The Regional Center of Orange County guide
We may not be the Regional Center of Orange County, but we are the best darn guide that exists for it.
How do I reach RCOC?
RCOC has two offices, in Santa Ana and Cypress. Each has its own phone number. You can take care of most things by phone or email. RCOC’s own website is rcocdd.com.
Santa Ana office
1525 N. Tustin Ave.Santa Ana, CA 92705
Cypress office
10803 Hope St., Suite ACypress, CA 90630
Need help after hours, on a weekend or a holiday? For urgent help that isn’t medical, call the main line at (714) 796-5100.
Mailing something? Both offices use one mailing address: P.O. Box 22010, Santa Ana, CA 92702-2010.
Not with RCOC yet? Call intake at (714) 796-5354. See how it works.
How do I reach my RCOC service coordinator?
Your service coordinator is your contact at RCOC. They plan services with you and ask RCOC to fund them.
- Search your email.RCOC emails end in @rcocdd.com. An old message from your coordinator has their address.
- Call your office.Call the Santa Ana office at (714) 796-5100 or the Cypress office at (714) 796-2900 and ask for your coordinator.
- Don’t know who they are?Email CentralOffice@rcocdd.com or WestOffice@rcocdd.com with the client’s name. Staff can point you to the right person.
- Want someone new?Ask for a different coordinator. Under state law, a coordinator stays only if everyone agrees. Their supervisor can help.
What does RCOC pay for?
RCOC funds services that help children and adults with developmental disabilities live fuller, more independent lives. Each service must be part of your plan, called the IPP.
- Adaptive skills trainingA professional shows them how to do daily tasks at home, like getting ready or cooking, until they can do more on their own.
- RespiteA break for caregivers while another person steps in.
- Behavior servicesHelp with behavior that makes everyday life harder.
- Day programsWeekday programs where adults keep learning and stay connected.
- Help living on your ownSupport for adults who have their own home or want one.
- Social recreation and campClubs, sports, classes and camps.
- RidesHelp getting to a day program or other service.
- DiapersStarting at age 3.
RCOC is the payer of last resort. If insurance, Medi-Cal, IHSS or the school district should pay, they pay first.
RCOC clients qualify for this
It’s called adaptive skills training. A caring professional visits your home and teaches the skills your family chooses, like potty training, dressing, meals, money or riding the bus. Kids, teens and adults can all get it.
- Every professional has a master’s degree
- A caring professional who comes to you
- 9.3 years of experience, on average
- Matched with someone who has helped others with the same struggle
- RCOC pays, so you pay $0
How do I become an RCOC client?
RCOC serves people of any age with a developmental disability who live in Orange County. Applying is free.
Age 3 or over
- Autism
- An intellectual disability
- Cerebral palsy
- Epilepsy
- A condition like an intellectual disability, or one needing similar support
It showed up before 18 and is likely to last. It also makes 3 or more parts of life much harder, like self-care, speech, learning or living on your own.
Under age 3
Babies and toddlers with a delay or disability can get Early Start. Call (714) 796-5354 or send an online inquiry. The application comes in English, Spanish, Vietnamese and Korean.
How it works
- Contact intake.Call (714) 796-5354, email intake@rcocdd.com, or send an online inquiry. An Intake Specialist answers within 2 business days.
- Apply with their help.The Intake Specialist walks you through the application and tells you which records to send.
- RCOC decides.The law gives it up to 120 days. A 3- or 4-year-old can sometimes qualify before having a diagnosis.
More about who qualifies: our eligibility page.
What if RCOC says no?
RCOC has to send its no in writing. That letter is a Notice of Action, and you have the right to appeal.
- Start the appeal.Use the steps in your notice. Appeals go to the state, not RCOC.
- Decide how to settle it.Pick an informal meeting, mediation or a hearing. You can use more than one.
- Get the outcome.It should be finished within 90 days unless delayed.
Want help? Disability Rights California helps families with appeals at no cost.
Where can parents get free help?
Comfort Connection Family Resource Center. RCOC runs it, it’s free, and most of the staff are parents. Many speak Spanish or Vietnamese. It’s on the first floor of the Santa Ana office, weekdays 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Call (714) 558-5400, or read about it.
Quick answers
What does RCOC stand for?
Regional Center of Orange County.
Which cities does RCOC serve?
All of Orange County, from Fullerton and Anaheim to Irvine and San Clemente. You need to live in Orange County to get services from RCOC.
We live in Long Beach or Cerritos. Is that RCOC?
No. Those are in Los Angeles County, with Harbor Regional Center. Check any address with our Regional Center lookup.
Who can apply?
A parent, guardian or conservator, or an adult with a developmental disability. A doctor or someone else can start it too, with the family’s permission.
Can I get an interpreter?
Yes. RCOC has to plan with you in your language, including at the IPP meeting. Ask your service coordinator.
Can my IPP meeting be on video?
Yes. Your coordinator still has to meet the person face to face once a year.
Levi Life Skills provides adaptive skills training at home for Regional Center families, RCOC’s included. We are not RCOC, and this is not its website. Every fact here was checked on RCOC’s and the state’s own websites. If something is out of date, email levi@levilifeskills.com.