If you have a family member served by a Regional Center in California, a significant change is coming to how respite services are authorized — but it hasn’t happened yet, and the details still matter enormously.
Here’s a clear breakdown of where things stand as of June 2026.
Here's What Families Need to Know
For years, California families in nearly identical situations have received very different amounts of respite depending solely on which Regional Center happened to serve their county. Two families. Same disability. Same care demands. Completely different outcomes — not because of need, but because of geography.
Senate Bill 138, passed in 2023, directed the California Department of Developmental Services (DDS) to fix that. The result is a new Standardized In-Home Respite Tool — a statewide assessment designed to bring consistency and equity to how respite hours are authorized across all 21 Regional Centers.
Where Does the Tool Stand Right Now?
As of June 2026, the tool is in its final testing phase. DDS completed a statewide data collection period on April 30, 2026, and plans to finalize the tool, train Regional Centers, and begin implementation later this year.
What that means practically: the tool is not yet in use. Regional Centers are still using their existing local assessment methods. DDS has been running the new tool alongside current assessments — comparing outcomes and calibrating its hour recommendations before anything goes live.
If you are a family currently receiving respite services, your authorization has not changed because of this tool. Not yet.
What this means for your family right now
The tool is not yet in use. If you currently receive respite services, your authorization has not changed. If you're curious to what the new Standardized Respite Tool will look like, you can access it directly on the DDS website. Link below.
What Will the Tool Actually Measure?
DDS has not released the final scoring methodology publicly, but documents indicate the tool evaluates:
- Level of supervision required
- Behavioral support needs
- Medical complexity
- Caregiver demands
- Family circumstances
- Daily care routines
The goal is to produce a recommended range of respite hours based on objective, consistent factors rather than the judgment calls of individual Regional Centers.
What Happened to the Larger Family Support Tool?
Originally, DDS was developing something much broader — a Standardized Family Support Tool that would have addressed respite, day care, and personal assistance all at once. After stakeholder feedback, DDS separated respite into its own standalone tool and prioritized it first. Standardized assessments for day care and personal assistance remain future projects.
The Concern Families and Advocates Are Raising
DDS has consistently stated that one of its goals is to avoid major disruptions to existing authorizations. They’ve publicly said they are reviewing statewide testing data to identify situations where significant changes could occur and intend to build an exception process into the rollout.
That’s the reassuring version.
The concern raised by families and advocacy groups during the public comment period is that a standardized scoring system — however well-designed — may not capture the full complexity of every family’s situation. Some families could end up with fewer hours than they currently receive. Complex circumstances may not translate cleanly into a numeric score. And there’s a real risk that Regional Center staff become overly reliant on whatever number the tool produces rather than engaging in the individualized planning that IPPs are supposed to require.
DDS received over 850 written comments during the public review process and revised the tool in response. That level of engagement is worth noting — it reflects how much is at stake for families across the state.
The Part That Deserves the Most Attention: The Exception Process
DDS has acknowledged that some families will have circumstances the standard scoring model won’t adequately capture, and has said an exception mechanism will be part of implementation.
But these four critical questions remain unanswered publicly by the DDS as of the publication of this article:
These answers will largely determine whether this reform helps or hurts families.
- How much discretion will service coordinators retain?
- How difficult will it be to request and obtain an exception?
- Will the tool function as a recommendation — or effectively as a ceiling on hours?
- What does the appeals process look like when families disagree?
These are not minor administrative details. They will largely determine whether this reform is experienced as a genuine improvement or a significant setback for families who were already receiving adequate — or insufficient — services.
What Should Families Do Right Now?
Nothing urgent is required at this moment. The tool is not yet active, and your current respite authorization is still in place.
What is worth doing: stay informed, stay engaged, and pay close attention when DDS releases the final implementation details — particularly around exceptions and appeals. If you work with an advocate or service coordinator, this is a good time to make sure your family’s full circumstances are well-documented.
We’ll continue covering this as the final rollout details become public. The stakes are high enough — potentially affecting tens of thousands of Regional Center families statewide — that the specifics deserve a close read when they arrive.
DDS Standardized In-Home
Respite Tool
California's first statewide formula for authorizing respite hours across all 21 Regional Centers. Released July 2025 — implementation expected later in 2026.
View the tool
