The Process

RCOC believes that the people we serve benefit greatly when new individuals and organizations step up to provide the critical services and supports they need to live safely and with dignity in our community. We also believe that well-qualified service providers and well-trained direct care staff are essential to realizing the Lanterman Act vision of community inclusion for individuals with developmental disabilities.

The purpose of this section is to explain the process of becoming “vendorized” – or approved to provide services to RCOC persons served – and to share RCOC’s policies for ensuring that service provider selection is fair, equitable, and places the critical needs of the people we serve first.

An applicant and/or a vendor should not initiate services for an individual before an approved authorization to purchase the services has been received from RCOC.

Orientation for Prospective Service Providers

RCOC conducts Pre-Vendor Orientation classes throughout the year. These classes are open to anyone interested in participating. They offer information on the vendorization process as well as RCOC’s expectations for service providers. For information and dates of upcoming classes, check our Events Calendar or call our Vendor Hotline at (714) 796-5263.

Vendorization

“Vendorization” is an application process for a qualified person, program or facility to request approval by the State of California, Department of Developmental Services (DDS) to provide services to regional center persons served, and to receive a rate of reimbursement for the provision of such services. The rate of reimbursement for services is established by the State of California.

To become an RCOC vendor and have a rate established, you must submit an application and various support data.  RCOC reviews the application and supporting documentation, and it is then forwarded to the Support Services branch of DDS for approval/disapproval and rate setting.

Vendorization is not a guarantee that the vendor will automatically receive referrals from the regional center – it simply means that the vendor is eligible to provide the vendored service for regional center persons served at the vendored rate of reimbursement.  All services purchased by RCOC must receive prior authorization for funding and must be designed to assist an individual to meet the goals and objectives identified in their IPP.

If you are interested in being vendored, send an email to the appropriate contact on the Vendorization Request Form.

Additional information about the laws and regulations governing vendorization and the requirements for service providers is available in Title 17 of the California Code of Regulations, and the Lanterman Act.

Referral Process for Persons Served by RCOC

The Lanterman Act requires regional centers to develop and implement an Individual Program Plan (IPP) for each eligible person served.  Services and supports designed to assist the individual to reach the goals and objectives identified in their IPP are obtained from natural, generic, and community resources. When services are not available, the regional center has the responsibility to advocate for the development of needed services.

When there is no public agency available to provide a service identified in the IPP, the regional center may purchase the service from a vendor.  Vendor selection is a thoughtful process, involving a review of an individual’s needs and abilities, types of service, geographic location, person served/family choice, related service needs, quality, availability, cost-effectiveness, ability to assist the person served to meet the goals and objectives identified in the IPP, and many other factors.