4646. (Amended by Stats. 2024, Ch. 47, Sec. 7.)

(a) It is the intent of the Legislature that the individual program plan and provision of services and supports by the regional center system is centered on the individual and the family of the individual with developmental disabilities and takes into account the needs and preferences of the individual and the family, if appropriate. It is further the intent of the Legislature that the individual program plan be developed using a person-centered approach that reflects the needs and preferences of the consumer, and, as appropriate, their family. The services and supports provided by the regional center should assist each consumer in achieving their personal outcomes and life goals and promote inclusion in their community. It is the further intent of the Legislature to ensure that the provision of services to consumers and their families be effective in meeting the goals stated in the individual program plan, reflect the preferences and choices of the consumer, and reflect the cost-effective use of public resources.

(b) The individual program plan is developed through a process of individualized needs determination. The individual with developmental disabilities and, if appropriate, the individual’s parents, legal guardian or conservator, or authorized representative, shall have the opportunity to actively participate in the development of the plan.

(c) An individual program plan shall be developed for any person who, following intake and assessment, is found to be eligible for regional center services. These plans shall be completed within 60 days of the completion of the assessment. At the time of intake, the regional center shall inform the consumer and, if appropriate, the consumer’s parents, legal guardian or conservator, or authorized representative, of the services available through the state council and the protection and advocacy agency designated by the Governor pursuant to federal law, and shall provide the address and telephone numbers of those agencies.

(d) Individual program plans shall be prepared jointly by the planning team. Decisions concerning the consumer’s goals, objectives, and services and supports that will be included in the consumer’s individual program plan and purchased by the regional center or obtained from generic agencies shall be made by agreement between the regional center representative and the consumer or, if appropriate, the parents, legal guardian, conservator, or authorized representative at the program plan meeting.

(e) Regional centers shall comply with the request of a consumer or, if appropriate, the request of the consumer’s parents, legal guardian, conservator, or authorized representative, that a designated representative receive written notice of all meetings to develop or revise the individual program plan and of all notices sent to the consumer pursuant to Section 4710. The designated representative may be a parent or family member.

(f) (1) Notwithstanding any other law, a meeting regarding the provision of services and supports by the regional center, including a meeting to develop or revise the individual program plan, shall be held by remote electronic communications if requested by the consumer or, if appropriate, if requested by the consumer’s parents, legal guardian, conservator, or authorized representative.

(2) (A) If the regional center has not held an in-person individual program plan meeting or completed any other in-person meeting or visit with the consumer in the previous 12 months, the regional center shall hold an in-person individual program plan meeting or other meeting or visit at a location and at a time that is convenient for, and reflects the preference of, the consumer, and, as appropriate, their parent, legal guardian, conservator, or authorized representative. This requirement on the part of the regional center shall not impede, delay, or prevent the timely development or revision of an individual program plan, or the timely authorization or receipt of services and supports.

(B) The in-person meeting requirement established in this paragraph shall remain in effect pending the department’s review, in coordination with stakeholders, of implementation of this subdivision, as amended by the act that added this paragraph. The review shall include the development of recommendations that may include, but not be limited to, whether and to what extent the in-person requirements are effective in assisting the consumer in meeting the goals stated in the individual program plan, in positively facilitating and improving service access and equity, and in helping to build relationships between service coordinators and parents, legal guardians, conservators, or authorized representatives. The department shall, after consulting with and receiving input from stakeholders, provide an update to the Legislature on the status of the review no later than January 10, 2026 and shall provide, with any additional consultation and documented input from stakeholders, the completed review to the Legislature no later than May 14, 2026.

(h) If a final agreement regarding the services and supports to be provided to the consumer cannot be reached at a program plan meeting, then a subsequent program plan meeting shall be convened within 15 days, or later at the request of the consumer or, if appropriate, the parents, legal guardian, conservator, or authorized representative or if agreed to by the planning team. The list of the agreed-upon services and supports described in subdivision (g) and signed by the authorized representative of the regional center shall be provided, in writing or electronically, at the conclusion of the subsequent program plan meeting, and shall be provided in the preferred language of the consumer, or of the consumer’s parent, legal guardian, conservator, or authorized representative. Additional program plan meetings may be held with the agreement of the regional center representative and the consumer or, if appropriate, the parents, legal guardian, conservator, or authorized representative.

(i) An authorized representative of the regional center and the consumer or, if appropriate, the consumer’s parent, legal guardian, conservator, or authorized representative shall sign the individual program plan and the list of the agreed-upon services and supports prior to its implementation. If the consumer or, if appropriate, the consumer’s parent, legal guardian, conservator, or authorized representative, does not agree with all components of the individual program plan, the consumer may indicate that disagreement on the plan. Disagreement with specific plan components shall not prohibit the implementation of services and supports agreed to by the consumer or, if appropriate, the consumer’s parent, legal guardian, conservator, or authorized representative. If the consumer or, if appropriate, the consumer’s parent, legal guardian, conservator, or authorized representative, does not agree with the plan in whole or in part, the consumer shall be sent written notice of their appeal rights, as required by Sections 4701 and 4710.

(j) (1) A regional center shall communicate in the consumer’s preferred language, or, if appropriate, the preferred language of the consumer’s family, legal guardian, conservator, or authorized representative, during the planning process for the individual program plan, including during the program plan meeting, and including providing alternative communication services, as required by Sections 11135 to 11139, inclusive, of the Government Code and implementing regulations.

(2) A regional center shall provide alternative communication services, including providing copies of the list of services and supports, and the individual program plan in the preferred language of the consumer or the consumer’s family, legal guardian, conservator, or authorized representative, or both, as required by Sections 11135 to 11139, inclusive, of the Government Code and implementing regulations.

(3) The preferred language of the consumer or the consumer’s family, legal guardian, conservator, or authorized representative, or both, shall be documented in the individual program plan.