This is what self-determination is.
For more information regarding SDP, please visit the DDS page on Self-Determination.