SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California lawmakers and developmental disability advocates this week recognized the 60th anniversary of the state’s first pilot regional centers, reaffirming the state’s long-standing commitment to services and support for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
California state Sens. Sasha Renée Pérez and Scott Wiener introduced SCR 174 to recognize 2026 as the 60th anniversary of the pilot regional centers, celebrating the milestone alongside the Association of Regional Center Agencies, or ARCA.
“California has shown great commitment over decades to individuals with developmental disabilities,” said Wiener, a joint author of SCR 174. “By recognizing the first regional centers that were established 60 years ago, we honor the progress and continued need to support and invest in programs and services for this population.”
Sixty years ago, two pilot regional centers were established at The Arc San Francisco and Children’s Hospital Los Angeles — now known as the Golden Gate Regional Center and the Frank D. Lanterman Regional Center — through Assembly Bill 691.
At the time AB 691 was enacted, pediatricians often recommended out-of-home institutionalization, and approximately 13,000 Californians with intellectual and developmental disabilities were separated from their families and placed in state developmental centers. Support systems designed to help families remain together were limited.
The first two pilot regional centers created the foundation for California’s modern community-based services and support systems for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. With the later addition of 19 more regional centers, the state’s Regional Center System now serves nearly 500,000 Californians.
“It is incredible to see the growth of our regional center system over the last 60 years. We have gone from just 2 regional centers to 21 across the state, now serving half a million individuals,” said Amy Westling, executive director of ARCA. “Our regional center community is proud of an effective and growing system and the services and supports that are now offered. This milestone also serves as an important reminder that as the population of individuals served expands, state commitment and investments must also keep pace to meet the rapid growth of the system.”
Californians with intellectual and developmental disabilities — approximately 1 percent of the state’s population, or nearly 500,000 individuals — begin services through their local regional centers. The state’s 21 regional centers are community-based nonprofit organizations funded through state and federal dollars and serve as a critical link connecting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families to needed services and support.
Several states across the country continue to struggle with providing timely services to individuals with developmental disabilities. According to ARCA, waitlists for services can extend up to two years in Washington, six years in Texas and 13 years in Oklahoma.
Three years after AB 691 was enacted, California passed the Lanterman Act, which established the rights of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and created a statewide service system intended to meet the needs of those individuals and their families. California’s system remains focused on expanding individualized and responsive services to support fuller community integration and quality of life.
“California’s regional center system is a model for the nation. Its focus on person-centered, community responsive support for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities is a lasting commitment that reflects our state’s progressive vision,” said Pérez, author of SCR 174. “I’m proud to author SCR 174 that honors our state’s regional centers and celebrates the two pilot centers established 60 years ago. Continuing to meet the unique needs of individuals served through the state’s regional centers is of utmost importance as we celebrate this anniversary, reaffirm our commitment, and renew our investment in the system.”
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