Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
Becoming law in 2004, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires that school districts and regional centers provide services for people with developmental disabilities which include autism. For qualified children who are under three years old, the regional centers have the responsibility for providing needed supports and services. Once a child is 3 years old, school districts assume primary responsibility for providing services and education support for disabled children until their schooling is complete. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) does have a few exceptions, so make sure to contact every entity involved and be aware of the rules. After schooling is complete, regional centers take over primary responsibility of the qualified child.
If your child is under the age of 3, then, as mandated under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), services provided through the “Early Start” program are required from the Regional Center. Legislature in California has deemed early intervention services to be of the utmost importance, and that they can have a profound effect on children in later school years. Per the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Regional Centers are required to provide services to infants and toddlers in the following five areas:
- cognitive development
- physical and motor development
- communication development
- social or emotional development
- adaptive development
An assessment is given by qualified individuals of regional centers, and if even deemed to be of high risk for developmental disability, a child can still be eligible for services.
Once a child is over the age of 3, the regional center shares responsibility with the school district for the child’s learning and well-being. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act mandates that school districts are required to provide FAPE, or Free Appropriate Public Education, which is specialized instruction without charge. A child is only removed from the regular education environment if the severity of the student’s disability prevents satisfactory results.
Lanterman Act
California’s Lanterman Developmental Disabilities Act require that regional centers provide service to individuals with development disabilities. The goal of this law is to provide those with development disabilities the means of integrating into community life and experience everyday living which is available to people without disabilities. The Lanterman Act supports individuals of any age or degree of disability. For more information, go to: www.dds.ca.gov
If you are receiving services in California funded by any California Regional Center, you may make formal complaints by contacting the Department of Developmental Services website page www.dds.ca.gov/complaints or the Department of Developmental Services telephone number: (916) 654-1987.