Community State Staff Program Contracts
As recommended by the Plan for the Future of the Developmental Centers in California, prepared by the Developmental Centers (DC) Task Force and published January 13, 2014, the Department has expanded resident services and supports previously associated with an approved DC closure plan to all DC residents. The recent experience with Agnews and Lanterman closures has led to the development and refinement of various options and improvements in services and supports. Among those services is the Community State Staff Program (CSSP), where a community entity (typically a service provider or a regional center) may contract with the Department of Developmental Services to obtain the services of a DC/CF employee to support former DC residents during transition and/or in their new home. The Department received authorization to expand the use of the CSSP to assist in meeting the goal of successfully transitioning DC/CF clients to community living or deflecting the admission of individuals with developmental disabilities to a DC, institution of mental disorder, an out of state placement, a general acute care hospitalization, or an acute psychiatric hospital as part of SB 856, the Developmental Services 2014-15 Budget trailer bill that was signed into law in June 2014. (WIC4474.2).
The CSSP enables experienced staff, familiar with the needs of the DC/CF residents, to continue supporting them in the community. This continuity of care benefits the consumer being cared for, the family members of the consumer who have trust in this level of support, and DC/CF employees who are seeking new employment options. It also gives service providers and regional centers greater access to qualified staff when hiring. While working in a community setting, the DC/CF employees retain their civil service status, including salary and benefits, and the State receives full reimbursement via the contract for these services. Ideally, after working in the program, the DC/CF employees will transition to other roles in the service system supporting consumers.
CSSP Career Opportunities
Developmental Task Force
Following is a summary of stakeholder comments/recommendations provided through the DC Task Force Implementation Workgroups conducted in 2014 and activities underway by the Department’s Developmental Centers Division in regards to the CSSP:
Launch a program that educates providers and regional centers about the availability of expertise this program offers, through the use of flyers/brochures
- A Powerpoint Presentation has been developed which describes the evolution of the program since its beginning in 2005 and the current plans for expansion. The presentation addresses the hiring process and benefits to various stakeholders, clients/families, state staff, and providers.
- Brochures:
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
- CSSP Hiring Process
- How to Prepare for an interview
Education efforts should target both employees and providers to address pay, benefits, worker’s compensation, disciplinary processes, coordination with unions, the full range of employees available from a DC and differences between job duties in the community and at a DC
Collective bargaining side letters are available for employees and the CSSP coordinators will schedule ongoing presentations for employees, vendors, and regional centers. Duty statements that describe the position are developed to meet the needs and are available upon advertisement of the CSSP assignment.
Peer-to-peer outreach and education from employees and providers that have successfully used the program should be available
Testimonials from both employees and providers who have successfully used the program are available in the Presentation noted above. The northern and southern CSSPCoordinators are traveling to various Regional Centers and DC/CF to educate stakeholders, state staff, residents, providers and families of the new statewide CSSP and encourage their participation.
Contracting process should be flexible allowing for part-time employment and/or duties at multiple locations
Allowing for part-time employment and/or duties at multiple locations is a current practice of the CSSP.
Incentivize providers and regional centers to participate in the program; incentivize people for relocation in varying areas of expertise and geography; and use state staff for mobile crisis teams
The Department will be working to identify unmet needs and how the CSSP can assist in providing needed services. As the program expands, the CSSP will continue to work with providers, regional centers, employees and funding sources to identify and highlight incentives to participation.
Last modified: November 21, 2019
