About us

The Kern Regional Center is funded under a contract with the State Department of Developmental Services (DDS). In 1965, the Legislature determined that the best way to provide community services to citizens with developmental disabilities and their families should be by developing a partnership between government and the private sector - and so the regional center system began. The enabling legislation is called the Lanterman Developmental Disabilities Act. It is named after Mr. Frank Lanterman, a California legislator with vision who first conceived this unique and progressive government/private sector partnership. The Lanterman Act sets forth in detail the mandates under which our Center and the other twenty centers operate.