BROWN ADMINISTRATION ANNOUNCES SANTI ROGERS AS NEW DIRECTOR OF DEPARTMENT OF DEVELOPMENTAL SERVICES
- Rogers Currently Director of San Andreas Regional Center – Has Long Experience In Previous State Service Dealing With Developmental Services
- Will Replace Terri Delgadillo Who Retired December 24th
- Brown Administration Also Announced Appointment of John Doyle As DDS Chief Deputy Director
SACRAMENTO, CA (CDCAN) [Last updated – 01/14/2014] – The Brown Administration announced today the appointment of Santi Rogers, currently the head of the San Andreas Regional Center in San Jose, as the new director of the Department of Developmental Services (DDS).
The appointment – given the loss to retirement of nearly all of the key department senior staffers over the past several years – was greeted by praise by many policymakers and advocates given his long and varied experience with developmental services. Some advocates and policymakers say that expertise will be critically needed in the coming months and years as the population and needs of people with developmental disabilities continues to rise as resources and funding become increasingly tighter.
The Brown Administration also announced the appointment of John Doyle, a long time analyst covering health and human services with the Governor’s Department of Finance, as the new Chief Deputy Director of the Department of Developmental Services.
Previous director Terri Delgadillo retired from state service in late December after serving for over 7 years as the head of the department. Mark Hutchinson, the previous chief deputy, previously was set to retire at the end of December but extended his stay to January 13th to help with the release of the State budget.
The Department of Developmental Services, with a current budget of $4.4 billion total funds ($2.5 billion of that amount in State general funds), oversees the 21 non-profit regional centers who in turn coordinate services – provided by community-based providers and individuals to over 260,000 eligible children and adults with developmental disabilities. Many of those children and adults with developmental disabilities – and also thousands who are not eligible for regional center funded services – also receive critical services through special education, In-Home Supportive Services, Medi-Cal and other programs.
The department also oversees the operation of four state owned health facilities called “developmental centers” and one smaller facility where (as of December 2013), 1,352 adults with developmental disabilities reside.
ROGERS TASKED WITH REBUILDING DDS LEADERSHIP TEAM
- Diana Dooley, Secretary of the California Health and Human Services Agency, which oversees all the health and human service related state departments, said that Rogers’ long experience in developmental services will be crucial in the task of rebuilding the leadership team at the Department of Developmental Services in the coming months and years while at the same time addressing the growing and continuing needs of the people and families and providers it serves. The new director faces many daunting issues – including the future of the remaining developmental centers, critical funding and resource problems facing the 21 non-profit regional centers and thousands of community-based providers and individuals who provide services.
- In picking Rogers, the Brown Administration went with someone who has a long resume of state service and service in the community dealing with developmental disabilities at every level, including serving as the last director of the state owned and operated Stockton Developmental Center that closed in February 1996. While Rogers has his critics over the years – he is generally widely respected for his expertise on issues and on the developmental services system.
- Doyle has long experience in state service focusing on disability related issues, most recently serving as an analyst on state budget issues for the Department of Finance specifically on developmental services – and also for a time – on issues dealing with the Department of Rehabilitation. Like Rogers, Doyle is also widely respected by many advocates for his expertise and experience on the issues.