SACRAMENTO — California families that rely on the state’s system for developmental disabilities continue to struggle with barriers to service, lengthy delays, and inconsistent implementation across regions, according to testimony received by the Little Hoover Commission.

Witnesses described long waits for critical services and the heavy burden placed on families to navigate gaps in the system. 

The Jan. 22 hearing reviewed implementation of the commission’s past recommendations for reforms to the system.

Michelle Del Rosario said that even when her son’s needs were formally identified, services were not implemented. 

“Services exist, but there is no consistent process to ensure they are implemented,” she told commissioners. 

Her son, William Del Rosario, underscored the impact of those delays, noting he has waited six years for communication-trained support staff. “Six years is far too long to wait for access to education, employment, and community life.”

Judy Mark, co-founder and president of Disability Voices United, told commissioners that access to services still depends too heavily on a family’s ability to fight the system. 

“We have spent decades building supports that should be there by default,” she said, warning that uneven implementation continues to leave many families behind.

Pete Cervinka, who became director of the California Department of Developmental Services slightly more than a year ago, said the department has issued new guidance and oversight measures aimed at improving consistency across regional centers, while acknowledging that translating policy changes into timely, on-the-ground results remains an ongoing challenge.

Amy Westling, executive director of the Association of Regional Center Agencies, testified that regional centers have worked to reduce disparities in spending levels for Latino and non-Latino clients, though she was pressed by commissioners about the need for greater consistency, greater independence of regional center boards, and more use of the state's self-determination program.

The hearing was part of the commission’s review of its recommendations from its past report “A System in Distress: Caring for Californians with Developmental Disabilities.”

The commission anticipates releasing a report later this year regarding the implementation of that report's recommendations.