To get social recreational services funded, your IPP must include social recreational goals. The same is true for camp, nonmedical therapies, and education services. There must be a related goal.

Ask for an IPP meeting to talk with the regional center about how you are doing and why you need the new service or support. You can ask for an IPP meeting at any time. The regional center must hold your meeting within 30 days of your request.

Regional centers can only purchase services that are related to your developmental disability. When asking for your service, be sure to explain why you need the service and how it is related to your developmental disability.

For more about the IPP process, see Chapter 4.

Other tips:

• Be ready to explain how social recreation and other related services help you with your developmental disability. Say why that program meets your individual needs.
• Review your IPP to see what your goals are, and how the goals should be changed to show your need for social recreation and other services.
• Review your regional center’s purchase of service policy for camping, social recreation, and other related services. Since the law has changed, regional centers updated their social recreation policies. 
• Know what generic resources or agencies in your community could meet your social recreation needs. For example, community programs (like city parks and recreation programs), school programs or clubs, and other events available to the generic public. 
• Even if a generic resource can provide the social recreational services you need, regional centers must help you access those generic resources. ^[1]Welfare and Institutions Code, section 4648(a)(8).
• Be ready to tell your service coordinator if you need extra supports to be a part of community programs and services.
• If you are a parent of a child under 18, be ready to explain if you cannot pay part of the social recreation or related service – even the cost you would pay if your child did not have a disability.