People with developmental disabilities, their friends, and families should work on the “system” so state agencies and regional centers do their jobs well.

There are many ways to do this, including:

• Offer your opinion at the regional center’s public meetings, especially when they are making their plan for the next year.
• Offer your opinion when the State Council on Developmental Disabilities or your regional office of the SCDD collects information about needed services and supports.
• Testify at legislative hearings about the budget for the developmental disabilities service system and about services and supports for people with developmental disabilities in California.
• Join People First or another self-advocacy group.
• Join advocacy organizations like: The Arc of California or United Cerebral Palsy or Fiesta Educativa.
• Join local task forces or advisory groups working on an issue you are interested in.
• Join a state “stakeholder” group, task force, or advisory committee formed for a specific project to advocate, advise, or investigate.
• Get on the board of directors of a regional center or regional office of the SCDD or another agency.
• Write letters to your newspaper or call your radio station if you do not agree with their coverage of disability issues.