IHSS & Regional Center

If your family works with both IHSS and a Regional Center — common for children and adults with developmental disabilities — the two programs are designed to work together, not compete. But the rules governing how they interact matter, and there's a real, current policy shift worth understanding before your next Individual Program Plan (IPP) meeting.

The Core Rule: Regional Centers Are the "Payer of Last Resort"

California's 21 Regional Centers, overseen by the Department of Developmental Services (DDS), coordinate services for people with developmental disabilities. Under the Lanterman Act, Regional Centers are legally required to use every other available resource before spending their own funds. IHSS is explicitly treated as one of these resources.

In practice, this means you're expected to use your full authorized IHSS hours first. A Regional Center generally can't fund a service that duplicates what IHSS already covers for you.

But the Programs Are Meant to Stack, Not Compete

This doesn't mean you can only use one or the other. If your actual need is greater than what IHSS authorizes, the Regional Center can step in to cover the difference. A common real-world example: a child receiving IHSS hours for protective supervision and personal care might also receive separate Regional Center-funded behavioral therapy — the services don't overlap, so both continue simultaneously without issue.

Respite care follows the same logic. If your IHSS hours include some respite-type coverage but not enough to meet your actual need, the Regional Center can fund the remaining gap rather than duplicating what's already covered.

One useful exception: while your IHSS application is still pending, a Regional Center can temporarily fund supportive services in the meantime — since IHSS isn't yet an "available" resource to you. That temporary funding is capped at your county's IHSS hourly rate, not open-ended.

A Real Policy Change Rolling Out Through 2026

DDS has been actively tightening enforcement of the payer-of-last-resort rule, with two concrete changes worth knowing about:

Expanded data sharing. With your signed release, your Regional Center service coordinator can now view your IHSS data — authorized hours, existing services — directly from the Department of Social Services, instead of requiring you to manually provide documentation each time. You can decline to sign this release and continue providing documentation yourself if you prefer.
A standardized respite assessment tool. Passed in response to Senate Bill 138, this addresses a real, documented problem: families with similar caregiving situations were getting inconsistent respite authorizations depending on which Regional Center handled their case. DDS rolled out one standardized tool across all 21 Regional Centers to reduce that inconsistency.

What this means for you: expect more scrutiny at IPP meetings and reassessments about whether you're using your full available IHSS hours before the Regional Center authorizes additional overlapping support. Keeping your own records of IHSS hours and services helps you respond quickly if asked.

Practical Steps

Apply for both programs early if you think you may need both — approval can take time on each side independently
Tell each agency what you're already receiving from the other, even before they ask
Keep your own written records of authorized IHSS hours and services, separate from what either agency tracks
Ask your Regional Center service coordinator or IHSS social worker directly if you're unsure whether a specific need is likely to be covered by one program, the other, or both

If a Regional Center Won't Help Until IHSS Is Approved

If a Regional Center tries to withhold respite or other services entirely until your IHSS application is approved — rather than bridging the gap in the meantime as the rules allow — that's something worth pushing back on. Disability Rights California can help with exactly this kind of situation at 1-800-776-5746.

Educational information, not legal advice. Only your county can authorize IHSS services, and only after an assessment. IHSSHours.com is an independent resource and is not affiliated with CDSS or any county IHSS office. · More IHSS guides