SACRAMENTO – Assembly Speaker John A. Pérez has appointed Assemblymember Mark Stone (D-Monterey Bay) to the Future of the Developmental Centers Task Force, a stakeholder group established by Health and Human Services Agency Director Diana Dooley. The Task Force will meet to review and consider options for California’s over 1500 developmental center residents.
“I am pleased to be named the Assembly’s representative on the Task Force, and I look forward to ensuring that our state meets the special needs of current developmental center residents and their families,” said Stone.
The Task Force will develop a plan to address the needs of residents of the four large developmental centers and small community facility in California. Its membership will include resident advocates and families, providers, labor, and departmental staff. Currently, the centers operate with an annual budget of $545 million, but they face several fiscal challenges, including the maintenance of aging infrastructure, as well as staffing and resource constraints. To address these issues, the Task Force will review alternative community resources, a timeline for future center closures, and potential changes to the law that would help ensure safe, appropriate care for center residents.
As Chair of the Assembly Committee on Human Services, Stone has played a key role in considering policy to improve the lives of the developmentally disabled. The committee considers legislation related to safety net services for the developmentally disabled, community care facilities, and adult welfare services. Stone has named it a priority to maintain safe and appropriate services for Regional Center clients in Developmental Centers and in the community.
Prior to his service in the Assembly, Stone worked with developmentally disabled children in his role as a Santa Cruz County Supervisor and as a member of his local school board. While serving as a Supervisor, Stone sat on the First 5 Commission, which emphasized early intervention for children with developmental disabilities to ensure they received the special resources and services they needed to thrive. As President of the Scotts Valley Unified School District Board, Stone shaped local policies for special education students, helping ensure their success in school.