Golden Gate Regional Center serves individuals and families in Marin, San Francisco and San Mateo counties. Below is a brief explanation of what makes a person eligible for GGRC services.

• Who is eligible for our services?
• What is a developmental disability?
• What is a developmental delay?
• What is an established risk condition?
• What is the definition of "high risk"?
• Who is provisionally eligible for our services?

Who is eligible for our services?

A resident of Marin, San Francisco and San Mateo counties who falls into any of the following four categories is eligible for GGRC services:

• Is an individual with a developmental disability
• Is an infant or toddler (up to 36 months of age) who has a developmental delay
• Is an infant or toddler (up to 36 months of age) for whom there are established risk conditions that could lead to a developmental delay
• Is an infant or toddler (up to 36 months of age) at high risk of having a development disability due to a combination of biomedical factors

Individuals eligible under the first category are served by GGRC's Lanterman Act services program; infants and toddlers eligible under the latter three categories are served by the regional center's Early Start program.

What is a developmental disability?

According to Title 17, Section 54000 of the California Code of Regulations, a developmental disability is defined as a disability that is attributable to any of the following conditions:

• Intellectual disability (formerly known as "mental retardation")
• Cerebral palsy
• Epilepsy
• Autism
• Disabling conditions found to be closely related to intellectual disability or to require treatment similar to that required for individuals with an intellectual disability

(This definition does not include any disabling condition that is solely psychiatric, solely a learning disability or solely physical in nature.)

In addition to the above, the disability must:

• Originate before age 18
• Be likely to continue indefinitely
• Constitute a "substantial disability" for the individual as defined by Title 17, Section 54001 of the California Code of Regulations

What is a developmental delay?

A developmental delay is defined as a significant difference between an infant's or toddler's current level of functioning and the expected level of functioning for the child's chronological age in one or more of five developmental areas:

• Cognitive development
• Physical and motor development (including vision and hearing)
• Communication development
• Social or emotional development
• Adaptive development

According to Title 14, Chapter 4 of the California Early Intervention Services Act, the definition of a "significant difference" between actual and expected development is a minimum 25% delay in at least one developmental area before 24 months of age.

What is an established risk condition?

An established risk condition, as defined by Title 14, Chapter 4 of the California Early Intervention Services Act, is a condition of known etiology or a condition for which there are established harmful developmental consequences. These conditions have a high probability of leading to a developmental delay even if a delay is not evident at the time of diagnosis.

What is the definition of "high risk"?

Title 14, Chapter 4 of the California Early Intervention Services Act designates as "high risk" any infant or toddler who has a combination of biomedical risk factors that could lead to a substantial developmental disability. A list of these factors can be found in Title 17, Section 52022 of the California Code of Regulations.

Who is provisionally eligible for our services?