40th History Brochure-r2 - Frank D. Lanterman Regional Center

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P I O N E E R P R O F I L E“It soon became apparent that the issue wasnot how we were going to fix the hospitals, buthow we were going to create alternatives tohospitals in the community.”ART BOLTONWhile known as a lifelong advocate for people with developmentaldisabilities and as a major force behind the creation of theLanterman Act, throughout his career Art Bolton was also involvedin the development of legislation and innovative service modelsintended to improve the lives of people with serious mental illness.As the first chief of the California Assembly Office of Research, heworked closely with Frank Lanterman in a bipartisan manner anddrafted the original language for AB 691, the legislation thatestablished the two pilot regional centers. He was subsequentlyinvolved in drafting AB 225, the Lanterman Mental RetardationServices Act of 1969, as well as major amendments to the Act inthe 1970s and 1980s.During the 1960s, he also directed a staff effort to restrictcommitment of mentally ill individuals to state institutions. Thiseffort culminated in passage of the Lanterman-Petris-Short Act in1967. During these years he also worked tirelessly to establisheffective community services for people with serious mental illness.Between 1970 and 1978, as president of Arthur Bolton Associates,a public policy consulting firm, he worked with the federal andstate governments on the creation of policy and systems forpeople with disabilities based on the concepts developedin California.In the 1980s, as staff director of the Lieutenant Governor’sTask Force on the Serious Mentally Ill, he participated in thedevelopment of a model community-based service programfor people with serious metal illness. This group establishedintegrated service agencies that could provide a comprehensivemix of treatment and rehabilitation services, as well as housingand housing support.In the 1990s, Mr. Bolton was involved in an initiative to createbetter neighborhoods in low income areas. The model called forall human services to be consolidated under one roof in theneighborhood, and to be run by neighborhood residents.In 2002, Mr. Bolton was given the first Community ImperativeLifetime Achievement Award for his original and continuousleadership in promoting community services for everyone.DDS submits to the Legislature an evaluation of theself-determination pilot projects. The Departmentrecommends that the pilots be extended to January2004 without “expansion within the existing projectsor to other catchment areas” and also raisesquestions about several aspects of selfdeterminationas implemented in California. Thesequestions relate to: how individual budgets areestablished in context of the entitlement guaranteedby the Lanterman Act, what is “reasonably related”to an IPP objective, the effect of the model onservice coordinator workload, and the legality ofusing individual budgets to purchase services thatare the responsibility of a public agency. In 2003,despite unanswered questions, the pilots in the fiveregional centers are made permanent.2003 Dissatisfaction with the economic situation inCalifornia and the administration of GovernorDavis leads to a special election aimed at recallinga governor for the first time in California’s history.Governor Davis is defeated in the election by actorand bodybuilder Arnold Schwarzenegger.The state of California is in the midst of a severerecession, one of the worst in the state’s history.In response to budget challenges, newly-electedGovernor Schwarzenegger proposes mid-yearbudget cuts that include enrollment caps at regionalcenters, which would result in waiting lists; theelimination of “non-core” services, such as respiteand non-medical therapies; and the developmentof statewide service standards guiding the purchaseof services. Public protests by clients and advocatesresult in a withdrawal of the proposals.The 2003-04 Governor’s Budget directs DDSto again put forth a plan to close AgnewsDevelopmental Center by July 2005.The Legislature passes AB 1762, changing theeligibility criterion for regional center services tosignificant functional limitations in three or moreareas of major life activity. The previous criterionhad been limitations in at least two areas.Frank D. Lanterman Regional Center launches thePerspectives International Film Festival and Forumpromoting the understanding and inclusion ofpeople with developmental disabilities. Filmmakersfrom the Untied States and overseas gather at theArcLight Cinema in Hollywood to screen their filmsand talk with audiences about developmentaldisabilities. The first Perspectives Media Award ispresented to Actor William H. Macy for his role in“Door to Door” and subsequent work with UnitedCerebral Palsy.28
The regional center population rate of growth isincreasing significantly faster than the rate of growthof the population in California, and the incidence ofautism in the state is increasing even more rapidly.In the decade from December 1993 to December2003, the population of the state increases byslightly more than 10 percent while the regionalcenter population increases by 60 percent. Duringthis same period, the number of people beingserved by regional centers and diagnosed withautism increases by 360 percent.The five state developmental centers house 3,529residents at a cost per year per person of $205,316.2004 The closure of Agnews Developmental Center isdelayed from July 2005 to July 2006. The followingyear’s budget delays the closing an additional12 months, to July 2007.The Legislature approves a budget with a deficitof $15 billion. Continuing substantial deficits areprojected for 2005-06 ($7 billion) and 2006-07($10 billion).The average cost of providing services to a regionalcenter client is $13,400, equating to a 16 percentincrease in three years.The Legislature enacts the Family CostParticipation Program, requiring families ofminors living at home to share the cost ofcertain services purchased by regionalcenters. These cost-sharing requirementsapply to respite, day care and camp. Thelaw becomes effective January 1, 2005.2005 Congress passes a law creating a new Medicarebenefit – Medicare Part D, prescription drugcoverage. As a consequence, regional center clientswhose medical care is covered by both Medicareand Medi-Cal, with Medi-Cal paying for medications,henceforth have their medications covered byMedicare. The implementation of Medicare Part D,beginning January 1, 2006, is disorganized andfraught with confusion, due primarily to the federalgovernment’s failure to ensure that the necessaryenrollment information systems are in place andaccessible to state health departments, health plansand pharmacies. As a result, many beneficiaries,particularly people covered by Medicaid, includinga majority of regional center clients, are unable toobtain medications or are asked to pay substantialco-payments. Many states, including Californiaauthorize emergency funding to guaranteepayment to pharmacists and health plans.In the case of Schaffer v. Weast, the U.S. SupremeCourt rules that parents who challenge a schooldistrict’s program for their child with a disabilityhave the burden of proving the program is notappropriate. Since IDEA does not say who bears theburden of proof when parents disagree with a schoolsystem about their child’s educational program, thecourt reasons that the burden should lie “where itusually falls, upon the party seeking relief.” Further,they reason, that party will most often – but notalways – be the parents. This decision is expectedto make it harder for some parents to win lawsuitsthat seek compensation for the cost of sendingtheir child with a disability to a private school.The People First organization in California growsto 85 chapters throughout the state.The 21 Regional Centers serve more than200,000 children and adults with developmentaldisabilities at an annual cost of nearly $3 billion.Five developmental centers serve somewhat morethan 3,000 people.An additionalapproximately90 people areserved in the twosmaller institutionsserving peoplewith significantbehavioral andforensic needs.29
Page 1 and 2: Reaffirming theCommitment...Realizi
Page 3: In the years preceding the advent o
Page 6: The Traveling Child Development Pro
Page 12 and 13: government resists writing the regu
Page 14 and 15: T H E S Y S T E M E V O L V E S1976
Page 17 and 18: Newly-elected President Ronald Reag
Page 19 and 20: 1985 In City of Cleburne v. Cleburn
Page 22: esult is increased power to shape l
Page 25 and 26: Historical highlights…1996 Stockt
Page 27 and 28: A study of the buildings and infras
Page 29: The plaintiffs appeal the decision
Page 33 and 34: for developmental centers to remain
Page 35 and 36: Meeting the Needs ofSpecial Populat
Page 37 and 38: We are indebted to Sharon Shueman f
Page 40: To order copies of Reaffirming the

40th History Brochure-r2 - Frank D. Lanterman Regional Center

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