By Pedro Nava, Dion Aroner, and Janna Sidley
For six years, William Del Rosario and his family have waited for services that were already approved.
William, who is autistic and non-speaking, testified before the Little Hoover Commission – an independent watchdog agency on which we serve – earlier this year about the daily reality of navigating California’s developmental services system. Although assessments determined he needed support, his family was repeatedly told that services could not be provided or that there were no qualified staff available. Today, he still receives only limited assistance despite requiring support in nearly every aspect of daily life.
His mother described the exhausting burden families often carry when trying to access help. Parents, she explained, are forced to become “case manager, trainer, investigator, and advocate” simply to navigate the system and secure services their loved ones are entitled to receive.
We heard many stories like theirs.
The measure of a society is reflected in how it cares for its most vulnerable members. California recognized this principle decades ago with the passage of the Lanterman Developmental Disabilities Services Act in 1969, which established the right of Californians with developmental disabilities to receive the services and supports necessary to live more independent and productive lives.
But a promise is only meaningful if it is kept.
In 2023, the Little Hoover Commission released a report examining California’s developmental services system. We found major inconsistencies in how services were delivered across the state, and unnecessary barriers that made it difficult for individuals and families to obtain support.
Our Commission issued a series of recommendations aimed at strengthening oversight, standardizing practices across regional centers, improving transparency, modernizing technology, and reducing disparities in access to care.
This year, we revisited the issue to evaluate what progress has been made.
There have been important steps in the right direction. Lawmakers and the Department of Developmental Services have strengthened state oversight authority, improved demographic data collection, launched efforts to modernize outdated technology systems, and begun standardizing some intake and vendorization processes. The recently released Master Plan for Developmental Services also reflects many of the concerns raised during our original review.
These are meaningful developments, but our findings also make clear that substantial work remains unfinished.
Families and advocates continue to report inconsistent experiences across regional centers, ongoing disparities in access to services, and difficulty navigating a fragmented system. Several recommendations from our 2023 report have seen little or no progress. Some reforms remain delayed, incomplete, or untested.
One of the clearest messages we heard during our review was that families who speak fluent English, understand the system, and have the time and resources to advocate aggressively are often the ones most likely to successfully access services. That is not what equity looks like.
California has long been a national leader in developmental disability services. The state has demonstrated a willingness to invest in community-based care and recognize the dignity and independence of individuals with developmental disabilities. But leadership also requires accountability.
Oversight is not separate from the promise of the Lanterman Act. Oversight is how that promise is kept.
The work ahead will require sustained attention from lawmakers, the Department of Developmental Services, regional centers, advocates, and community partners. Reforms must move beyond plans and pilot programs and translate into measurable improvements that families can actually feel in their daily lives.
Californians with developmental disabilities and their families should not have to spend years fighting to access services they have already been promised.
Pedro Nava is Chair of the Little Hoover Commission and a former member of the California Assembly. Dion Aroner is a member of the Little Hoover Commission and a former member of the California Assembly. Janna Sidley is a member of the Little Hoover Commission and former general counsel for the Port of Los Angeles.
