Data on "social skills" or "socialization training" vendors and recipients at Regional Centers
| Submitted | Feb. 16, 2016 |
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Communications
From: Brooke Ganz
To Whom It May Concern:
Pursuant to the California Public Records Act (California Government Code §§ 6250), I hereby request the following records:
I am seeking information on California Regional Centers and their vendor relationships that provide "social skills classes", "social skills groups", "socialization training" (or services that are described in similar terms) to their Regional Center clients. This data is being sought for the 2010-2016 period, preferably broken down by each calendar year or fiscal year.
1) Please provide a listing of all such vendors previously or currently contracted with all Regional Centers, preferably grouped by the Regional Center with whom they had or have the vendor contract. Please include the address, phone number, fax number, and website URL for each of these providers, if that information is available. If a vendor is no longer available, please indicate the date (month and year) they were no longer available as a vendor.
2) Please also include information for all one-off purchase agreements or individual reimbursement agreements for purchase of social skills services, to include data for cases where clients are or were receiving services through a non-vendored social skills provider, preferably grouped by the Regional Center with whom they had or have the contract. Please include the address, phone number, fax number, and website URL for each of these providers, if that information is available. If any of these one-off agreements are no longer in effect, please provide the date (month and year) that they became no longer available to the client.
3) Please include the historical and current reimbursement rates for each of these vendors or one-off agreement providers.
4) Please include the current and previous numbers of Regional Center clients who were previously or are currently receiving social skills services from these vendors or these one-off agreement providers, preferably grouped by Regional Center and by the client's Regional Center eligibility category/categories (i.e. autism, cerebral palsy, etc.)
The requested documents will be made available to the general public, and this request is not being made for commercial purposes.
In the event that there are fees, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.
Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 10 calendar days, as the statute requires.
Sincerely,
Brooke Schreier Ganz
From: MuckRock.com
To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on Feb. 16, 2016. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed.
Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.
From: Lungren, Nancy@DDS
Thank you for the email. I have forwarded it on to the program responsible for the data request.
Nancy
Nancy Lungren
Assistant Director for Communications
Department of Developmental Services (DDS)
(916) 654-1820 (direct)/(916) 616-8265 (cell)
(916) 654-1913 (fax)
Nancy.lungren@dds.ca.gov<mailto:Nancy.lungren@dds.ca.gov>
www.dds.ca.gov<http://www.dds.ca.gov/>
https://twitter.com/CaliforniaDDS
[cid:image001.jpg@01D14221.09880C40]<http://caleitc4me.org/>[cid:image002.png@01D0A77B.6EDCBB40]<http://www.saveourwater.com/>
From: MuckRock.com
To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on Feb. 16, 2016. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed.
Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.
From: Lungren, Nancy@DDS
Hi Brooke,
I checked with the program that is reviewing this PRA request and they will need more time to respond. We’ll send a 10-14 day PRA letter and give you a determination date once program understands the breadth of the request.
Best regards,
Nancy
Nancy Lungren
Assistant Director for Communications
Department of Developmental Services (DDS)
(916) 654-1820 (direct)/(916) 616-8265 (cell)
(916) 654-1913 (fax)
Nancy.lungren@dds.ca.gov<mailto:Nancy.lungren@dds.ca.gov>
www.dds.ca.gov<http://www.dds.ca.gov/>
https://twitter.com/CaliforniaDDS
[cid:image001.jpg@01D14221.09880C40]<http://caleitc4me.org/>[cid:image002.png@01D0A77B.6EDCBB40]<http://www.saveourwater.com/>
From: MuckRock.com
To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on Feb. 16, 2016. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed.
Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.
From: Lungren, Nancy@DDS
Hello-
We have a data run which will go through review for accuracy and, BTW, some questions we don't have a record that is responsive. This will be detailed in a letter.
I'll get back to you next week once it is approved for release.
Nancy Lungren
From: MuckRock.com
To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on Feb. 16, 2016. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed.
Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.
From: MuckRock.com
To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on Feb. 16, 2016. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed.
Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.
From: Lungren, Nancy@DDS
Hello—the response data is being reviewed. I’ll let you know when it is approved for release. Thank you for your patience.
Nancy
Nancy Lungren
Assistant Director for Communications
Department of Developmental Services (DDS)
(916) 654-1820 (direct)/(916) 616-8265 (cell)
(916) 654-1913 (fax)
Nancy.lungren@dds.ca.gov<mailto:Nancy.lungren@dds.ca.gov>
www.dds.ca.gov<http://www.dds.ca.gov/>
https://twitter.com/CaliforniaDDS
[cid:image001.jpg@01D14221.09880C40]<http://caleitc4me.org/>[cid:image002.png@01D0A77B.6EDCBB40]<http://www.saveourwater.com/>
From: Brooke Ganz
Dear Ms. Lungren,
I wanted to follow up on my California Public Records Act request, originally submitted on February 16, 2016. CPRA requests are supposed to be followed up in ten days (calendar days, not business days), and in "unusual circumstances," an agency may extend its response time by an additional fourteen days. Gov’t Code § 6253(b) states that access to copies of records is to be provided “promptly” -- but it has now been three months.
Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed. Thank you.
- Brooke Schreier Ganz
From: Lungren, Nancy@DDS
Hello Brooke-
My apologies for delay... The response was kicked back for refinement. They have had other priorities such as budget hearings which have delayed the extra review.
I am hoping by next week we can release the data.
Thanks
Nancy
Nancy Lungren
530-412-3414
From: MuckRock.com
To Whom It May Concern:
I wanted to follow up on the following Freedom of Information request, copied below, and originally submitted on Feb. 16, 2016. Please let me know when I can expect to receive a response, or if further clarification is needed.
Thanks for your help, and let me know if further clarification is needed.
From: Lungren, Nancy@DDS
Hello Brooke,
I expect the data run to be finished sometime this week – best regards, Nancy
Nancy Lungren
Assistant Director for Communications
Department of Developmental Services (DDS)
(916) 654-1820 (direct)/(916) 616-8265 (cell)
(916) 654-1913 (fax)
Nancy.lungren@dds.ca.gov<mailto:Nancy.lungren@dds.ca.gov>
www.dds.ca.gov<http://www.dds.ca.gov/>
https://twitter.com/CaliforniaDDS
[cid:image002.png@01D0A77B.6EDCBB40]<http://www.saveourwater.com/>
From: Brooke Ganz
Dear Ms. Lungren,
It has now been another two weeks, and I still have not received the long-promised records from your agency. The California Public Records Act says that records requests are supposed to be answered in ten calendar days, but this request has now been in limbo for four months, which is basically equivalent to a denial.
I have been very patient with your agency's six requests for delays, but if I have not received these records by the end of next week, by Friday June 24th, I will be securing legal counsel and moving this CPRA request on to the courts. I remind you that under the CPRA the party who ultimately prevails in litigation is entitled to the reimbursement of her attorneys’ fees. Since you have already agreed in writing that I can and will legally receive this data, but have simply not produced it, your agency would be responsible for the costs. See Govt. Code Section 6259(d):
"(d) The court shall award court costs and reasonable attorney fees
to the plaintiff should the plaintiff prevail in litigation filed
pursuant to this section. The costs and fees shall be paid by the
public agency of which the public official is a member or employee
and shall not become a personal liability of the public official."
(Online reference: http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/displaycode?section=gov&group=06001-07000&file=6250-6270.5 )
I remain hopeful that your agency will comply with its legal requirements soon. Please contact me by e-mail or phone if you have any questions about this records request.
- Brooke Schreier Ganz
From: Lungren, Nancy@DDS
Sorry for the delay…it is in review process. It’s been a hectic time with the budget and other issues taking a priority.
-
~WRD001
From: Lungren, Nancy@DDS
June 20, 2016
Ms. Brooke Schreier Ganz Via Email: requests@muckrock.com<mailto:requests@muckrock.com>
DEPT MR 23957
411A Highland Ave.
Somerville, MA 02144-2516
Public Records Act Request (PRA) received on February 2, 2016
Dear Ms. Ganz:
This letter is to respond to your PRA request for the following information:
· List of California regional center vendors that provide social skills classes, social skills groups, and socialization training, to regional center clients for calendar years 2010 through 2015. Information to be included are vendor names, addresses, phone numbers, vendoring regional centers, consumer counts, and purchase of service.
We have determined that the records relevant to your request are available and attached.
The provider rate structure is complicated, and the Department does not maintain a "rate history" record. However, for a small portion of the attached list, the Department maintains specific rate data which may be pertinent to your request. Information about how rates are developed and rate data can be located through this link: http://www.chhs.ca.gov/DSTaskForce/2_Revised%20Rate%20Process%20Overview.pdf
If you have any questions or need additional information, please contact me at (916) 654-1820.
Sincerely,
Nancy Lungren
Assistant Director for Communications
Office of Legislation and Communications
Attachments
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
On Feb. 16, 2016:
To Whom It May Concern:
Pursuant to the California Public Records Act (California Government Code §§ 6250), I hereby request the following records:
I am seeking information on California Regional Centers and their vendor relationships that provide "social skills classes", "social skills groups", "socialization training" (or services that are described in similar terms) to their Regional Center clients. This data is being sought for the 2010-2016 period, preferably broken down by each calendar year or fiscal year.
1) Please provide a listing of all such vendors previously or currently contracted with all Regional Centers, preferably grouped by the Regional Center with whom they had or have the vendor contract. Please include the address, phone number, fax number, and website URL for each of these providers, if that information is available. If a vendor is no longer available, please indicate the date (month and year) they were no longer available as a vendor.
2) Please also include information for all one-off purchase agreements or individual reimbursement agreements for purchase of social skills services, to include data for cases where clients are or were receiving services through a non-vendored social skills provider, preferably grouped by the Regional Center with whom they had or have the contract. Please include the address, phone number, fax number, and website URL for each of these providers, if that information is available. If any of these one-off agreements are no longer in effect, please provide the date (month and year) that they became no longer available to the client.
3) Please include the historical and current reimbursement rates for each of these vendors or one-off agreement providers.
4) Please include the current and previous numbers of Regional Center clients who were previously or are currently receiving social skills services from these vendors or these one-off agreement providers, preferably grouped by Regional Center and by the client's Regional Center eligibility category/categories (i.e. autism, cerebral palsy, etc.)
The requested documents will be made available to the general public, and this request is not being made for commercial purposes.
In the event that there are fees, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.
Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 10 calendar days, as the statute requires.
Sincerely,
Brooke Schreier Ganz
------
Filed via MuckRock.com<http://muckrock.com>
E-mail (Preferred): requests@muckrock.com<mailto:requests@muckrock.com>
For mailed responses, please address (see note):
MuckRock
DEPT MR 23957
411A Highland Ave
Somerville, MA 02144-2516
PLEASE NOTE: This request is not filed by a MuckRock staff member, but is being sent through MuckRock by the above in order to better track, share, and manage public records requests. Also note that improperly addressed (i.e., with the requester's name rather than "MuckRock News" and the department number) requests might be returned as undeliverable.
------
Nancy Lungren
Assistant Director for Communications
Department of Developmental Services (DDS)
(916) 654-1820 (direct)/(916) 616-8265 (cell)
(916) 654-1913 (fax)
Nancy.lungren@dds.ca.gov<mailto:Nancy.lungren@dds.ca.gov>
www.dds.ca.gov<http://www.dds.ca.gov/>
https://twitter.com/CaliforniaDDS
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6.2.16 Copy of Revised.J10737 CA DDS Socialization Vendors Calendar Ye
From: Brooke Ganz
Dear Ms. Lundgren,
Thank you for sending the spreadsheet. I have a few remaining questions:
1) I assume that "Consumer Claims" is the dollar figure spent by the RC through a typical vendorization arrangement with that vendor, while "Contract Claims" is the dollar figure spent by the RC through one-off agreements with that vendor. Is that correct, or is that reversed?
2) The PDF you pointed me towards is helpful, but it only has data for 2011. Is there anything with more recent rate data available?
3) I understand you don't have historical reimbursement rate data for "socialization training" other than that 2011 PDF, but what about the current reimbursement rate data for all vendors for 2015 or 2016? It could even be fiscal year or calendar year, whatever is easier to pull. This was explicitly requested in point #3 of my records request. The spreadsheet you sent does have the total costs per vendor, and the total number of clients using that vendor, but it does not include information on the hourly reimbursement rate for those vendors.
4) Are you sure this spreadsheet data is complete and up to date? I spot-checked a few of the items, and for example, San Andreas Regional Center (SARC) shows on their own website that they have vendorization with five unique socialization training vendors:
http://www.sanandreasregional.org/frm_display/service-provider-list-2/?vendor_name&vendor_num&service_type=socialization&service_code&county
But on the spreadsheet you provided, SARC only has one socialization vendor listed, Abilities United in Palo Alto. Please explain?
Thank you, and looking forward to your timely response.
- Brooke Schreier Ganz
From: Lungren, Nancy@DDS
Hi Brooke,
I’ll check with program staff on your questions and get back to you soon.
Best,
Nancy
Nancy Lungren
Assistant Director for Communications, DDS
O: (916) 654-1884/ Direct: (916) 654-1820
Cell: (916) 616-8265
https://twitter.com/CaliforniaDDS
www.dds.ca.gov<http://www.dds.ca.gov>
-
image001
From: Lungren, Nancy@DDS
Dear Brooke,
This is to respond to your most recent PRA request of June 21, 2016.
DDS staff estimates that it will take approximately two weeks from today (July 14th) to respond to your request below.
Best regards,
Nancy
Nancy Lungren
Assistant Director for Communications, DDS
O: (916) 654-1884/ Direct: (916) 654-1820
Cell: (916) 616-8265
https://twitter.com/CaliforniaDDS
www.dds.ca.gov<http://www.dds.ca.gov>
-
image001
From: Brooke Ganz
Hi. It's now July 15th, past your deadline again. Any news?
I look forward to receiving the answers and the missing data from this five-months-old records request soon.
- Brooke Schreier Ganz
From: Lungren, Nancy@DDS
Hi Brooke,
It is in the approval process. Hope any day now. Nancy
Nancy Lungren
Assistant Director for Communications, DDS
O: (916) 654-1884/ Direct: (916) 654-1820
Cell: (916) 616-8265
https://twitter.com/CaliforniaDDS
www.dds.ca.gov<http://www.dds.ca.gov>
-
image001
From: Lungren, Nancy@DDS
Dear Ms. Ganz,
Please see attached Excel and letter of explanation in regard to your most recent PRA request dated June 21, 2016.
Best regards,
Nancy
916-654-1820
From: Brooke Ganz
Dear Ms. Lungren,
Thank you for the file and the responses. This is very helpful. Thanks for all your work on this records request.
sincerely,
Brooke Schreier Ganz
From: Lungren, Nancy@DDS
Dear Brooke,
I’m glad to hear that the data and explanation are useful for your purposes. Are you writing for a publication or report?
Nancy
Nancy Lungren
Assistant Director for Communications, DDS
O: (916) 654-1884/ Direct: (916) 654-1820
Cell: (916) 616-8265
https://twitter.com/CaliforniaDDS
www.dds.ca.gov<http://www.dds.ca.gov>
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image001
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