Answers for Families.com
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For parents of children with developmental disabilities

All the help for you and your child

Think you make too much for health coverage? Maybe not. Therapy the state pays for, not you. A paycheck for the care you already give. And the dentist, the haircut, the camp, the restaurants, year after year.

Start with step 1

Step 1 is one phone call. No diagnosis needed.

Speech therapy. Behavior therapy. Help at school.

We make too much for Medi-Cal.
Maybe not. There is a second way in, through the Regional Center. It does not count what the parents earn. Step 2 shows you.

See step 2

“It took our family a year to find all of this. Nobody handed us a map.”

Tina, San Diego mom. Read Tina’s story

Do your own research. The information on this site may not be accurate or up to date. Always check the official page we link before you act.

Start where you are

What it looks like

Example conversation

We just got the diagnosis. I don't even know where to start.
Start by calling your Regional Center. They decide who qualifies for their services, and getting through can take a long time, so it's step 1. Here's the San Diego number, (858) 576-2996, and the two sentences to say. Official page
We make too much for Medi-Cal though.
Maybe not. Medi-Cal has a second way in for some Regional Center clients, and that way doesn't count the parents' income. We'll walk you through it when you get there. State page

Every answer comes from our guide and links the state's own page. We never decide whether your family qualifies. The program does, after you apply.

I'm Tina. I'm a San Diego mom.

When our son was diagnosed, nobody handed us a map. Nobody hands any parent one.

When we finally found those programs, everything changed. Our son got the help he needed, and he hasn't stopped growing since.

Read Tina’s story

How we check

As of November 7, 2026, no provider has been checked yet; the directory is alphabetical. We don't rate the therapy itself, because we've never seen it.

How we check providers

Who pays

Parents never pay. Businesses that serve these families pay for fuller listings and sponsored spots, and that pays for everything you see here. Paying never changes a check or a review.

For providers