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Families and Advocates Tell Legislature: Don’t Rush a New Statewide Assessment
Summary
Dozens of self‑advocates, families and advocacy groups urged the subcommittee to slow or stop the DDS plan for a new statewide assessment, saying existing tools and IPP processes must be fixed first and warning a new tool could reduce services or create disparities.
During the hearing's public comment period more than 60 people spoke. Self‑advocates, parents and providers described long waits for services, prior experiences with restrictive automated tools and a lack of trust in the department's stakeholder outreach. They asked the subcommittee to pause any move to authorize a new statewide assessment until the department demonstrates meaningful community co‑design, transparent validation and safeguards to protect eligibility.
"Because my evaluations were done properly, I received early intervention services that changed my life, but getting those services has not been easy," said Shovani Romero, a self‑advocate who urged the committee to oppose changes that make access harder. Multiple speakers echoed concern that an emphasis on "strengths" could be used to down‑grade needs and reduce supports. Disability Rights California and community organizations asked the committee for more time and clearer evidence that a new tool would not become a mechanism to deny services or create new inequities.
Advocates also pointed to the department's recent pause of a standardized respite tool as evidence that DDS should move more slowly and ensure fidelity and oversight before rolling out larger systems. The committee acknowledged those concerns and requested additional details from DDS about stakeholder plans, implementation fidelity checks, and written public reporting for the study phase.
