Developmental services: initial intake: assessment.

Assembly Member Bryan proposes new requirements for developmental services assessments in California, with particular focus on expediting evaluations for foster children seeking regional center services. The legislation modifies existing intake and assessment procedures under the Lanterman Developmental Disabilities Services Act.

Under the proposed changes, regional centers must conduct full assessments for foster children who are not deemed eligible within the standard 15-day initial intake period. These assessments must be completed within 60 days, matching the accelerated timeline currently applied only to cases involving health and safety risks or developmental delays. The bill prohibits regional centers from denying assessments solely due to missing documentation and requires centers to assist in obtaining necessary records.

The Department of Developmental Services would track and report detailed metrics about initial intakes and assessments through 2030, including the number of cases processed, timeline compliance rates, and demographic data on denied applications. This data would be published annually and submitted to the Legislature, with separate statistics maintained for foster children. The reporting requirements encompass assessment completion times, eligibility determinations, and detailed breakdowns by age, ethnicity, and preferred language for individuals denied services.