Regional Center of the East Bay

Concord, San Leandro
Website:
http://www.rceb.org/
Email:
writetous [at] rceb.org

The Regional Center of the East Bay [RCEB] is one of 21 Regional Centers that is a community based, private non-profit corporation under contract with the California Department of Developmental Services. The Regional Center serves people of all ages with developmental disabilities. We also serve infants and toddlers with a developmental delay as well as those who are at high risk for a developmental disability or those who have an established risk for developmental disability.

3 parent questions ▼
4 parent reviews ▼
Archived Q&A and reviews ▼

Parent Q&A

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  • Regional Center on Zoom for speech delayed toddler?

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    May 24, 2021

    Hi! My 17 month old toddler was just approved by the Regional Center of the East Bay for some early intervention due to an expressive language delay. Kiddo has one word (mama) and makes some “nana” types sounds but has very few other sounds, and was never a big babbler.  We will hear within the week what free services we are actually going to be offered (and whether they will be live or over Zoom), but I am wondering whether anyone else with kiddos who have successfully navigated an expressive language delay have any advice they might be willing to pass on? In particular, if the free services we are offered are only via Zoom we may consider going the private route since I’m struggling to imagine how well Zoom sessions will go with a 17 month old… Does anyone have any recommendations for SLPs in the area?

    May 24, 2021

    Hi,

    I was in exactly the same situation 4 months ago, except my kid wouldn’t & still won’t say mama. We were approved for weekly zoom speech therapy through RCEB. RCEB covers what insurance won’t cover. So, our insurance does 2x a month (one in person & one zoom) and RCEB fills in the other 2x a month. The Kaiser therapist is significantly better, but I can’t look a gift horse in the month. So much of this is training the parent not working with the kid so zoom is effective. We’ve been in speech therapy for several months now and although my kid won’t say mama, there are other new words. Is it time, therapy or a combo, who knows.

    May 26, 2021

    Hi there - my son is now 3.7 years old. We started him in speech therapy at 15 months old after the RCEB found a mild expressive speech delay, and we continued via video during the pandemic. I'd be happy to offer advice, if you want to get in touch.

    May 26, 2021

    Hi there,

    This will probably be a minority opinion, but here goes:  I worry that, in our wish to do the best for our children, we pathologize normal variations in development.  My second child was a late talker.  I had one conversation with a speech therapist, who gave me a dire warning that any speech delay meant a cascading series of other developmental delays.  But I'd seen my older child walk "very" late, and just start running one day, so I decided to wait and see.  I knew her hearing was fine, and I knew she was otherwise normal and healthy.  She started talking in multi-word bursts around the time her brother was born, when she was a bit over two, and has been completely normal in her speech development since then - no other delays of any kind.  I recommend the book "Late Talking Children" by Thomas Sowell, which talks about how common this issue is, especially for children with engineers or scientists in the family.  Best of luck to you!

    May 26, 2021

    We used WorkWorks in Oakland when my son was 5. Great staff, but the office is not in a great area (behind Kaiser, but on this street with no parking, didn't look super safe). Call them and see if they are open, or if they have referrals to other private SLPs. 

    May 26, 2021

    Hi there! We were in a similar boat not too long ago with our son. He was diagnosed with a language delay & on the autism spectrum by Kaiser at about 15 months, and we ended up receiving speech therapy through the Regional Center. We started pre-pandemic, so his first couple of sessions were in person, but pretty soon everything moved to Zoom. It was amazing how quickly, with the guidance of our speech therapist, our son acquired a few words (after not using any up until that point), started pointing (which he had barely done before), and overall got more excited about communicating! I have to say, while it's definitely not the same as in-person services, our experience with Zoom speech therapy has been a positive one. In our case, our therapist taught us parents many techniques and gave us things to work on at home with our son, which was really helpful. Lots of things that we could easily integrate into our everyday lives. 

    Feel free to reach out directly if you have any specific questions about dealing with a language delay, the Regional Center, ... . I know for us the initial diagnosis was scary and figuring out all the services that may be available isn't always easy. All the best to you and your kiddo! 

    May 26, 2021

  • Speech assessment for toddler (Kaiser or other low-cost option?)

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    Feb 12, 2020

    Hello,

    I've searched in the archives but found no mention of no/low-cost early intervention "birth to three" services for toddlers. I have Kaiser insurance and was referred by my pediatrician to a group class on communicating with toddlers, but it did not seem to pertain to the issues my son has (probable moderate apraxia of speech). We may still be able to get an appointment for an evaluation, but I have my doubts about whether Kaiser really knows or cares about this diagnosis. Has anyone had a different experience? Or if you ended up going somewhere else for a screening and services, where did you go? How helpful was it? 

    Thank you! 

    Feb 12, 2020

    Regional Center of the East Bay offers developmental services to children under 3 years old. You can self refer and they have a specific amount of time to respond to you and to evaluate your child. If she qualifies they will provide a speech therapist on a weekly basis. 
    My 2 year old was evaluated by the Regional Center and by Kaiser. Kaiser’s services were abysmal compared to what Regional Center was able to provide -  a highly skilled SLP who came to our house every week. 510 618 6100

    Feb 19, 2020

    The Regional Center of the East Bay serves kids 0-21 with developmental delays/disabilities. They can assess and provide free services but it takes about 2-3 months to get started. We did this plus get a speech eval from Kaiser. It took  lot of pushing and a sympathetic pediatrician. First they would have you do an ASQ short questionnaire ( looking for autism). I also paid a private speech therapist to do one time observation-- not cheap.  Lucky for us, he started "talking" a month later ( was 20 months old at the time with no speech-no babbling) Good luck!! Don't wait!!

    Feb 19, 2020

    My son had a mild impediment. We emailed his Kaiser pediatrician explaining the problem (lisp and trouble with making "th" sound). This was when he was four and in pre-school. Our pediatrician referred us to the speech therapist without an appointment, and my son was evaluated and a plan put together. I was very impressed with the therapist, and after 3 months my son had significant improvement. We continued therapy once a month for a little over a year since it was diagnosed as mild. Have you specifically asked for a referral for an assessment? Could it be that your son is too young to really diagnose at this point?

    Feb 19, 2020

    Hi!

    You might want to research/contact the local regional center (www.rceb.org -- the Regional Center of the East Bay is located in San Leandro). They do early intervention for toddlers (0-3); our kid is just going through a speech assessment there. They'll do an assessment and if your kiddo qualifies, they'll make a treatment plan and he/she can get any services that Kaiser doesn't provide. So if you're doing a group class on communication at Kaiser, they won't have him do the same thing, but they may offer some other type of therapy. It's free, though there may be a fee for higher income families. So far our experience there has been good. Hope this helps!

    Feb 19, 2020

    Hello!

    Contact the Regional Center. They offer evaluations free of charge and will provide speech therapy at your home if you qualify. Our daughter was just diagnosed with ASD and we will only been able to work with them for a couple of months since our daughter turns three soon and that's the cut off age when the school district takes over. We wish we could work with them longer since our case manager has been great the services we have received have been awesome. 

    Feb 19, 2020

    Oh one other thing, we just got our daughter evaluated at Kaiser for speech just in case something happens with the school. She got approved for speech for an hour a week but we would have to do copays and bring her to Kaiser for sessions. Regional center services come to you so  it's been super convenient for us. Good luck!

    Feb 19, 2020

    Kaiser tried to send me to one of those classes. I asked if it was required in order to receive future services and they admitted it wasn’t. I didn’t have childcare to be able to attend so they agreed to send my (then) 20 monther for evaluation (she didn’t qualify for regional intervention). I usually despise kaiser (we’ve since switched out of frustration) but I LOVED our speech therapist. Her name was Lakshmi V. In Oakland (sorry I don’t remember her last name other than it starting with a V). She was warm and attentive and enthusiastic and my kid loved her too and eagerly participated. At that age therapy is more teaching the parents how to engage but I found it fairly helpful and after about 2-3 months the kiddo caught up to where she was supposed to be (probably would’ve happened without therapy but it certainly didn’t hurt!)

    Feb 19, 2020

    Hi - fellow KP mom here. I recommend that you seek out support for your child simultaneously in two different ways. First ask your KP pediatrician for a referral to the pediatric development office in Oakland for an evaluation. When you have that evaluation a very experienced speech therapist will thoroughly evaluate your child. Most therapy provided by Kaiser for speech is done by outside therapists that Kaiser pays directly (of course you pay your co-pay if any). Secondly I recommend that you contact the Regional Center Of The East Bay. They will also do an evaluation and can provide you with early intervention support as well. If you’re lucky, both KP and the RCEB will offer you services. You can take advantage of both and get as much intervention as you can for your child during these early years. Feel free to message me if you have any questions!

    Feb 19, 2020

    You may want to call your school district about this.

    Feb 21, 2020

    For all suspected developmental delays for kids under 3, Regional Center is responsible for the assessment and intervention. Uncertain if intervention is completely free these days. I believe there is a sliding scale and insurance is expected to provide at BB least part of it.

     That said, Regional Center is on the hook to evaluate. And there are tight  timelines for getting evaluation done, so look up the deadlines and make sure to communicate in writing as well as by phone. Even if your income is too high for all services to be free, the kid gets the evaluation, diagnosis and treatment planning.  If qualified for Regional Center services, there is a case manager/advocate who helps and facilitate transition to school district when kids turns 3. Totally worth wading through the red tape to get it done. Good luck!

    Feb 24, 2020

  • Seeking Regional Center advice

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    Dec 13, 2019

    Hello BPN: my son was recently assessed as being on the spectrum by the Regional Center and now qualifies for services. He is doing really well in school and at home, and I feel confident that he will continue to develop new skills to thrive as he ages into elementary and beyond. As a family we are doing so much better, blessed be! Additionally, our insurance now offers 90% coverage for OT, speech, and other services, which is new since we first pursued the Regional Center assessment. Now I'm trying to figure out if I should proceed with setting up a meeting with a case manager and getting connected with their services. I feel like we don't need it right now, and I am loathe to subject him to yet another professional who asks me questions about his deficiencies while he is within earshot (why do they think this is OK?). I am also unsure about the quality and type of services that we would get through the Regional Center versus going through our PPO insurance and having perhaps more options and control. BUT, if I decline to meet with the case manager, his case will become inactive and if we were to desire services in the future, he'd have to go through intake (and a possible assessment again).

    Please share your recent experiences with the Regional Center and any advice you have. My son needs support, but we currently have a pretty good team through his school IEP and private pay. Should I thank them for the diagnosis and go on our way, or stay within their system just in case? Thank you!

    Dec 13, 2019

    Hi! I have experience working with the Regional Center from a previous position as a pediatric medical social worker at Children's Hospital. I think their services are generally high quality. My take is that if your son qualifies for the Regional Center, then it is wise to get connected with them even if you don't need services right now. Once he's a Regional Center client, then he can potentially benefit from their services even through adulthood! If you needed it, it would be a pain to go through the intake process again, and it gets more difficult to qualify the older a child gets.

    Dec 18, 2019

    My son is also on the spectrum, mild to severe.  We also get speech, PT, and OT both through our school district and also through our insurance, so I didn't see any real need to pursue the Regional Center.  

    We finally reached out to them when my son entered high school, and they have been pretty helpful.  The main thing that they can provide for us, that we aren't getting elsewhere, is help for respite care.  Respite care can include things like special summer camps for autistic kids.  This has been a huge help, financially and socially - our son has really benefited from being able to go to camp, and we could not have afforded it otherwise.

    I also anticipate them being helpful as we transition from the school district to adulthood. We will need their help in navigating all sorts of things like employment, education, and housing.

    But I don't regret not working with the Regional Center earlier.  We had other resources that worked for us, and I figure by not taking up their time, we freed those resources up for other families.  

    You can always go back to the Regional Center later.  They are great, they won't hold it against you!

    Dec 18, 2019

    Regional Center is the key to getting services for adults, after they age-out of the school system. I've heard that it's harder to qualify later, so getting it done now is ideal. You can qualify for a MediCal Waiver that lets your child get co-pays covered, and you can sometimes qualify for free respite (including overnight camps). You've already done the hard part doing the assessment and getting qualified, meeting with the case manager is an hour once a year and I'd highly recommend you do it. It is terrible to discuss things in front of the child, I agree, so I try to have another adult (or ABA therapist) there to occupy him. My son is verbal and in general education with supports, but I don't have a crystal ball and I can see how his challenges will make full employment difficult for him - only 12% of people with High Functioning Autism (a loaded term) are fully employed, according to a statistic I've seen. Being a Regional Center client is like insurance for the future - I believe they will actually cover in-home supports so that your adult child can live independently. When I die, as long as Regional Center still exists, there will be someone who is assigned to my son. Do it!

    Dec 18, 2019

    We were in your exact situation a few years ago. We went through with the RCEB assessment, and I’m glad we did. RCEB pays for my son’s social skills camp, for one. And they will attend IEP meetings, etc. if you like. And we may need them for other services in the future.

    i explained to the RCEB intake coordinator that we had received a recent diagnosis of ASD from both a developmental pediatrician and the school district. Once I forwarded her those reports, she interviewed my on the phone (without my son present) and then came by for a brief home visit where she didn’t say anything sensitive in front of my son. Giving her  those reports made my son’s involvement minimal.
    As you mentioned, if the case becomes inactive, you have to start everything again and would probably have to go through the comprehensive RCEB assessment.

    One caveat: once you are a RCEB client, the case worker is required to do a brief annual home visit where you sign some forms. Compared to all the other hoops to jump through as a parent of a child on the spectrum, I didn’t consider this too onerous, but I wanted you to know.

    Dec 18, 2019

    I would stick with regional center because it offers life long services. You may not need the services now but you may in the future and it may be hard to get another diagnosis from them another time. My son, now a teen, is a regional center client but we do not currently use any services. The regional center has in the past paid for part of our son's summer camps - namely Quest Camp in the East Bay, which is very good for high functioning ASD kids. It also offers help during the college and adult years. Even if you never use any services, it is a good security backup. It is hard to go through the meetings and assessments though - my poor kids has been through so many, but overall all the various services he has received have been hugely helpful for him.  Best of luck to you and your family.

    Dec 18, 2019

    One thing to note is that when you go through Regional Center, they're legally required to have you first access service (OT, speech, ABA, etc.) through your insurance. So whether or not you get Regional Center, chances are you'll have the same providers- those your insurance pays for. Depending on your income, Regional Center can help with copays and deductibles for your insurance. They also provide lots of other support including respite care, diapers over age 5, case management, etc. If you have the chance, YES, add Regional Center to your services; you can always decline if they offer something you don't want, and you can always ask to have meetings when your child isn't in earshot. As for quality, they can be great or mediocre, as can your PPO options, but generally they're pretty good.

    Dec 18, 2019
RE:
Activities and classes for 2 year old with autism (May 18, 2023)

Dear Cynthia:

   Thank you for reaching out on behalf of your 2 year old son.  Have you connected with the Regional Center of East Bay?  If not, Please explore this ASAP.  We have 2 grandchildren, ages 4 and 5-- both diagnosed with Autism-- living in SoCal.  As a former teacher of students with special needs, I knew about the Regional Center -- in Austin, Texas--  I'm extra impressed with the centers in Calif.  Here they offer a rich cornucopia of activities with other children as well as private lessons in sign language for example.  After 6 months my grandchildren's abilities were noticeably greater.  Last year, thru the Regional Center  our kids were referred to a school geared to children with different needs/ways of learning.   All the best dear mom.       https://www.rceb.org/

May 24, 2023
RE:
Seeking speech therapist 2yo (Dec 7, 2020)

Hi!
We were in a similar situation with our son not too long ago--he didn't speak any words at 12+ months, exposed to German, English, and some Greek. After his pediatrician suspected a language delay, they referred us for a full developmental assessment, some of which we did in-person (pre-covid), and some through zoom. We've been doing speech therapy (first through Kaiser, now through the Regional Center of the East Bay) for the last ~10 months and it has really helped our son a lot! We were worried about the transition to video calls, too, so I'm happy to share our experience! In the end our son adjusted much more quickly than expected. A lot of our work with the therapists has been focused on teaching us (the parents) helpful techniques. That way, the kiddo doesn't have to directly interact with the therapist on screen much (though by now he's really excited for her to join us!). Our therapist observes our interactions with him, shows us how to set up situations in which he's more likely to learn and use language, and provides guidance and feedback throughout the sessions. And we then practice the techniques at home throughout the week. 

If you aren't in touch with the regional center yet, I'd highly recommend that. They've been really helpful in getting our son fully assessed and connecting us with a speech therapist in the area (and all that at no or very low cost!). 

Feel free to message me directly if you'd like more information or the contact details of our current speech therapist--she's based in Oakland and really wonderful!

Dec 9, 2020
RE:
Pediatric PT (Dec 7, 2018)

If your daughter needs PT due to possible delays in development, you can also contact the Regional Center of the East Bay for a free assessment and, if qualified, PT.  Many of the PTs are very good, but know that if you are assigned someone that is not a good fit, for your family you have the right to request a new one (of course, subject to availability).

Dec 29, 2018
RE:
ISO Pediatric Occupational Therapist and Speech Therapist (Oct 2, 2017)

Has anyone mentioned the Regional Center of the East Bay? If your twins qualify, you can get free in-home services funded by the State of California. I believe the program is called Early Start. Here is the Regional Center's website: https://www.rceb.org/

Oct 4, 2017

Archived Q&A and Reviews

Questions

Physical therapy ending for 3-year-old - options?

Feb 2008

Our son has been receiving PT through the Regional Center but will be 3 in a couple weeks. CCS has been recommended to us but he may not qualify. I am really worried about what a diagnosis that would qualify for CCS (like CP) would do to his insurability. We currently buy our own health insurance and I am afraid he might be refused if later we need to change. I have also heard that if the kid goes to CCS then the school district will not help him. We are pushing to get him PT through the school district but don't know if we can get it under the ''educational'' needs category. Does anyone have any experience with any of this red tape? Need help navigating the systems!

CCS does provide Physical Therapy as does the school district. However, the school district has to justify that the PT your son will be receiving is academically related. CCS comes from a more medical model. CCS and the school District try to play the game that if CCS provides PT then the District can not because it is a ''duplication in services.'' I was told that CCS is a medical model and District is an academic or educational model. The two approaches are different and the goals in which the child would be working on are different. If you have concerns about this, ask your case manager at Regional Center or contact your Protection and Advocacy or CASE (both listed in the phone book or your case manager will have the information). Basically the PT goals with your school district would have to focus on safety within in the classroom environment, mobility and access to educational materials. If your child is not walking...he should definitely be receiving PT services. Talk to your current PT about possible educational goals.

I am not sure if the CCS eligibility rules change once a child becomes three years old but you might want to inquire. Good luck anonymous

Regional Center or Private OT for 14-month-old?

March 2007

Help! My (now) 14 months old son was referred to RCEB in December, and was evaluated in early January. We were assinged a Physical Therapist mid-February, based on the report of the gross motor-skills assessor, but I can even get the REPORT of the overall assesor, let alone a written IFSP, or even a time frame when I can expect the recommended OT and interventional specialist to get back to me. Our case worker keeps telling me to call him after the end of the month (he said this in January, and then again in February) as he is so busy, and they have limited resources, and he still doesn't have the report form the overall assessor. I'm desperate, and lost...I thought I was supposed to get a written IFSP within 45 days of referral? My husband and I will pay anything to get our son the help he needs, but we can't even find any private OTs that return our phone calls. I see the months roll by, and my son is falling farther and farther behind his peers, his weight is dropping (is it due to his inability to control his mouth muscles? We don't know!) and I don't know what to do. Can anyone help? Does the regional center for San Francisco or Marin have better results?

I am a pediatrician, and your post raised a real red flag for me--the fact that your child is losing weight, which might mean a medical problem beyond his developmental delay. I realize your child was evaluated for developmental delay by the RCEB. Was there an evaluation by your pediatrician as to WHY he is developmentally delayed? There are some metabolic disorders (disorders, for example, in your child's ability to excrete certain waste products from the body's digestion/metabolism of certain proteins or sugars) that may be partially treatable, and if left untreated, can make his condition worse. Sometimes, a problem may not be treatable (for example, a loss of part of one chromosome), but may have certain, known characteristics, making it easier for you, your doctors and therapists to help him more effectively. If you haven't done so, I would recommend that your child see a geneticist who is also trained in metabolic disorders as soon as possible. I don't know what your insurance is, but both Kaiser Oakland and Children's Hospital Oakland have excellent genetics departments.

As for working with the RCEB, you're kind of stuck as the Regional Centers work on a geographic basis (i.e. based on your residence). However, be pushy. You can also contact a group of lawyers, called ''Protection and Advocacy'' whose job is to provide low cost legal advice/council to the developmentally delayed in California. They may be able to help get you more timely help from the RCEB.

Good luck and please get a genetics evaluation for him soon! madelyn

Couple of follow up questions: Did you sign the IFSP at the time of Intake? Did you consent to the services and was a start date for services determined? Who did the assessment? Children's Hospital? If it was Children's Hospital....they take FOREVER to get reports to the case managers. If Children's did the assessment and recommended further assessment to address PT/OT issues than your case manager should have requested additional assessment to address that particular area of development...depending upon what the issues are. Some OT/PT issues can be addressed in a developmental infant program while other motor issues need to be addressed specifically by a PT/OT. I could not tell by your posting if your concerns were PT or OT issues. Sounds like a little of both.

If you have concerns about the lack of resources and your case manager not getting back to you, I would call the case managers supervisor. Secondly, if your case manager is telling you that there are no resources....technically they can not do that as they are not supposed to have waiting lists. Some parents are willing to wait. Unfortunately Regional Center can not control the number of children coming into their system and they are constantly doing out reach for more vendors. If you know of a pediatric OT/PT that can provide services for your son that is not a vendor with RCEB than I would request that RCEB reimburse you for services. It has been done before. It will only be done if RCEB has exhausted all their resources.

Unfortunately, since I do not know specifically what your son's motor issues are (gross motor/fine motor/feeding) it is difficult to recommend a therapist. Some vendors only serve contra costa county but I am assunming you are in Alameda County. If feeding is an issue, Marjorie Meyer Palmer is very popular in the Bay Area. She works out of Fremont. She does not do home visits. She travels a lot for her work...but almost every child I know who's seen her loves her.

With regards to the IFSP. You have the right to have a copy of it. Ask the case manager again...if no response, contact his supervisor.

Sorry to hear that you are having difficulties with RCEB. Anonymous

Regional Center for 1-year-old's developmental delays?

Jan 2006

Our one-year-old daughter has some documented developmental delays due to maternal medication exposure--nothing dreadful, but still fairly apparent. A pediatric occupational therapist tested her at 7 months and found some pretty significant stuff, but by the time we could get the educational rights and get the Regional Center assessment, she had improved (as predicted by age 2 or so) to the point where they decided she is 25% delayed, and their services start at 30% delay.

I want to do what is best for her, and tend to think professional help from Regional Centers would be better than my uneducated attempts to help her overcome this--she's obviously bright, but seems frustrated in some areas beyond the norm for her age, and is very inconsistent in others (e.g., she was cruising before she could get to a sitting position, and won't use her hands to clap or play peekaboo). I also don't want to make her out to be a lot worse off than she is. Someone from our fost/adopt agency has recommended we appeal the Regional Center assessment, especially because it could make a significant financial difference for us when we actually adopt, in a few months.

What has been your experience with Regional Center, particularly the East Bay one? Have their services made a big difference for your child? Does anyone have experience with these appeals? We've been told appealing is usually successful--is that your experience? Any other thoughts? Thank you!!

I would appeal the regional center's decision. Sounds like your daughter could use the help. They can be very bureaucratic, so hang in there. mary

I don't have direct experience as a Regional Center client, but in case they don't approve services, be aware that there are also private-practice therapists you could hiredirectly. Even if they just come occasionally, they will give you good ideas and resources for supporting and promoting your daughter's development. If you decide to go that route, post a request for suggestions in the Recommendations Wanted Newsletter. R.K.

My daughter has been a lifelong client of RCEB-She had Down Syndrome and automatically qualifies for services. I say go for the appeal!! I too have heard that when you appeal and have a outside assesment done that documents the 30% delay that you most often will get the service-however-she may be reviewed yearly to see if she still needs service-which is only fair and not a bad thing. It would mean that her delays were lessened by the early intervention!

From 6month to 3 years my daughter attended a awesome Infant developement program ran thru Oaklands Childrens Hosp. It cost $1,200 month and no way could we have been able to swing that! The intense speech,OT,PT and support made my daughter the great girl she is today! Go for it and good luck! Mom of RCEB client

My son was with regional center of the East Bay (RCEB) from 10mths to 3 yrs. He is doing great now. Basically, RCEB pays other agencies to provide services. My advice is to appeal their decision but try to get assistance while you are waiting. RCEB paid for my son to participate in a wonderful program through Childrens Hospital called the Parent Infant Program (PIP). I believe PIP has other grants that fund some of their services and it is possible you would qualify for assistance while you are appealing. You can contact them at 428- 3408. Definitely, let them know that you are appealing RCEB's decision and looking for help while your case is being reviewed. If they can not provide services they may be able to refer you somewhere else. Good luck. Jackie

Hi, You might consider posting your question on the Bay Area Disability Network - it's very similar to BPN but with a focus on disabilities. Lots of parents and there's been some good advice about the Regional Center of the East Bay.

The url is http://badnetwork.org/subscribe.htm

As for the RCEB - appeals are often successful and worth doing. The level of service/support you ultimately get varies depending on the counselor. As a generalization, any support that you can get - and as early as you can get it can make a significant difference.

You might also want to speak to someone at DREDF (Disability Rights Education and defense fund). They have some very good parent advocates that can advise you on what services your child is entitled to - here's their website http://www.dredf.org/parent/parent.shtml Good luck, Eric

The Alameda Regional Center provided excellent services for my daughter and when we moved rather suddenly to Contra Costa County from Alameda I found it very difficult to let go of the help they had provided. The Contra Costa Regional Center, of course, provided the same services - just not the same people, but it was still very good. My daughter was delayed 30% in two areas. I would suggest having your daughter retested by a developmetal doctor if your insurance covers one. Otherwise pay out of pocket, (ouch). There has been a lot of tightening of belts in the last couple of years and you may have to fight harder if you think your child needs services. cindy