Specialized Information and Referral

The center provides services for people of all ages with developmental disabilities and their families who live in the El Monte, Foothill and Pomona Health Districts of Los Angeles County. To be eligible for service, individuals must have a developmental disability which began before their 18th birthday, be expected to continue indefinitely and present a substantial disability. The disability must be due to autism, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, intellectual disability or a disabling condition closely related to intellectual disability or requiring similar treatment. Infants and toddlers at risk of having a developmental disability or who have a developmental delay, and individuals who are at risk of having a child with a developmental disability may also qualify for services. The center does not serve individuals with disabling conditions that are solely physical or psychiatric in nature. Geographic and other restrictions apply.

The center provides lifelong individualized planning and service coordination for individuals who have a developmental disability. Services include advocacy, assessment and diagnosis, case management, community education, disability counseling, early intervention for at-risk infants, genetic counseling, family support, outreach, out-of-home placement and monitoring, training, and purchasing community-based services. Clients are eligible to receive life-long services and support; they may be referred to generic resources or contracting agencies for paid services.

The center's direct client services include case management; advocacy, to educate clients about their legal rights; court-ordered evaluations; counseling; and developmental, medical and psychological assessment. The center purchases supportive services from contracting agencies for clients who could not otherwise afford them. Support services for families include counseling and support groups; assistance with guardianship and conservatorship arrangements; and referrals for respite care and other resources such as support groups for parents of developmentally disabled children. Clients are referred to contracting agencies for specialized services such as activity centers; independent living skills instruction; behavioral, speech and occupational therapy; out-of-home care; and sheltered workshops.

Infants and toddlers from birth to age 36 months may be eligible for early intervention services through Early Start Program, if through documentation evaluation and assessment, they meet one of the following criteria - have a developmental delay of at least 33% in one or more areas of cognitive, communication, social or emotional, adaptive or physical and motor development including vision and hearing - have an established risk condition of known etiology, with a high probability of resulting in delayed development - be considered at high risk of having a substantial developmental disability due to a combination of biomedical risk factors of which are diagnosed by qualified personnel.

Other prevention services include genetic counseling and diagnostic services for people who may be at risk of becoming developmentally disabled or who are at risk of giving birth to a developmentally disabled child. To be eligible for testing a woman must have applied for and been denied Medi-Cal benefits and must fall into one of the following risk categories: mothers who will be age 35 or older at the time of delivery; who have chronic conditions or have been exposed to teratogens during pregnancy; or mothers who have a history of miscarriages, stillbirths or a family history of developmental disabilities or birth defects.

The center provides outreach and community education by providing specialized information and referral about developmental disabilities and through publications and community presentations. It provides speakers to community groups and technical assistance for service providers who work with people with developmental disabilities. It also assists in the development, evaluation and monitoring of new and existing community-based resources.