HOW SDP WORKS
A plain-language guide to Self-Determination — and how to work with us through it.
California's Self-Determination Program (SDP) lets individuals served by a regional center direct their own budget and choose their own providers. Life Skills Champions is an SDP provider working in coordination with Westside Regional Center. Here's how it fits together.
THE BASICS
What Self-Determination means.
In the traditional model, the regional center chooses vendors and arranges services. In SDP, the individual and their family get an annual budget, build a person-centered plan around their own goals, and pick the providers they want to work with — including us. It's more choice and more responsibility, with a small team of people to help.
Regional Center service coordinator
Your point of contact at Westside Regional Center. Helps with enrollment and approves the spending plan.
Independent Facilitator (IF)
Helps the individual and family build the person-centered plan and choose services. Many families we work with have an IF.
Financial Management Service (FMS)
Handles payments to providers and tracks the budget, so families don't have to manage invoices themselves.
WORKING WITH US
Four steps to get started.
01
Free consultation
We talk about your young person, their goals, and what support would look like.
02
Add us to the plan
Working with your IF and service coordinator, our services and hours are written into the spending plan.
03
Set up with the FMS
We coordinate directly with your FMS so billing is handled between us — nothing for you to manage.
04
Coaching starts
Sessions begin in real settings, with progress tracked toward each goal in the plan.
NOT IN SDP YET?
We'll walk you through it.
Enrolling in Self-Determination takes some steps — an orientation, a person-centered plan, a budget, and a spending plan. It's very doable, and thousands of California families have done it. If you're just starting, bring your questions to a free consultation and we'll point you in the right direction.
Already in SDP with an Independent Facilitator? Great — invite them to the consultation, or have them reach out to us directly.