The survey asks questions about these areas of an individual’s life:
Residence
Employment
Relationships
Involvement in the community
Information and Planning
Health and Welfare
Safety
Respect and Rights
Access to services and supports
Satisfaction of services
Choices, decision making and control
Your answers will help the state know how California is doing compared to other states. It will also help the regional centers see what they are doing well and what they can improve. The law requires California to interview people receiving services. Each year, 400 people from each regional center are interviewed. Each person is asked the same questions.
You can find user-friendly results from the surveys below. You can find the results for California or your regional center in the link below. The manual “10 Easy Steps to using the NCI” can show you how to use the NCI reports to make changes where you live.
If you have questions about the project, you may email ncihelp@dds.ca.gov.
Resources
- (Video) Why is NCI Important?
- (Video) What to Expect During an NCI Interview
- (Video) Adult In Person Survey 2015
- (Video) Self-Advocacy Conference 2015
- Consumer Corner
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reports
- User-Friendly: Adult Family Survey 3, FY 16/17PDF
- User-Friendly: Child Family Survey 2, FY 15/16PDF
- User-Friendly: Family Guardian Survey 3, FY 16/17PDF
- User-Friendly Regional Center reports
- Data Briefs
- Statewide Reports
- Adult In-Person Survey
- Adult In-Person Survey 4, FY 17/18PDF
- Adult In-Person Survey 3, FY 14/15PDF
- Adult In-Person Survey 2, FY 11/12PDF
- Adult In-Person Survey 1, FY 10/11PDF
- Adult Family Survey Reports
- Family Guardian Survey Reports
- Child Family Survey Reports
- Regional Center Reports
- Alta California Regional Center Adult In-Person Survey 4, FY 17/18 Report PDF
- Central Valley Regional Center Adult In-Person Survey 4, FY 17/18 Report PDF
- East L.A. Regional Center Adult In-Person Survey 4, FY 17/18 Report PDF
- Frank D. Lanterman Regional Center Adult In-Person Survey 4, FY 17/18 Report PDF
- Far Northern Regional Center Adult In-Person Survey 4, FY 17/18 Report PDF
- Golden Gate Regional Center Adult In-Person Survey 4, FY 17/18 Report PDF
- Harbor Regional Center Adult In-Person Survey 4, FY 17/18 Report PDF
- Inland Regional Center Adult In-Person Survey 4, FY 17/18 Report PDF
- Kern Regional Center Adult In-Person Survey 4, FY 17/18 Report PDF
- North Bay Regional Center Adult In-Person Survey 4, FY 17/18 Report PDF
- Northern L.A. County Regional Center Adult In-Person Survey 4, FY 17/18 Report PDF
- Regional Center of East Bay Adult In-Person Survey 4, FY 17/18 Report PDF
- Regional Center of Orange County Adult In-Person Survey 4, FY 17/18 Report PDF
- Redwood Coast Regional Center Adult In-Person Survey 4, FY 17/18 Report PDF
- San Andres Regional Center Adult In-Person Survey 4, FY 17/18 Report PDF
- South Central L.A. Regional Center Adult In-Person Survey 4, FY 17/18 Report PDF
- San Diego Regional Center Adult In-Person Survey 4, FY 17/18 Report PDF
- San Gabriel/Pomona Regional Center Adult In-Person Survey 4, FY 17/18 Report PDF
- Tri-Counties Regional Center Adult In-Person Survey 4, FY 17/18 Report PDF
- Valley Mountain Regional Center Adult In-Person Survey 4, FY 17/18 Report PDF
- Westside Regional Center Adult In-Person Survey 4, FY 17/18 Report PDF
- Supplemental Reports
- Supplemental Adult Consumer Survey 2, FY 11/12
- AppendicesPDF
- Supplemental Child Family Survey 1, FY 12/13PDF
- Developmental Center Mover Reports
- Developmental Center Mover and Lanterman Developmental Center Mover Survey, FY 13/14PDF
- Developmental Center Mover and Lanterman Developmental Center Mover Survey, FY 12/13PDF
- Reports en Espanol
If you notice an error on a published report or handout please email ncihelp@dds.ca.gov
Results from the surveys of individuals who moved from Lanterman Developmental Center and from any California Developmental Center can be found in the NCI Survey Results tab in the “Developmental Center Mover Reports” link. You can learn more about the MLS here.
Information about the NCI Surveys
- There are four types of NCI surveys used in California. The first year of implementation (2010/2011) each type of surveys was implemented. The surveys were then distributed every three years. The table below shows the current implementation schedule.
- Adult In-Person Survey (formally known as the Adult Consumer Survey) The Adult In-Person Survey is conducted face to face with an individual who is 18 years or older and receiving services, in addition to case management, from the regional center. There is more information below on the different parts of this survey type. Our goal is to interview 400 people being served by each of the 21 regional centers.
- Adult In-Person Survey Video
The Adult In-Person Survey has three distinct parts
- Background, demographic and diagnosis information is collected from state records, interviews with direct staff, families and individuals or from individual’s files. This information is carefully reviewed by the interviewer for accuracy.
- The Section I of the survey refers to questions that may only be answered by the person receiving services and supports. These are subjective, satisfaction-related questions that may not be answered by anyone else.
- The Section II of the survey may be answered by the individual or someone who knows the person well (proxy respondent)-such as a family member, friend, staff person, guardian, or advocate. Service coordinators or case managers are not allowed to respond to questions in this section.
Child Family Survey
The Child Family Survey is a survey that is mailed to families with children ages 3-18 years old living with them who receive at least one service from a regional center, in addition to case management. The survey is mailed to all available and valid family addresses who meet the criteria, participation is voluntary and confidential. The survey asks families about information and planning; access and community connection; choice and control; and family involvement.
Adult Family Survey
The Adult Family Survey is mailed to all available families whose loved one (age 18 and over) is living with them and receives at least one service from a regional center, in addition to case management. Participation is voluntary and information is confidential.
Family Guardian Survey
The Family Guardian Survey is mailed to families and conservators of individuals who are age 18 and over and live in a community placement setting, and receives at least one service from a regional center, in addition to case management. Participation is voluntary and information is confidential.
Survey Schedule
| Fiscal Year | Type of NCI Survey |
|---|---|
| 2010/2011 | Adult In-Person Survey Child Family Survey Adult Family / Family Guardian Survey |
| 2011/2012 | Adult In-Person Survey |
| 2012/2013 | Child Family Survey |
| 2013/2014 | Adult Family / Family Guardian Survey |
| 2014/2015 | Adult In-Person Survey |
| 2015/2016 | Child Family Survey |
| 2016/2017 | Adult Family / Family Guardian Survey |
| 2017/2018 | Adult In-Person Survey |
| 2018/2019 | Child Family Survey |
| 2019/2020 | Adult Family/Family Guardian Survey |
| 2020/2021 | Adult In-Person Survey |
Fiscal Year 2018/2019 Survey Status
The State Council on Developmental Disabilities has finished collecting surveys for the NCI Child Family Surveys on June 30, 2019.
Fiscal Year 2019/2020 Survey Status
The State Council on Developmental Disabilities will be mailing the NCI Adult Family / Family Guardian Survey to families of individuals (18 or older) in Winter 2019.
The 2019-2020 NCI Survey will be sent to families of individuals who meet the following criteria:
- Age 18 and older,
- live in a community residence or with their families, and
- who receive at least one service in addition to case management.
To learn more:
- Adult In-Person Survey BrochurePDF
- Adult In-Person Survey 2015
- Using NCI Data for Quality Improvement InitiativesPDF
- Frequently Asked QuestionsPDF
Last modified: February 27, 2020
