Paid Internship Program
What is the Paid Internship Program?
- Work with your employment service provider to find a person-centered, paid internship in a community, integrated setting for up to 1,040 hours over 12 months.
- Make minimum wage or higher
- Possibility of getting hired on permanently after internship is completed.
- No cost to the employer– Regional Center funds all employer-related costs.
Facts abut hiring people with developmental disabilities:
- Rated higher with fewer sick days and low absenteeism.
- Arrive to work
Employment Resources
Workers with disabilities | CareerOneStop: resume guide, interest assessment, job listings, find local, WIOA Eligible-training programs, helps with interviews.
Advance – Golden Sierra: Ticket to Work, resources like helping with resumes.
Let’s Work! Employment Workshop Series
Recordings and Meeting Documents
The Let’s Work! Employment Workshop series is a collaboration between Department of Rehabilitation (DOR), Far Northern Regional Center, Alta California Regional Center, the North State and Sacramento Regional Offices of the State Council on Developmental Disabilities to provide information about the DOR and available services to help you prepare for and secure a job!
You can access meeting recordings and materials for each session.
Lending Works Inc.
Loans for People with Disabilities to Invest in their Businesses
Lending works Inc. provides interest free micro-enterprise
loans to adults with 
developmental disabilities. These loans finance start-up costs
for self-employment and to assist in expanding a small business.
Eligibility:
- Applicants must be at least 18 years of age,
- are clients of Alta Regional Center,
- or residents of California.
Learn more about their loan application rules.
Senate Bill 639 Signed into Law!
The bill addresses minimum wage for those with disabilities
California achieved an important civil right with Governor Gavin Newsom’s signature on Senate Bill (SB) 639 ending the policy that allowed businesses with special licenses to be able to pay people with disabilities subminimum wage for their work. California now becomes the 13th state to end this practice. Once the implementation process is complete all California employees with disabilities will earn at least minimum wage for their work.
Competitive Integrated Employment (CIE)
On October 9, 2013, Governor Brown signed AB 1041 (Chesbro) into
law, establishing an “Employment First Policy” in the
Lanterman Developmental Disabilities Services Act. In
keeping with the Employment First
Policy, the Work Services Program addresses the employment needs
of persons with developmental disabilities.
California’s Employment First Policy (AB 1041)
Informational material to help educate individuals and families.
In 2013 California’s Employment First Policy (AB 1041) was passed and signed into law by Governor Brown. One of the requirements of that law was that the State Council on Developmental Disabilities (SCDD) would develop informational material to help educate individuals and families about the state’s Employment First policy. The flyer by SCDD has been completed and is now available by clicking on the links below (other languages should be available soon). SCDD is also working on enhancing a website on this topic, which can be found at the link below.