4868.6. (Added by Stats. 2026, Ch. 80, Sec. 47.)

(a)The department and the Department of Rehabilitation…#

(a) The department and the Department of Rehabilitation shall develop an interagency agreement, with respect to the delivery of habilitation services and vocational rehabilitation programs, to create an integrated employment services system between the Department of Rehabilitation and regional centers, with the goals of having each individual experience uninterrupted services, minimized handoffs, and fewer barriers, and increase timely access to employment. The interagency agreement shall outline an integrated employment services system to develop opportunities for, and increase access to, competitive integrated employment for individuals that includes, but is not limited to, all of the following:

(1) A dual provider process for employment providers between the Department of Rehabilitation and regional centers.

(2) Clear funding paths between the department, the Department of Rehabilitation, and regional centers to enable timely employment services access for each individual seeking employment.

(3) A process to make employment supports and services leading to competitive integrated employment seamless to the individual, regardless of which department an individual seeks supports from or which department funds the services.

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4868.6. (Added by Stats. 2026, Ch. 80, Sec. 47.)

Official source

(a)The department and the Department of Rehabilitation…#

(a) The department and the Department of Rehabilitation shall develop an interagency agreement, with respect to the delivery of habilitation services and vocational rehabilitation programs, to create an integrated employment services system between the Department of Rehabilitation and regional centers, with the goals of having each individual experience uninterrupted services, minimized handoffs, and fewer barriers, and increase timely access to employment. The interagency agreement shall outline an integrated employment services system to develop opportunities for, and increase access to, competitive integrated employment for individuals that includes, but is not limited to, all of the following:

(1) A dual provider process for employment providers between the Department of Rehabilitation and regional centers.

(2) Clear funding paths between the department, the Department of Rehabilitation, and regional centers to enable timely employment services access for each individual seeking employment.

(3) A process to make employment supports and services leading to competitive integrated employment seamless to the individual, regardless of which department an individual seeks supports from or which department funds the services.

(b)The department and the Department of Rehabilitation…#

(b) The department and the Department of Rehabilitation shall develop the interagency agreement no later than August 1, 2027.

(c)The department and the Department of Rehabilitation…#

(c) The department and the Department of Rehabilitation shall develop the integrated employment services system with input from the community no later than March 1, 2029. Input from the community shall include, but not be limited to, consultation with the department’s Lived Experience Advisory Group, individuals and families, caregivers, advocates and associations, service providers, regional centers, the State Council on Developmental Disabilities, the State Rehabilitation Council, and legislative staff.

(d)Beginning December 1, 2026, the department shall…#

(d) Beginning December 1, 2026, the department shall semiannually report milestones on the development of the integrated employment services system on the department’s internet website until the integrated employment services system is developed.

(e)For purposes of this section, the following definitions…#

(e) For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:

(1) “Dual provider process” means an aligned vendorization process for supported employment programs between regional centers and the Department of Rehabilitation.

(2) “Clear funding path” means an outline that defines funding obligations between regional centers and the Department of Rehabilitation for the different services used for an individual to achieve competitive integrated employment.