California Disability Services Association

03/20/2026

Check out the next installment of our conversations with candidates for California Governor! We will be hosting Tom Steyer on Thursday, March 26 at 10:00 am PST!

REGISTER NOW: https://cal-dsa.org/CAGovLC

Hosted by the Lanterman Coalition, this forum is part of a statewide nonpartisan interview series. The live webinar will include a Q&A, with the opportunity for attendees to submit questions.

We will ask every candidate the same questions about how they will protect and strengthen the promise of the Lanterman Act. This landmark civil rights law guarantees services and supports for Californians with intellectual and developmental disabilities. In the face of federal changes and growing uncertainty, candidates will share how they plan to preserve California’s commitment to disability rights, essential services, dignity, and inclusion.

Check out the complete series and register for future events: https://TheLantermanCoalition.org/Events

03/17/2026

CDSA was proud to present Assemblymember Liz Ortega with our Legislative Leadership Award last week during our conference! Assemblymember Ortega authored AB 815, our bill to protect direct support professionals (DSPs) from being forced into costly insurance coverage. Her leadership will help to ensure Californians with disabilities receive the support they need to live and thrive in their communities.

Thank you for your partnership and commitment to our essential direct support workforce!

For years, caregivers to persons with disabilities had trouble getting auto insurance and paid inflated rates due to misclassification. My bill, AB 815, changed that. Thank you to the CA Disability Services Association for your advocacy and for awarding me the 2026 Legislative Leadership Award!

03/11/2026

March is Developmental Disability Awareness Month and we're celebrating how we always do: advocacy! Today, CDSA members, self-advocates, families, and direct support professionals are spreading awareness at the State Capitol. They're in meetings with all 120 state legislators.

This good-looking group got trained on advocacy skills and public policy issues yesterday. Tag yourself and your organization if you were in this crowd!

02/19/2026

CDSA Executive Director Barry Jardini is emceeing the next installment of our LantermanCoalition conversations with candidates for California Governor! We will be hosting California State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond on Monday, February 23 at 2:00 pm PST!

REGISTER NOW: https://cal-dsa.org/CAGovLC

Hosted by the Lanterman Coalition, this forum is part of a statewide nonpartisan interview series. The live webinar will include a Q&A, with the opportunity for attendees to submit questions.

We will ask every candidate the same questions about how they will protect and strengthen the promise of the Lanterman Act. This landmark civil rights law guarantees services and supports for Californians with intellectual and developmental disabilities. In the face of federal changes and growing uncertainty, candidates will share how they plan to preserve California’s commitment to disability rights, essential services, dignity, and inclusion.

Check out the complete series and register for future events: https://TheLantermanCoalition.org/Events

02/18/2026

The next installment of our LantermanCoalition conversations with candidates for California Governor is TODAY, February 18 at 1:00 pm PST! This session will feature former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio R. Villaraigosa.

REGISTER NOW: https://cal-dsa.org/CAGovLC

Hosted by the Lanterman Coalition, this forum is part of a statewide nonpartisan interview series. The live webinar will include a Q&A, with the opportunity for attendees to submit questions.

We will ask every candidate the same questions about how they will protect and strengthen the promise of the Lanterman Act. This landmark civil rights law guarantees services and supports for Californians with intellectual and developmental disabilities. In the face of federal changes and growing uncertainty, candidates will share how they plan to preserve California’s commitment to disability rights, essential services, dignity, and inclusion.

Check out the complete series and register for future events: https://TheLantermanCoalition.org/Events

02/09/2026

The next installment of our LantermanCoalition conversations with candidates for California Governor is this Friday, February 13 at 1:00 pm PST! CDSA Executive Director Barry Jardini will be interviewing former US Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra.

REGISTER NOW: https://cal-dsa.org/CAGovLC

Hosted by the Lanterman Coalition, this forum is part of a statewide nonpartisan interview series. The live webinar will include a Q&A, with the opportunity for attendees to submit questions.

We will ask every candidate the same questions about how they will protect and strengthen the promise of the Lanterman Act. This landmark civil rights law guarantees services and supports for Californians with intellectual and developmental disabilities. In the face of federal changes and growing uncertainty, candidates will share how they plan to preserve California’s commitment to disability rights, essential services, dignity, and inclusion.

Check out the complete series and register for future events: https://TheLantermanCoalition.org/Events

01/26/2026

Join CDSA and the LantermanCoalition today at 2:00 pm PST to kick off our conversations with candidates for California Governor! CDSA Executive Director Barry Jardini will be interviewing former California State Controller Betty Yee for California.

REGISTER NOW: bit.ly/GovernorCandidatesCA

Hosted by the Lanterman Coalition, this forum is part of a statewide nonpartisan interview series. The live webinar will include a Q&A, with the opportunity for attendees to submit questions.

We will ask every candidate the same questions about how they will protect and strengthen the promise of the Lanterman Act. This landmark civil rights law guarantees services and supports for Californians with intellectual and developmental disabilities. In the face of federal changes and growing uncertainty, candidates will share how they plan to preserve California’s commitment to disability rights, essential services, dignity, and inclusion.

Check out the complete series and register for future events: https://TheLantermanCoalition.org/Events

12/09/2025

10/16/2025

Governor Gavin Newsom has officially signed AB 815 (Ortega) into law!

This bill is an important win for Californians with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and especially the direct support professionals (DSPs) who serve them. By protecting DSPs from being misclassified on their personal auto insurance, AB 815 ensures they can continue supporting Californians with IDD in their communities without risking their coverage.

CDSA proudly sponsored AB 815 in partnership with Assemblymember Liz Ortega and California Behavioral Health Association. We are deeply grateful to state leaders for their strong support of Californians with IDD and the direct support workforce.

This success is also a testament to the powerful advocacy of our members, whose dedication helped drive this change forward for the DSPs and the people they serve. Thank you to everyone who made this a reality!

10/13/2025

CDSA staff went truly statewide last week! We started in Fresno at the Bridging Horizons Conference, where we attended the Bridge Builder Awards on Wednesday and participated in the vendor fair for the rest of the week. Executive Director Barry Jardini joined the fun in Fresno on Friday to speak on a panel alongside ARCA - Association of Regional Center Agencies and California Department of Developmental Services, after presenting to the Supported Life Conference in Sacramento on Thursday. Meanwhile, CDSA staff joined our Inland Empire Caucus in Riverside on Thursday evening to honor dedicated community partners.

We are grateful for the opportunity to contribute to disability community events. Thank you to all our members who work every day to build community across California.

10/08/2025

CDSA is honored to join our members and the larger disability community today at the Bridging Horizons Conference, celebrating Assemblymember Dr. Joaquin Arambula with this year’s Bridge Builder Award!

Dr. Arambula has long been a champion for equity and access for Californians with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), their families, and the direct support workforce that serves them. His leadership and dedication to our community truly reflect the spirit of this award.

As a valued partner to the disability community, he has played a pivotal role in improving funding for disability services. This year, Dr. Arambula worked with CDSA to pass HR 70, which recognized the vital contributions of the direct support workforce in California.

Please join us in congratulating Dr. Arambula for this much deserved award, and thanking him for his work on behalf of Californians with disabilities.

09/25/2025

So grateful that representatives of local elected officials like Assemblymember Tasha Boerner joined us in Carlsbad to celebrate our exceptional DSP Empowerment Award winners! Please join us in thanking the district staff who spent their evening learning more about the the incredible impact our DSPs make for Californians with disabilities every day. Listening and carrying the message makes a difference too.

The California Disability Services Association gathered in Carlsbad for a three-day conference with over 100 organizations dedicated to supporting Californians with disabilities.

was proud to celebrate Direct Support Professionals—the heart of this work — whose initiative, adaptability, and resilience ensure outstanding care every day. 🌟👏