The law says there must be someone at your IPP meeting who can make decisions on behalf of the regional center. Decisions about your services and supports must be made by someone at the meeting.^[1]Section 4646(d)&(g). That person may be the service coordinator, a supervisor, or other administrator. You may speak directly with the people from the regional center who decide about your services.

If the “decision-maker” is not present at your initial IPP meeting, the law allows the regional center to have the decision-maker come to a second meeting within 15 days (unless you or your representative agree to a longer time).^[2]Section 4646(h).

If a regional center says that a Purchase of Service (POS) or other committee must make final decisions about services and supports before they will agree to put them in your IPP, you can object. Don’tagree to an IPP that just “recommends funding,” saying a regional center committee must make the final decision. Final decisions from the regional center on your IPP should be made at the first meeting, or by the end of the second meeting, if there is one.

Tell your service coordinator before the IPP meeting what you want to discuss in the planning team meeting. That way, the people from the regional center will know what decisions need to be made at the meeting, and the person who can make decisions on those services can be there.