NeuroNav’s team is always thrilled to host our monthly informational webinars, but our favorite experiences are when families share the impact the SDP has had on their loved ones.
In our September 2026 webinar, we were honored to feature: Ms. Sydney Rainin-Smith, mom of Devin; Mike Smith, dad of Drew; and Kim Scott, mother of Cady Scott. Cady also made a special appearance, along with her beloved cat, Jack!
Each family had illuminating insights into the Self-Determination Program (SDP) that can help families and individuals learn what to expect as they enter. Let’s take a closer look at what they had to say–and what you can learn from their experiences.
Circle the SDP Renewal Date on Your Calendar
Each year, SDP participants must renew their spending plans. The annual renewal is far from a formality; you and your loved one need to show how you used your funds and why the services you chose were necessary to help reach the participants’ goals. You may also lobby for more funds if you believe they’re necessary for bringing the IPP (individual program plan) to life.
However, the renewal process doesn’t happen by itself. Participants and their families must be proactive and assertive in communicating with their regional center.
“[Looking back], I think we needed to make a bigger stink that it was a renewal and not a new application, and to push the people at the regional center to respond quicker,” Sydney said.
Suzy Requarth, NeuroNav’s Program Director, mentioned that Sydney and Devin’s experience was not unique.
“We've had a lot of families get stuck in renewal and spending a lot more time thinking through, you know, ‘how do we start soon enough ahead of time?’ We try to keep it collaborative with families. We love for regional centers to hear us loud and clear,” Suzy said.
Can You Be Your Own Boss?
Kim described the eye-opening experiences she had during Cady’s first year on the SDP. More specifically, she encourages new SDP families to take active ownership of the vendors, employees, and services.
“You have to be the small business manager; you have to take charge of creating your team, and you have to monitor stuff just like you would a small business,” Kim said. “I kind of thought [the FMS] was going to do it, but now I've learned that, yes, that's part of the parent responsibility is to make sure everybody's on board and doing their job, because there's no guarantees.”
Sydney added that her FMS wasn't compensating Devin’s vendors and support staff correctly, which added headaches during their chaotic first year on the SDP.
“Now, I check payroll as well to make sure that everybody's being paid appropriately, they're being paid the right amount, they're not being paid overtime or double time or anything else,” she said.
SDP: More Funds Relative to the Traditional Model?
Officially, SDP participants are not entitled to more funding than they would otherwise get through the traditional regional center model. However, new SDP participants often find that their regional centers were not meeting some of their needs. In those cases, they might actually secure more funding once they enroll.
Mike observed a similar phenomenon when Drew transitioned into the SDP. Although the regional center proposed a 33% decrease in funding at one point, Mike advocated for Drew and eventually secured a substantial funding increase.
“And the icing on the cake is that if we did it right, and if we asked nicely, we could actually get more services and a higher budget than originally might have been proposed by the Regional Center, again, taking a plan off the shelf,” Mike said.
Explore the Possibilities of the SDP with NeuroNav
NeuroNav’s participants and their families are incredible at advocating for themselves within the SDP, as evidenced in our September webinar. But our mission is to lead the way whenever possible and guide our clients through an often complex (and sometimes overwhelming) Program.
Our institutional knowledge of the SDP and wealth of resources for dealing with regional centers help us advocate for clients at every turn. Their hopes and dreams always come first.
If you need someone to lean on during the SDP enrollment process or afterward, schedule a consultation to speak with us. NeuroNav’s independent facilitation services are here to serve you and your loved one.
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