# SLS Compass San Diego — Full Public Content > Free guide for San Diego families navigating Supported Living Services. Start with the life you want for your loved one — we'll show you what funds it. Built for SDRC, IPP, SLS, housing, and independence. ## Mission Goal-first navigation through California's developmental services system in San Diego — built the way it was supposed to work. ## How Compass Works ### Step 1: Tell us about your loved one's life goals We start where the system is supposed to start — with the life you want for them, not a menu of services. There are no wrong answers. ### Step 2: We map them to the funding programs that exist SLS, ILS, IHSS, SDP, RDI, SSI, Medi-Cal, DOR — we untangle the alphabet soup and show you what actually applies to your loved one. ### Step 3: You get a personal roadmap + the language to use with SDRC Concrete next steps, in copy-paste-able language for your next IPP meeting or service coordinator conversation. You stop guessing. ## Goal Categories ### Their own home 🏠 An apartment, group home with friends, or a place that's truly theirs. Examples: apartment, group home with friends, living independently ### Meaningful days 💼 Work, volunteering, learning, classes, day program — days that matter. Examples: work, volunteering, learning, classes, day program ### Real friendships 👯 A social life, people who choose to be in their lives. Examples: a social life, people who choose them ### Family connection ❤️ Staying close with the people who love them most. Examples: staying close with us ### Good health 🏥 Medical, dental, mental health, the right doctors who listen. Examples: medical, dental, mental health, the right doctors ### Hobbies & community 🎨 Art, sports, faith, culture, fun — the things that make life feel alive. Examples: art, sports, faith, culture, fun ### Safety & dignity 🛡️ Feeling respected, safe, and in control of their own life. Examples: feeling respected, safe, in control ### New experiences ✈️ Travel, trying things, growing, seeing more of the world. Examples: travel, trying things, growing ### Romance & partnership 💞 Relationships, intimacy, maybe family of their own one day. Examples: relationships, maybe family of their own ### Learning & growth 📚 New skills, classes, programs, becoming more independent over time. Examples: skills, classes, growing more independent ## Funding Programs ### Supported Living Services (SLS) Funds in-home support staff, life coaching, and the help needed to live in your own home as an adult with a developmental disability. Agency: San Diego Regional Center / DDS Funding range: $0 – $10,000+/month (highly variable based on assessed need) Reference: https://www.dds.ca.gov/services/supported-living-services-sls/ ### Independent Living Services (ILS) Lighter-touch coaching for adults who can live independently with periodic help (vs. SLS for higher-support needs). Agency: San Diego Regional Center / DDS Funding range: $500 – $3,000/month typical Reference: https://www.dds.ca.gov/services/independent-living-services-ils/ ### In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) California state program that pays caregivers (often family members) for personal care, household help, and protective supervision. Agency: County of San Diego HHSA Funding range: Hours-based, varies by assessed need (typically 100–283 hours/month) Reference: https://www.cdss.ca.gov/in-home-supportive-services ### Self-Determination Program (SDP) Lets families control their Regional Center budget directly — choose providers, design services, and have real say in how funds are used. Agency: San Diego Regional Center / DDS Funding range: Equivalent to traditional services budget for that person Reference: https://www.dds.ca.gov/initiatives/sdp/ ### Regional Center Direct Services (RDI) Traditional Regional Center services — case management, assessments, and access to vendored providers under the Lanterman Act. Agency: San Diego Regional Center Funding range: Service-dependent (no direct cash) Reference: https://www.sdrc.org/ ### Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Federal monthly cash benefit for people with disabilities who have limited income and resources. Often the financial floor for SLS clients. Agency: Social Security Administration Funding range: Up to ~$1,200/month (federal + CA state supplement, 2026) Reference: https://www.ssa.gov/ssi/ ### Medi-Cal California's Medicaid program — covers medical, dental, mental health, and many disability-related services. Often the bedrock of healthcare for SLS clients. Agency: California Dept of Health Care Services Funding range: No cash; covers approved services Reference: https://www.dhcs.ca.gov/services/medi-cal ### Department of Rehabilitation (DOR/DVR) California Dept of Rehabilitation — funds job training, supported employment, and assistive tech for people with disabilities pursuing work. Agency: California Dept of Rehabilitation Funding range: Service-dependent Reference: https://www.dor.ca.gov/ ## Recommendations ### Start transition planning now (it's time) [Name] is in the transition window (14–17). California requires the school district + Regional Center to start planning for adult life NOW. Ask your IEP team and Service Coordinator about the Transition Planning Document. SLS, housing, work — all of it gets sketched here. ### You can request a Fair Hearing If SDRC denied a service or budget you believe [Name] needs, you have the right to a Fair Hearing under the Lanterman Act. It's not adversarial — it's a built-in safety valve. Most families who request one get partial or full reversal. We have a guide. ### Request your first IPP meeting If you have SDRC eligibility but no Individual Program Plan (IPP) yet, this is your first move. Call your Service Coordinator and request the meeting in writing. Bring a list of [Name]'s goals (you've already started this). The IPP is the legal document that opens the door to SLS funding. ### Make sure [Name] has Medi-Cal Medi-Cal is the bedrock of healthcare for SLS clients in California. If [Name] is on SSI, Medi-Cal is automatic — but verify. If not, apply through Covered California or your county. Most adult disability services tie back to Medi-Cal eligibility. ### Apply for SSI before [Name] turns 18 SSI eligibility is reassessed at age 18 — the ADULT income/resource rules apply, which usually means more people qualify. Apply 1–2 months before [Name]'s 18th birthday so the cash can start as soon as they're eligible. SSI is often the financial floor for SLS clients. ### You may be able to be paid as [Name]'s caregiver California's IHSS program lets family members (in many cases) be paid for the care they're already providing. This is real income — often hundreds to thousands per month. Apply through your county HHSA. We have a step-by-step. ### Look into the Self-Determination Program If [Name] is in traditional Regional Center services, SDP gives you direct control of the budget — choose providers, design services your way. Especially powerful if you've felt boxed in by what's currently offered. Attend an SDP orientation through SDRC. ### Open a Vocational Rehab (DOR) case California's Department of Rehabilitation funds job training, supported employment, and assistive tech. Open a DOR case alongside Regional Center services — they're complementary, not redundant. The earlier you start, the more options [Name] has. ### Tour at least three SLS providers in San Diego If [Name]'s priority is their own home, this is the work. Don't pick the first vendor. Tour at least three. Ask each one: 'How will you actually get to know my child as a person, not a billing code?' Pay attention to how they answer. ### Learn about conservatorship alternatives BEFORE [Name] turns 18 Conservatorship is one option, but not the only one. Supported decision-making, powers of attorney, and Limited Conservatorship (CA-specific) are alternatives that preserve more of [Name]'s rights. Don't default — explore. ### Don't accept the first SLS hours offer First SLS budget offers from SDRC are often low. They're not punishing you — they're starting the negotiation. Document EXACTLY what supports [Name] needs (with examples), get a vendor's professional opinion in writing, and request more. Most families who push back successfully get more hours. ### Find your people The hardest part of this is feeling alone with it. Other San Diego families have walked this exact path. Local groups (we list them in Resources) are where the real wisdom lives — not in agency meetings. You are not the first; you are not alone. ### Come to the 2026 Self-Determination Conference October 20–21, 2026 — 'The Power of Self-Determination: Technology, Community and You.' If [Name] is on SDP or curious about it, this is the one event of the year that brings the whole community together. We'll be exhibiting; come say hi. ### Start a paper trail today Every phone call, every email, every meeting with SDRC, school, providers — write it down. Date, person, what was said, what was promised. This becomes your most powerful tool when something goes wrong. A simple notebook works. ### Look into work incentives (IRWE & PASS) If [Name] earns income, federal Work Incentive programs (Impairment-Related Work Expenses, Plan to Achieve Self-Support) let them keep more of their SSI. Few families know about these. They make work financially viable instead of penalizing. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What is SDRC, and do we qualify? The San Diego Regional Center is one of 21 California Regional Centers funded under the Lanterman Act. SDRC is the gateway to most disability services in our county. People with developmental disabilities (intellectual disability, autism, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, and certain related conditions) that began before age 18 are usually eligible. The first step is requesting an eligibility evaluation from SDRC directly. ### What is SLS funding, really? Supported Living Services pays for the staff support an adult with a developmental disability needs to live in their own home (apartment, group home, or house) — not a state institution. SLS budgets are highly individualized: some people need a few hours a week, others need 24/7 support. Funding comes through your Regional Center based on assessed need, and is supposed to be goal-driven. ### Why does this site exist? Because navigating SDRC, IPPs, SLS, IHSS, SSI, Medi-Cal, and the rest of California's system is unnecessarily hard — and most families learn it the slow, painful way. We were once new to this too. We built Compass so other families don't have to start from scratch. ### How is my information protected? We're built to a HIPAA-compliant standard. Your loved one's medical and care information stays encrypted, audit-logged, and only visible to you and the people you explicitly grant access to. We never sell, share, or train AI on your data. Read our full Privacy + HIPAA notice in the footer. ### Is this site really free? Who pays for it? Yes — free for families forever. Compass is funded by donations, grants, and (eventually) a small fee charged to providers and case managers who use the platform's professional tools. Families never pay. ### I'm a provider or case manager — what do I do here? Your tools are launching in M3 and M4. For now, create an account so you're ready when the moderation, compliance, and matching features go live. We'll email you the moment they're ready. ## Conference Oct 20–21, 2026 — The Power of Self-Determination: Technology, Community and You We'll be there in person — come say hello.