Portantino/Wilk Bill to Expand Critical Services for Young Disabled Californians Heads to Governor’s Desk

Wednesday, August 31 2022

For Immediate Release: August 31, 2022

Contact: Lerna Shirinian, (818) 409-0400

 

Portantino/Wilk Bill to Expand Critical Services for Young Disabled Californians Heads to Governor’s Desk

Sacramento, CA - Senate Bill 870, a measure authored by Senators Anthony J. Portantino and Scott Wilk, seeks to increases the “age of onset” definition of a developmental disability to twenty-two.  In addition, it expands supportive services and programs for those 18-21 who are developmentally disabled.  SB 870 is now headed to the Governor’s desk for signature. 

“SB 870 will rectify a rare situation where California has been an outlier on respecting neuroscience as it applies to people eligible for needed supportive services,” stated Senator Portantino.  “Our outdated age definition has denied young disabled Californians critical support and medically necessary programs for far too long.”

Unanimous findings of countless scientific studies, most notably by the National Institute of Health, has long established the medical fact that the brain does not complete its development at age 18, but continues to twenty-two. In 1978, the federal government changed its “age of on-set” definition of developmental disability to age 22.  In addition, 38 states followed by raising their “age of onset” threshold to age 22 as well. Sadly, California has continued to hold on to an outdated age threshold.

“I'm heartened to see SB 870 pass both the Senate and Assembly with unanimous votes.  It is critical that our developmentally disabled youth get the early support services they need and deserve,” stated Jim O’Hara, a father who brought the issue to Senator Portantino.  “That early support and treatment can make the difference between our disabled children reaching their highest levels of self-sufficiency and societal contribution, or languishing their lives away in nursing homes.  It's been said that one measure of a nation's greatness is how it treats its weakest citizens.  When they're unable to advocate for themselves, we are the stewards of their rights.  I am deeply grateful to Senator Portantino for the leadership our disabled young Californians have long needed on this issue.” 

 

California is one of only twelve states that is 44 years behind on this issue.  As a result, many young disabled Californians are being unfairly excluded from regional center support services, thereby increasing their suffering, reducing their potential levels of self-sufficiency, and ultimately increasing costs to the state in the end.

“California’s law has not kept current with modern science, and I am glad to see this much-needed update get to the governor’s desk.  Science tells us the brain continues to develop at least until a person is 22 years of age, an age the federal government has used as its onset threshold for services for over 40 years.  It is about time we get our act together and make this right,” stated Senate Republican Leader Scott Wilk (R-Santa Clarita), joint co-author of SB 870.

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