1. Self-Determination Orientation Training notes:
Avoid lingo and acronyms.
If you have to use a complex word, explain it.
Be prepared to explain things in more than one way.
Be prepared with many examples. Think through examples in advance and have several in mind if people need more help understanding a concept or idea. You may choose to use the two examples, Jason and Sofia, provided in the regular materials.
Take your time and check for understanding as you go through the materials.
Each section has an introductory slide. Assure trainees that you will cover each topic in detail if they start to ask questions about the topics. Use the summary slide at the end of each section to check for understanding of the materials. You will notice that each section has its own background color.
At the end is a placeholder for regional center-specific information about your roll out. You can also work relevant specifics into the main body of the presentation as it makes sense. 

2. The Purpose of this Orientation
Learn
Understand 
Feel confident
Make decisions
We are so glad you are here! 
Our purpose in this orientation is so that you learn about self-determination and understand how it can work for you. When we are done, we want you to feel confident that you can participate in self-determination and make good decisions for your own life. 
We also want you to know that you are never in this alone. We are here to help sort it all out and help you make self-determination work for you. We are in it together. 

3. Main Topics Part 1: The Big Picture Part 2: Your Team Part 3: Planning
Part 4: Take Action
Part 5: Safety
We have broken the topics we will talk about into five sections. 
In Part 1 we will talk about the history and the important ideas behind self-determination. This is the Big Picture and will help you understand where the ideas for self-determination came from and what they mean.
In Part 2 we will talk about the team of people who can work with you and what they can do. You don't go into self-determination by yourself. A lot of help is available. 
In Part 3 we will talk about the importance of good planning and the different parts of planning. Good planning is one of the most important things you can do to be sure that self-determination works for you.
In Part 4 we will talk about how to put your plan into action. Once you have a good plan, it will tell you the steps to take to put it into action.
Finally in Part 5 we will talk about safety. We will give you and your team tools for you to be safe and recognize if someone is abusing you.

4. Part 1: The Big Picture What is Self-Determination The 5 principles
Your Rights
In this section, we will discuss what self-determination is, a little bit about the history, and the 5 principles or main ideas that self-determination is built on. We are talking about this so you understand what makes self-determination a great way to manage your own life. We also want you to understand that lots of other people have tried self-determination and it has worked for them. 

5. The Big Picture: Huge Change to Law
OLD
Lanterman Act
NEW
The Lanterman Act has been around for more than 40. It is the California law that tells talks about the rights of people with developmental disabilities, what regional centers can and can't do, and other important things. It has changed many times. Self-determination is one of the biggest changes ever to the Lanterman Act.

6. The Big Picture: A New Way
Regular RC Services
Self-Determination
Self-determination is a new way that people can choose to get their services. It is voluntary which means you can decide if you want to stay with regular regional center services or try self-determination instead. Let’s talk about how they are different.

7. The Big Picture: Regular RC Services
YES NO
 ASK RC
When you receive regular regional center services, you have annual meetings with your service coordinator to talk about your life and services. You try to decide together what you need. But sometimes you and the regional center disagree about what you need. For example, if you decide that a laptop computer would make it easier for you to communicate, the regional center may agree with you and pay for it, or they may not agree with you and don't pay for it. 

8. The Big Picture: Self-Determination
You
Decide
In Self Determination, you have a pot of money you can use, called your budget. Through the person-centered planning process you will decide what’s most important to you and use your budget to buy the things you need. We will talk about how all of this works as we go along in this presentation. 

9. The Big Picture: The Five Principles5
There are five very important ideas that self-determination is based on. These are called the five principles of self-determination.
Principles of
Self-Determination

10. Principle 1: FREEDOM For You to make CHOICES
The First idea, or principle, is Freedom. In self-determination you will have the freedom to make choices for your own life. Decisions about what is important to you are made by you. 
For You to make CHOICES

11. Principle 2: AUTHORITY Over DECISIONS and MONEY
You will also have the authority to use your budget in the way that makes the most sense for you. There are some rules about how your budget can be spent, but it is your decision how to use that money. We will talk about budgets and the rules in Section three. 
Over DECISIONS and MONEY

12. Principle 3: SUPPORT From others to get what you need
Even though you have freedom and authority, you do not have to do this alone. You will have support from others who can help you as much as you want and need.  We will talk about your team of supporters in Section 2.
From others to get what you need

13. Principle 4: RESPONSIBILITY
People who have freedom and authority also have responsibility. This means that if you make a decision that doesn't work out the way you wanted, you are responsible for that decision and how it worked out. It also means that you are responsible to make good decisions about how your budget is spent. You will always have help, but your decisions are your responsibility.
You are responsible for your decisions

14. Principle 5: CONFIRMATION
All along the way you and your team make sure that everything is working together for your benefit. This is the idea called confirmation.
Make sure it works for you!

15. The Big Picture: History
It's not new.
In other states
In California
It works!
Self-determination is not a new thing. Other states have tried self-determination and it has worked for their citizens with developmental disabilities. California had a pilot project with five regional centers for almost 20 years. Everyone in the pilot project liked it and made it work for them. Even though it may feel like a brand new thing and it is new for you, we know that it works and that people who have tried are very happy with it. 

16. The Big Picture: Important things to know
You choose it
Can leave anytime 
Moves with you 
There are other important things for you to know about self-determination. First of all, you choose whether or not you want to be a part of self-determination. You don't have to be a part of it. You can choose to stay in regular regional center services or go back to regular regional center services at any time. Self-determination also moves with you if you move to a new area. If you change regional centers, you can stay in self-determination.

17. The Big Picture Your Rights
You have all the same rights
Make your own decisions
Be included in community
Have support
Disagree with the regional center
When you are in self-determination you have all the same rights you always had. You have the right to make your own decisions. You have the right to be included in your community. You have the right to have support to live the life you want. And you have the right to disagree with your regional center's decisions. 

18. Part 1: Summary Overview and history of self-determination
The Five Principles
History
Your Rights

19. Part 2: Your Team You Your People Facilitator Service coordinator FMS
In the next section we will talk about the team of people who are there to help and support you in self-determination. You don't have to do this by yourself. We will discuss the different kinds of things that people can do to support you.

20. YOU are the one in control
Your Team: YOU
YOU are the one in control
YOU Make Decisions
YOU Have Authority
YOU Take Responsibility
Self-determination is for you so you are the leader of the team.
You have the freedom, authority and responsibility to make all of the decisions about your plan and how your budget will be spent. Your team is there to help you figure out your plan and make your plans a reality. 

21. Your Team: Support Your team gives you support
You are not alone in this!
Who are your supporters?
Different members of your team will have different jobs, but they all have one responsibility – to help you live the life you want. Let's talk next about who can be there to support you.

22. Family, friends, coworkers, neighbors
Your Team: Your People
You can invite anyone you want to be a part of your self- determination team.
After you, the most important people are the people important to you! These are the people who already know you and care for you. These can be family, friends, neighbors, coworkers and others you know and who know you. You can invite anyone you want to be a part of your self-determination team. 
Family, friends, coworkers, neighbors

23. Your Team: Your People People who know you People you trust
People who can help
It is a good idea to invite people who you know well, people you trust, and people who want to be a part of your self-determination process. It's also very important that the people you invite want to support what you want and don't try to take over. 
Trainer note: You can insert an exercise here. Ask people to think of one or two people that they might have on their team. 

24. Your Team: The Independent Facilitator
Helps You
Sort out your plan
Find services
OPTIONAL
The independent facilitator is someone you can hire if you want to. You don't have to hire one. 
The facilitator can do many different things. It will be up to you what you want them to do. 
You can hire almost anyone you want to be your facilitator, but there are a few rules.
1.  they have to be trained in how to be an independent facilitator. Lots of organizations offer this training.
2. The parent of a person under age 18 can't be paid to be their facilitator.
3. The husband or wife of the person in self-determination can't be paid to be their facilitator.
You pay for the facilitator out of your budget. But you don’t have to hire a facilitator. It’s up to you.
If you don’t hire a facilitator, your service coordinator, family or friend can help you.

25. Your Team: The Facilitator
Can help you:
Organize meetings
Find what you want
Find what you need
Make decisions
Solve problems
Work with others
Some of the types of jobs a facilitator might do include:
Helping you organize meetings.
Helping you develop your person-centered plan
Helping you plan and maintain your spending plan.
Helping you find other people who might be able to support you.
Helping you find providers, negotiates rates, hours of service, and write contracts
Making sure providers do what they agree to do.
Helping resolve problems with others
Helping you and your team understand and live by the principles of Self-Determination.

26. Your Team: The Facilitator
How do you pick one?
Right skills
Understand you
Hard worker
Organized
Trained
You like the person
It is important to find the right person to be your facilitator if you decide to have one. You want to be sure they have the right skills for what you need. You will need someone who understands you, what you want and what you need. They should be a hard worker and well-organized. They have to be trained in facilitation. And, very importantly, you should like the person!

27. Your Team: The FMS FMS = Fiscal Management Service REQUIRED
All of them:
Hold the Money
Pay bills for your plan
Assist with background checks
Monthly report
The Fiscal Management Service is another part of the team. Their main job is to hold the money in your budget and handle everything related to that money.
You are required to use a fiscal management service.
Hired by you from a list provided by your regional center. 
Paid for out of your budget
Holds and manages your money but does not make budget decisions
Makes payments to service providers
Helps people you want to hire do their criminal record checks
Keeps all financial records and reports

28. Your Team: The FMS What else can they do? That depends on you.
First you decide if you will hire employees. 
In addition to the tasks we just talked about, the FMS can do some other jobs is you want them to. 
The first thing you will have to decide is this: Will you hire people to work for you. If you will hire people, there are two options we will discuss next.

29. Your Team: The FMS Option 1: You are the employer. FMS pays the bills.
FMS helps you with your employees.
You have a lot of responsibility.
If you will hire employees, one way you can do it is to be their employer. That makes you the boss. The FMS will pay the bills and help you understand your responsibilities as the employer, but most of the responsibility will be on you.

30. Your Team: The FMS FMS Option 2: FMS is the employer.
You choose employees.
FMS is their employer.
FMS has most of the responsibility.
FMS
The other option is that you share the job with your FMS. You choose who you want to hire and the FMS is their actual employer, called the “Employer of record.” This means the FMS has more responsibility. This also means you will pay them a little more money because they will have a bigger job.

31. Your Team: The FMS No employees? FMS pays the bills.
If you don’t plan on hiring employees directly, then the FMS just pays the bills. This happens if you don’t plan to hire anyone to work with you, or the people who support you work for an agency. When you hire people through an agency, then that agency is the employer, not you or the FMS.

32. Your Team: Service Coordinator
Confirms your budget
Helps you understand rules
Does IPP
Helps with spending plan
Helps find resources
Budget
Rules
Resources
IPP
Your regional center service coordinator is another part of your team. One of their big jobs is to figure out what your budget will be and confirm, or certify it. The SC will also help you understand and follow the rules of self-determination. If you choose not to have a facilitator, then the FMS can do all the jobs a facilitator does including helping you find resources. Finally, they work with you to put together your IPP. 

33. Part 2: Summary Your Team You Your people Facilitator FMS
Service coordinator

34. Part 3: Planning Person-Centered Planning Budget Spending Plan
Your IPP
There is a lot of planning that goes into self-determination. In this section we will talk about person-centered planning, your budget and spending plan, and how your IPP fits into all of it.

35. Planning: Person-Centered Plan
Answers these questions:
What is great about you?
What is important to you?
What is important for you?
Person centered planning is done with your team of people. Everything in self-determination comes from a good plan.
There are many ways of doing a person-centered plan, but all of them should answer these questions: What is great about you? What is important to you? In other words, what do you want to make your life happy and meaningful? And, finally, what is important for you? This is about what you need to stay safe and healthy.

36. Planning: Person-Centered Plan
What is great about you?
Interests
Talents
Skills
Hopes
Dreams
Person-centered planning always starts by thinking about the best things about you. You and your team will talk about and write down what your interests are, what you are talented at, what things you are good at doing, and what your hopes and dreams are for your future.
Trainer note: You might insert an exercise here where people write down and/or just say out loud something they really like about themselves or something they are very interested in. 

37. Planning: Person-Centered Plan
What is important to you?
What are your goals?
After you talk about what's great about you, you will talk about and write down what is important to you. These can include things like where you want to live, who you want to be with, what kinds of places you want to go to, what types of activities you like doing and other things like that. Then you will decide your goals, the things you want to get done. 

38. Planning: Person-Centered Plan
How will you reach your goals?
Steps to get there.
Once you have decided on your goals, you will work with your team to figure out the steps to reach your goals. You do this by figuring out how to get from where you are now to where you want to be. You can also decide who will help you with each step and how long each step might take.

39. Planning: Person-Centered Plan
What is important for you?
To stay healthy
To be safe
The other part of planning is talking about what is important for you. This means discussing what you need to have in your life such as services and supports that help you stay healthy and safe.

40. Planning: Money
Generic Resources = Money that comes from places that are NOT regional center
Budget = Money you can use from regional center
Spending Plan = How you will spend the money from regional center
The next step is talk about money.
The first thing to know is that there are parts of your person-centered plan that will get paid for by agencies or organizations that are not regional center. These are called Generic Resources. You must always use this money first. We’ll talk more about this in the next slide.
Your budget is the money that the regional center has set aside for you to use for your services and supports. Your spending plan is how you will use that money. In the next few slides we will talk about each of these.

41. Planning: Generic Resources
Must use other sources FIRST
Department of Rehabilitation
MediCal
Health plans
In Home Support Services (IHSS)
School district
There are a lot of agencies and organizations that have a responsibility to pay for certain parts of your care and services. Generic resources include school districts, Dept. of Rehabilitation, MediCal, In-Home Support Services and others. People with disabilities fought hard to get these services and benefits.
Once you have used all of those services outside of regional center, if you still have needs for services and supports then  regional center funds can be used. This rule still exists when you are in the self-determination program. One of the benefits of doing this is that your budget will be able to pay for things that no one else will pay for.

42. Planning: Budget Money spent on you for 12 months
Unmet needs can increase
Life changes = new budget
No budget – what would RC have spent?
The next thing to talk about is your budget, the money that is set aside from regional center to pay for your services and supports. 
So how does the regional center determine your budget? The first thing they will do is to figure out how much money they spent on your services and supports for the last 12 months. That is the starting place for deciding your self-determination budget. But maybe in your person-centered plan you figured out that you have some other needs and the regional center is responsible for paying for services to meet those needs. Your budget can increase to meet those needs. Another way your budget can increase or decrease is if your life has changed in some big ways. For example, maybe you just graduated from high school and now you need support to find a job or look for your own apartment. The regional center could increase your budget to meet these new needs. 
If the regional center did not spend any money on you for the last 12 months, they will take a look at what you need and how much money they would usually spend to meet those kinds of needs. This will be the basis for your budget.

43. Planning: Spending Plan
From your PCP
What do you have to pay for?
How much for each?
For example:
FMS
Transportation
Now that you know what generic resources are paying for and you have your budget, you and your team will figure out your spending plan. You will decide how much money from your budget will be used for each part of your plan. It is important to figure this out carefully. Part of the job of your team will be to help you work out your spending plan.
Supported living
Facilitator
Computer classes

44. Planning: Spending Plan Categories
Money goes into three categories:
1. Living arrangement
2. Employment and community
3. Health and safety
Once you have decided on your spending plan, your service coordinator will help you separate the money into three groups. One group is all the money that will be spent on your living arrangements. The second category is all about the supports you need to do things outside of your home. The last category is health and safety.
Your service coordinator will know how to put your spending plan into these three categories.

45. Planning: Spending Plan Rules
You can spend money for services that help with:
Inclusion in your community
Independence
Supporting your choices
Supporting your health
Supporting your safety
There are rules about how you can spend your self-determination budget. The money can be used for services and supports that help you live a life like people without disabilities live. The rules are there to help you be more included in your community, help you be as independent as possible, help you reach the goals you have chosen, or help you stay healthy and safe. The money cannot be used to pay for services that keep you separate from people without disabilities. It is your service coordinator's job to make sure that your spending plan follows these rules. If you have set aside some of the money for something that is not allowed, your service coordinator will let you know and help you figure out how to follow the rules.

46. Planning: Spending Plan Changes
Move 10% anytime
More than 10%
Agreement of planning team or
Agreement of regional center
There may be a time when you need to change your spending plan and move money from one spending category to another. If it’s a small amount of money, 10% or less, you can move it easily. If it’s more than that, you will need to get your planning team or the regional center to agree to move it. If you need to move money from one part of your spending plan to another, make sure to meet with your team. If you have an emergency, call your service coordinator.

47. Individualized Program Plan
Planning: Your IPP
Still your contract with Regional Center
Based on your person-centered plan
PCP IPP
Finally, you will still need an Individualized Program Plan, an IPP. This is still your contract with the regional center. The IPP will be based on your person-centered plan, but they are not the same thing. Your service coordinator is responsible for the IPP and will meet with you to develop it just as they always have. Your IPP will include parts of your person-centered plan and your spending plan.
Person-Centered Plan
Individualized Program Plan

48. Part 3: Summary
Person-centered planning Budget Spending plan IPP

49. Part 4: Take Action Use your team Find resources
Hire Service Providers
Background checks
Purchase what you need
Now you have your plans and its time to put them into action. We will talk about who can help you, how you can find resources, hire people, get background checks done and buy what you need.

50. Take Action: Use your team
Who can help you make your plan work? Your Team!
Facilitator
RC Service Coordinator
Family and Friends
Anyone can help you put your plan into action. You might have your facilitator help you, your service coordinator, family or friends. It is best if you involve the team of people who helped you with your person-centered plan to help you put it into action.

51. Take Action: Find resources
Check out your neighborhood
Look on-line
Talk to people you know
From your person-centered plan you already know what kinds of resources you will need to find. Most neighborhoods have business districts where you can find lots of things that might meet your needs. You can also search on-line or talk to people you know about what you are looking for.

52. Take Action: Who can you hire?
You can:
Use an agency
DOESN’T have to be a vendor OR
Hire each person yourself
If you need to hire people to help you, you have two choices. You can hire people directly and either you or the FMS is their employer. Or you can hire people through an agency and then the agency is the employer. It is important to know that you can use any agency you want; they don’t have to be a vendor of a regional center.
If you decide to use an agency, make sure they know that you will be the one to decide who will work directly for you.
Trainer note: Remind people that you have discussed the issue of who is the employer earlier in the presentation. You may need to review it.

53. Take Action: Interviews
You Interview people
You decide who you like
You will interview people you are interested in and then decide who you want. If they don’t work for an agency and are going to work directly for you, the FMS will help you with the hiring process. There are important rules about the kinds of questions you can ask someone who wants to work for you. A handout is included about questions you can and cannot ask. 

54. Take Action: Background Check
The FMS helps with background checks
Some people you want to hire will have to go through a criminal background check. The FMS will help with this. The background check will show if the person has a criminal record or not. We will talk about this more in the Safety section of the presentation.  

55. Take Action: Hire Agree on a contract Tell the FMS Start Services!
You and your new employee should make a contract. The contract should describe everything you want the person to do for you, what their work days and hours will be, what you will pay them and other details like this. There are some sample contracts in your packet. You can also ask your facilitator or another person on your team to help you write a good contract.

56. Take Action: For example…
I want my own apartment.
I need to make money.
I need to find a good paying job
I will hire someone to help me with:
My resume
Helping me find a good job
Asking for accommodations
Job coaching
Let’s imagine that two of your goals are to have your own apartment and to make money so you can pay for an apartment. You and your team have figured out that you will need help finding a good paying job. You decide you want to hire someone who can help you write your resume, find a good job, ask for job accommodations and coach you on the job.

57. Take Action: Buying Things
You can buy things you need because of your disability
Equipment
Assistive technology
Day to day things like Depends, medical supplies
Items that help you with independence
You can buy things anywhere
Sometimes in your planning process you will figure out that you need to buy certain things that you need because of your disability. You can buy things like safety bars and ramps to make your living space more accessible, a communication device or specialized computer, day to day items like medical supplies, buying and caring for a service animal and other things you need to help you be as independent as possible. You can buy these things from anywhere.

58. Part 4: Summary Use your team Find resources Hiring people
Background check
Buying what you need

59. Part 5: Safety Background Checks Abuse
Our last topic is safety. We will talk more about background checks and abuse.

60. Safety: Background Checks
Who gets checked?
People who serve in your home
People who help with personal care
Anyone you want
Anyone the FMS wants
If the person you want to hire is going to help you with your personal care, they have to go through a criminal record check before you can hire them. The FMS will give them the paperwork they need and tell them where to go to get a  fingerprint background check. The person you want to hire pays for the background check. It can take a couple of days but sometimes longer to get the results of the background check. This is an important step to be sure that the person you want to hire does not have a criminal record.
You can also ask that other people you want to hire get a background check, too. The FMS may also require it.

61. Safety: Background Checks
Who can work:
No record – they can work for you
Minor crime – DDS has to approve
Major crime – Cannot work for you
No Crime
They can work
Minor crime
DDS approves
They can work
Criminal Record Check
A fingerprint background check is a way to find out if someone has a criminal record. If they don’t have a criminal record, then they can start work for you. If the person has a record for a minor crime like disturbing the peace, if the Department of Developmental Services approves, then they can work for you. If the person was convicted of a major crime like murder, they cannot work for you.
Major crime
Cannot work

62. Safety: Kinds of Abuse Physical Neglect Sexual Emotional Financial
The last topic we will cover is about abuse. It is important for you and your team to understand what abuse is, how to recognize that you might be getting abused, and what to do about it.
There are different types of abuse. If someone takes or uses your money or possessions for themselves, that’s financial abuse. If someone who is supposed to take care of you ignores you and doesn’t help you take care of your needs like eating, toileting, cleaning yourself, brushing your teeth and other things like that, it’s called neglect. If someone physically hurts you, that is physical abuse. If a person touches private parts of your body without permission or has sex with you without your permission, that is sexual abuse. If someone yells at you or makes you feel bad or ashamed, that is emotional abuse.
TELL SOMEONE YOU TRUST!

63. Safety: Recognize Abuse
Signs of abuse
Upset for a long time
Lose confidence
Lose skills
Frightened
Aggressive
No contact with others
The people who support you need to learn the signs of possible abuse that they should pay attention to. If the person is upset for long periods of time without an obvious reason, if they have lost their confidence or skills they used to have, if they seem frightened much of the time, if they lash out or are aggressive in ways they haven’t been before, or if they withdraw and don’t want to have contact with others, these may be signs that the person is being abused in some way.

64. Safety: Recognizing Abuse
It’s Not Okay When Someone:
Hurts you
Makes you feel bad
Gets too close
Makes you feel uncomfortable
Takes your things
Touches you without permission
For you, there are ways you can recognize that you are being abused or mistreated. It is never okay if someone hurts you, makes you feel bad or ashamed, gets too close to you or makes you uncomfortable, takes your money or possessions, or touches you in any way without your permission. These may be signs that someone is abusing you.

65. Safety: Dealing with Abuse
Tell someone you trust
They will help you stay safe
They will report the abuse
Whenever you feel threatened or unsafe, it is very important to tell someone you trust so that they can help you stay safe and make a report of abuse if needed.

66. Part 5: Summary
Background checks
Abuse

67. Summary Review of what we covered Questions Overview Your team
Planning
Put your plan into action
Safety
Questions

68. Placeholder for RC info
Use this space to include information specific to your regional center. 

69. Resources Disability Rights California:
Publication #F07701
The Center for Self-Determination: determination.com
Senate Bill 468:
State Council on Developmental Disabilities:
The Autism Society of Los Angeles:

70. Plain Language Materials
Developed by:
Maria Marquez - Member, State Council on Developmental Disabilities (SCDD) with assistance from:
Julie Eby-McKenzie - SCDD, Los Angeles Office
Nicole Patterson - Department of Developmental Services
Wesley Witherspoon - USC UCEDD; Member, SCDD
Kecia Weller - The Tarjan Center; Member, SCDD
Scott Barron - Office of Clients Rights Advocacy
Julie Gaona - Member, Los Angeles Regional Advisory Committee; President, Self-Advocacy Board of LA County
Rigo Gaona – Vice President, Self-Advocacy Board of LA County