DAN: Navigating California's Regional Center System

Navigating California's Regional Center system is one of the most complex things a family caring for someone with a developmental disability will ever do. The Lanterman Act guarantees services based on need — but knowing how to document that need, push back on a denial, or navigate the Self-Determination Program is something most families have to figure out alone, often in moments of crisis.

DAN — the Disability Access Navigator — was built to change that. It's a free bilingual navigation program that meets families where they are: at 10pm, on their phone, when they've just been told their request is "a preference, not a need" and they don't know what to do next.

DAN walks families through the most common stuck points in Regional Center navigation — delayed responses, generic resource deflections, spending plan problems, IPP goal gaps, and more. At every step it offers to draft an email or talking points the family can send or use right away. No legal jargon. No account required. Free forever.

For independent facilitators, service coordinators, and service providers like speech-language pathologists, DAN is also a practical referral resource. When a family is struggling to get a service approved — whether that's speech therapy, behavioral support, or an assistive device — DAN helps them build the case. A family that understands how to document need and respond to a "preference" denial is a family more likely to access the services their provider has already recommended.

Since launching earlier this year, DAN has served over 530 families across all 21 California Regional Centers. Roughly a third of users identify as Hispanic or Latino, reflecting the program's bilingual-first design. Ninety percent of sessions happen outside business hours — exactly when no human advocate is available.

DAN was created by Beth Martinko, a parent advocate whose son with autism has been in California's Regional Center system since 2015. It is operated by the Self Determination Tech Alliance (SDTA), a California 501(c)(3).

Take the feature tour at https://dan-quick-demo.netlify.app or go straight to DAN at bit.ly/tryDANPilot.