Frequently Asked Questions

California’s Self-Determination Program gives eligible Regional Center participants greater choice and control over the services, supports, and providers they use to meet their Individual Program Plan (IPP) goals. 

An Independent Facilitator can help a participant understand and navigate Self-Determination, identify goals and supports, prepare for meetings, locate providers and resources, develop or update the spending plan, and coordinate services based on the participant’s choices. dd an answer to this item.

 Using an Independent Facilitator is optional. 

Service Code 099 may provide authorized transition support for participants moving into the Self-Determination Program.

Support may include organizing documents, understanding the transition process, coordinating with the FMS, developing the spending plan, identifying providers, and preparing for enrollment.

099 is generally a pre-enrollment service and ends when the participant transitions into SDP and approved spending-plan services begin.

Person-Centered Planning focuses on the participant’s strengths, interests, preferences, goals, support needs, and vision for the future.

The Person-Centered Plan can help identify priorities that may later be discussed with the Regional Center team and reflected in the participant’s IPP.

The spending plan explains how the participant intends to use their Self-Determination individual budget.

It identifies approved services, estimated costs, frequency, and the types of providers needed to support the participant’s IPP goals.

A Financial Management Service, or FMS, handles many of the financial and administrative responsibilities associated with the participant’s Self-Determination spending plan.

Depending on the arrangement, the FMS may process provider invoices, payroll, required documentation, and payments.

True Choice Pathways helps adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities explore self-employment, learn practical business skills, and participate meaningfully in developing and operating their own small business.

Our approach is built around four simple steps:

Explore — identify interests, strengths, and realistic business possibilities.

Learn — develop practical skills needed to participate in the business.

Build — develop the business step by step and connect with qualified professionals when specialized expertise is needed.

Sustain — support the participant in operating the business, solving problems, building routines, and increasing independence over time.

Participants do not need to already have a business idea.

This service may be a good fit for someone who wants to explore self-employment, has an interest or talent they would like to develop, or needs additional support understanding and participating in the business-development process.

Our services are no-pressure and person-centered.

The goal is not to force someone into entrepreneurship. The focus is on discovery, practical skill development, informed choice, and independent growth. 

That is okay.

Exploring a business idea does not mean the participant is required to continue with it.

Sometimes the process helps someone discover that an idea needs to change, that another business would be a better fit, or that self-employment is not what they want after all.

Discovery itself can be a successful outcome.

The participant may modify the idea, explore something different, pause, or choose another employment direction.

I want to explore and develop a micro-business that matches my interests and abilities. I will receive support identifying a realistic business idea, learning practical business skills, developing a business plan, connecting with appropriate business resources, and increasing my independence in operating the business.

Self-employment coaching should connect to an employment-related IPP goal.

When appropriate, the service may be included in the participant’s approved Self-Determination spending plan under an applicable employment-support service.

Once approved and the provider has completed the required onboarding, payment is processed through the participant’s FMS according to the approved spending plan.

Approval is not automatic. Services must be connected to the participant’s IPP goals and meet applicable Regional Center, SDP, and FMS requirements.dd an answer to this item.

In most cases, no. Independent Facilitation and Separate Services are different roles. To avoid conflicts of interest, True Choice Pathways generally cannot provide Independent Facilitation and another purchase Separate Service, such as Business Coaching or Social & Recreation, to the same participant at the same time.

Separate Services may require separate authorization, agreement, or funding approval. We can help explain the difference so families can make an informed choice.

For services approved through the participant’s Self-Determination spending plan, payment is generally processed through the participant’s FMS, rather than the participant paying True Choice Pathways directly. 

Yes. Services are participant-directed and person-centered. If the participant’s needs or goals change, the coaching plan can be reviewed and adjusted.

Appointments may be rescheduled based on availability, and True Choice Pathways will make every reasonable effort to be flexible. If an appointment needs to be cancelled, there is no cancellation fee

No. True Choice Pathways provides mentorship, coaching, skill development, and navigation support. We are not a law firm, accounting firm, tax service, financial advisor, or benefits-planning agency.

When specialized expertise is needed, we can help the participant identify, prepare for, and navigate meetings with appropriate professionals such as business advisors, accountants, bookkeepers, attorneys, benefits specialists, banks, and other community resources.

Our role is to help make the business-development process easier to understand, support the participant in asking questions and making informed choices, and help turn professional recommendations into manageable next steps.

The participant remains at the center of the process while qualified professionals provide advice within their areas of expertise.

Every participant and family is different.

Schedule a free consultation to talk about your goals, ask questions, and determine whether True Choice Pathways may be a good fit.

No pressure. Just a conversation about possibilities.