Participant-directed services: for some regional center services, you choose who provides them, such as a worker you hire or a class or camp in your community. A company called a financial management service (FMS) pays them. Start of this guide
The hourly rates
Set by the state Department of Developmental Services (DDS). In effect since January 1, 2026. These are for one worker supporting one person.
All 21 regional centers
The state sets three levels, so many regional centers share the same numbers.
| Regional center | Respite | Personal assistance | Independent living | Supported employment | Community-based training |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alta California, Central Valley, Far Northern, Inland, Kern, Redwood Coast, Valley Mountain | $24.21 | $24.21 | $24.79 | $33.26 | $25.12 |
| Eastern Los Angeles, Frank D. Lanterman, Harbor, North Bay, North Los Angeles County, Orange County, San Diego, San Gabriel/Pomona, South Central Los Angeles, Tri-Counties, Westside | $25.33 | $25.33 | $25.94 | $34.84 | $26.28 |
| East Bay, Golden Gate, San Andreas | $28.69 | $28.69 | $29.39 | $39.62 | $29.79 |
When one worker supports two or more people at the same time, a lower rate for each person applies. DDS posts those in the same files.
What this number is
It is not your worker's hourly pay. It is what your regional center pays the FMS for each hour of service. It has to cover two things:
- Your worker's pay.
- The employer's costs: payroll taxes, workers' compensation insurance (which covers a worker hurt on the job), and paid time such as sick leave and training.
So the worker's pay is always less than this number. When the state built the respite rate, it figured about 70 cents of each dollar for the worker's pay.
Ask your financial management service (FMS) what your worker will be paid each hour before they start.
Overtime
DDS posts an overtime rate for respite and for community-based training. It does not post one for the other services. For those services, ask your FMS before any overtime is worked.
| Regional center | Respite, overtime | Community-based training, overtime |
|---|---|---|
| Alta California, Central Valley, Far Northern, Inland, Kern, Redwood Coast, Valley Mountain | $28.78 | $29.41 |
| Eastern Los Angeles, Frank D. Lanterman, Harbor, North Bay, North Los Angeles County, Orange County, San Diego, San Gabriel/Pomona, South Central Los Angeles, Tri-Counties, Westside | $30.30 | $30.96 |
| East Bay, Golden Gate, San Andreas | $34.85 | $35.60 |
What the financial management service is paid
When you hire a worker, your regional center pays the FMS a monthly fee for each person it serves. The fee is $160 or $265, depending on whether you or the FMS is the legal employer. It is paid separately from the hourly rate.
Services with no posted rate
| Service | How the amount is set |
|---|---|
| Day care | The provider's usual rate. If the provider has no usual rate, one agreed with the regional center. |
| Nursing | A state schedule for nursing at home. |
| Transportation | Each regional center's own rate schedule. |
| Social recreation, camp and non-medical therapies | The price the program charges everyone. |
For these, ask your service coordinator what your regional center pays. For coaching before the Self-Determination Program, ask your service coordinator how it is paid.
What you pay
There is no fee to use participant-directed services.
For a child's day care and transportation, the regional center covers the cost beyond what any family would pay. The ordinary part stays with the family. A regional center can choose to pay more when a family shows financial need and the help keeps the child at home.
Where these numbers come from
DDS posts a rate file for each regional center. The numbers here are from all 21 files dated September 23, 2026, read on October 6, 2026. DDS changes its files often, and they are written for providers. The current ones are here: Complete Rate Models by Regional Center, on the DDS website