Regional Center Families

EVV Alert Opt-In for Families! Regional Center Families receiving 1:1 respite care can opt-in to receive alerts by text, email or both regarding their balance of respite hours after a caregiver has provided respite support to their family. Complete our online form to opt-in for EVV alerts:  English   Spanish

Coordinated Family Support services are new in California! Channel Islands Social Services was approved in 2024 as the first approved vendor with TCRC. Families who have a relative age 18+ authorized for CFS services with the regional center receive help from CISS to apply for public benefits, learn about community resources, and plan ahead for future transitions. Learn more by reviewing our brochures today and contact our office for more info.
CFS Brochures:  English    Spanish

ILS services are typically authorized for 20 hours/month for qualifying adults who have exited high school and are authorized by TCRC. ILS instruction can be provided in the family’s home to help individuals attain greater independence while continuing to live with relatives. ILS instruction can also prepare adults with developmental disabilities to move out on their own or with a roommate, with services continuing to provide ongoing support.
ILS Brochure (opens in a new tab)

Tri-Counties Regional Center (TCRC) and North Los Angeles Regional Center (for cities bordering Ventura County) contract with CISS to provide funding for in-home respite services to families caring for a child or an adult relative with intellectual and developmental disabilities (eg. Autism Spectrum Disorder, Down Syndrome, Intellectual Disability or Cerebral Palsy.) Services are free for eligible families.

Through the Individual Program Plan (IPP), Regional Centers authorize respite care to meet the needs of each family. Families are typically authorized between 8 and 30 hours/mo. to meet their needs. If more respite care is needed, the family may request additional care through the planning team process by contacting their Service Coordinator.
Respite Brochure (opens in a new tab)

Once we receive all completed intake forms, and an authorization for services from the regional center, it should only take 5 business days to get you going, depending on availability of staff who match your needs. Contact our office so we can send you our intake packet.

Do you have someone you would like us to hire just for your family? Have them complete our Applicant Request form. All of the form links noted above with ** are required to process your family’s application and that of your referred caregiver, who must also complete our employment application. As long as they submit everything in full and pass our background check, they can typically be hired within 7 business days.

Note: Respite cannot be used in replacement of daycare for a parent to work, for housecleaning, for supervision at a camp, during therapy appoints, or to have another adult present during ABA therapy without prior written approval from the regional center. When in doubt, contact our office.

In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) is a personal care service that provides bathing, cooking, house cleaning, and other care to ensure that low-income seniors and individuals with disabilities can receive support to avoid out-of-home placement. Regional Center funding is considered to be “payer of last resort” so they will ask individuals and families to access IHSS as a “generic resource.”

If a family receives IHSS and they still have respite needs (which can be the case especially in families where the parent is the IHSS provider), respite can be authorized by the regional center and should be discussed during the planning team meeting.

To register for IHSS, the family must call the County to request an IHSS assessment, which usually takes place in the family’s home within 30 days. Once the family is notified that they have been awarded a specific number of IHSS hours, the family can refer someone they already know to apply with the VC Public Authority (the employer of record service for all IHSS workers), the parent can sign themselves up to be their child’s IHSS worker under certain circumstances, and/or the parent can request a referral of an IHSS worker from the Public Authority.

NOTE: CISS does not provide assistance to families in finding IHSS workers. The local Public Authority can help.

Here are some helpful IHSS links:

• Ventura County IHSS Page (opens in a new tab)
• IHSS Self-Assessment Packet (opens in a new tab) to prep for the IHSS Assessment and to help appeal a decision
• Disability Rights CA Website (opens in a new tab) for tons of IHSS Resources and Forms
• Disability Benefits 101 info on IHSS