Language Access and Cultural Competency (LACC) Program Overview

The Language Access and Cultural Competency (LACC) Program is authorized under California Welfare and Institutions Code § 4620.4, which provides dedicated funding to the Department of Developmental Services (DDS) and California’s regional centers to improve language access and promote culturally responsive service delivery.

The primary purpose of LACC funding is to enhance equity, inclusion, and access for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) and their families who are multilingual, monolingual, or from diverse cultural backgrounds. The program is designed to improve overall individual and family experience by reducing linguistic, cultural, and systemic barriers to information, services, and support within the regional center system.

Across California, regional centers implement LACC funds through a range of strategies, including but not limited to:

  • Education and training workshops for staff, boards, service providers, and communities
  • In-person and virtual outreach and engagement events
  • Interpretation and translation services across multiple languages and communication modalities
  • Listening sessions, focus groups, and community feedback forums.
  • Partnerships with trusted Community-Based Organizations (CBOs)
  • Development of accessible, plain-language informational materials and short educational videos

These efforts collectively support DDS’s statewide commitment to equitable access, culturally competent practices, and meaningful community engagement. DDS approves regional center annual plans which aim to improve and promote the LACC Program in regional centers’ catchment areas. Summaries of the approved LACC plans are available here.

Implementation of the LACC Program at Westside Regional Center (WRC)

For Fiscal Year 2026–2028 (July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2028), Westside Regional Center (WRC) was allocated $1,032,370.00 in LACC funding to implement a comprehensive and data-informed strategy that strengthens language access, cultural responsiveness, and community trust across its diverse catchment area.

Funding Announcement FY2026-28 Language Access and Cultural Competency Regional Center Plans

WRC’s LACC implementation includes the following core activities:

Interpretation Services

As of June 30th, 2026, LACC funds have provided or assisted in arranging interpretation for over three hundred meetings. We have facilitated interpretation to Spanish, ASL, Farsi, Korean, and several other languages. If you plan to attend a meeting and require or prefer interpretation, please contact your service coordinator.

Language Data Review and Analysis

WRC collects, analyzes, and utilizes demographic and language data to guide outreach priorities, resource development, and service improvements. Annually, WRC hosts meetings to review Purchase of Service data with community members. We use the valuable community feedback from these events to inform future LACC efforts.

Community Listening Sessions

WRC conducts structured listening sessions to elevate community voice, identify barriers, and inform culturally responsive practices and policy decisions. Topics of these listening sessions include employment resources, the appeals process, and regional center services and include Spanish interpretation, with interpretation to other languages available upon request.

Culturally Responsive Translation

WRC wants to ensure translations are not only linguistically accurate but also culturally appropriate and accessible for our diverse community. We plan to implement a pilot program utilizing Azure AI translation tools to enhance efficiency, accuracy, and scalability of translation and language access support.

As of June 30th, 2026, LACC funds have been used to translate or arrange translation for 1,500 documents that make it easier for families and individuals to communicate with regional center staff and access services they need. The average turnaround time for translation of Individual Program Plans (IPPs) is eight business days.

In addition, WRC has created a survey on the quality of interpretation and translation services, available in English, Spanish, Farsi, and Korean.

Website Accessibility Enhancements

We have added a widget to our website that allows the website to be accessible for people with vision impairment, seizure disorders, ADHD, and other needs. Several translated documents were added to our website, especially on our ‘Transparency’ webpage, to make information accessible to our community.

As part of our continued dedication to making information easily accessible through the WRC website, LACC efforts in fiscal years 2026-2028 will include contracting with a plain language consultant to make the information on our website easier to understand and utilize.

ASL Instruction and Deaf Sensitivity Training

ASL classes and Deaf-culture sensitivity training are offered to staff to strengthen communication access and inclusive service delivery. Since 2022, 210 WRC staff members have received deaf sensitivity training and over 445 have received ASL training from our Deaf+ and Hard of Hearing Communications Specialist and a community partner.

Cultural Humility Training for the Board of Directors

WRC’s Board of Directors gained practical understanding of the role and application of accessible language and cultural competency in their daily interactions. They acquired skills to foster cultural inclusion, respect, and meaningful relationships with diverse individuals and families served by our regional center. The curriculum emphasizes the importance of humility and respectful communication to ensure personalized and effective support, leading to a positive client experience and a more inclusive and supportive regional center environment.

Bilingual Informational Videos and Courses

WRC created eleven interactive, e-learning courses on topics such as Service Coordination, the IPP Meeting, and the Westside Family Resource and Empowerment Center (WFREC). All courses are available in English and Spanish. The courses are currently being translated to ASL, Korean, Farsi, and Amharic. These courses are available for families and vendors on our Learning Management System (LMS) or by clicking here.

WRC plans to continue creating e-learning courses in fiscal years 2026-2028 on topics such as processing grief, caring for the caregiver, and on each of the five disabilities that makes one eligible for regional center services.

Support for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB)

We have made progress with internal DEIB efforts by developing performance review templates recognizing bilingual skills and implementing inclusive leadership workshops and group coaching for managers. We have provided coaching on leadership topics to over one hundred staff members to enhance our commitment to DEIB.

Bilingual Capacity Assessments and Stipends

WRC assessed the bilingual capacity of staff based on findings from the 2023 DEIB audit. Staff have had the opportunity to complete language proficiency assessments in Spanish, ASL, Farsi, Tagalog, Japanese, and other languages. Informed by these findings, WRC is exploring approaches to further strengthen and sustain bilingual capacity, such as the use of standardized proficiency assessments and the potential consideration of bilingual stipends aligned with demonstrated proficiency, to better meet the linguistic and cultural needs of the communities we serve.

Retention of Dedicated LACC Staff

WRC maintains two bilingual positions funded with LACC — including the Service Access and Training Specialist and the Language Access and Cultural Engagement Specialist—to lead implementation, community engagement, coordination, and DDS reporting.

Targeted Outreach and Community Engagement

Westside staff continuously conduct and participate in outreach events throughout WRC’s catchment area to strengthen relationships with underserved communities and trusted partners. These outreach events often center around informing communities about regional center services including social recreation services, personal assistance and respite, and adaptive skills or Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). Community partners include Tri-City SELPA, Family Services of Santa Monica, Venice Family Clinic, Santa Monica High School, Crystal Stairs, and the Wiley Center. Since we started hosting ‘Community Conversation’ events onsite and virtually, we have been able to reach 128 community members.

In fiscal years 2026-2028, WRC plans to consult with experienced professionals who can help us do more outreach with our Persian/Farsi-speaking community, and with our Asian American / Pacific Islander community.

Other activities that we plan to host for the community include Parenting Education courses hosted in Spanish as well as introductory ASL courses for families.

Ongoing Education for WRC Staff

As part of our LACC plans for Fiscal Years 2026-2028, Westside Regional Center plans to host training courses to better connect our staff with the community we serve.

These trainings include Motivational Interviewing through the lens of cultural competency, Spanish courses for social services professionals, and ongoing education on cultural humility.