What are "developmental disabilities" and how does North Bay Regional Center (NBRC) help with them?

People have a wide variety of special needs and ways of coping with them. Some of us have visual needs and compensate by wearing glasses. Some of us have physical needs such as heart problems or difficulty with walking and compensate through the use of a pacemaker or wheelchair, or reduce the effect of those needs through therapy. People with developmental disabilities often require extra assistance in coping with their needs and that is the reason California developed regional centers.
The regional center is the place in each area of the State where a person can get a full review of his or her developmental disabilities and, most importantly, get help to carry out a plan to reduce those disabilities or compensate for them. There are 21 regional centers in California. Each is a nonprofit organization operated by a volunteer Board of Directors under a contract with the State of California. The regional center serves people who have the following developmental disabilities:

• Mental Retardation
• Cerebral Palsy
• Epilepsy
• Autism

People who have a disabling condition found to be closely related to mental retardation that requires treatment similar to that required for individuals who are mentally retarded or who are at a high risk of giving birth to a child with a developmental disability may also be eligible for regional center services. Also, infants 0-3 who are at risk of having a developmental disability, may be eligible for Early Intervention services.

• Diagnosis and evaluation
• Individual Program Planning
• Prevention services
• Crisis intervention
• Family support services, as determined on a case-by-case basis
• Advocacy
• Consultation with other agencies
• Program evaluation
• Community education
• Community resource development
• Coordination of services with community providers such as school, health, welfare and recreation resources
• Transition planning
• Admissions to and discharges from State Developmental Centers
  
• For further information contact your NBRC case manager.

The Board of Directors has issued the following statement:

"We believe that all people with developmental disabilities should have the same opportunities as are available to all other citizens. In keeping with this premise, it is the philosophy of NBRC that its efforts be directed to promoting normalization, least restrictive alternative and dignity of risk for citizens with developmental disabilities and their families in Napa, Solano and Sonoma Counties."

Based on this direction, NBRC believes:

Every individual has the right to lead his or her life in the mainstream of the community and to experience life conditions as good as those of the average citizen.
Plans affecting individuals with developmental disabilities must consider maximizing their freedom. People with developmental disabilities are - first and foremost - people. They have all the rights of other individuals in our society, and any restriction of those rights must be prescribed for a specific developmental purpose and only for a limited time.
People do not grow to reach their potential without taking reasonable risks. Denial of this aspect of human experience, under the guise of "protecting the less capable" or "making life easier for them," denies an individual the right to choose his or her own path and follow it.
People with developmental disabilities must be involved in the process of deciding what services and supports they need, should be given a variety of choices, and their choices must be given high priority.
Services should reflect and be sensitive to the diverse religious, cultural and ethnic characteristics of the catchment area. Models of service and support must be flexible enough to meet the changing needs of the local service area.
Services and supports designed to prevent the onset of a disability, or to minimize the impact of the disability, are a sound economic and human investment.

Any person who lives in Sonoma, Solano or Napa counties, regardless of age or income, who is believed to have or be at risk of having a developmental disability may receive an assessment from NBRC clinical professionals to determine if she or he is eligible for regional center services.