Kern Regional Center

What Kern Regional Center does

Kern Regional Center (KRC) is a private, nonprofit organization founded in 1971 and headquartered in Bakersfield, California, operating under contract with the California Department of Developmental Services (DDS) to coordinate community-based services for individuals with developmental disabilities. KRC is one of 21 regional centers established under the Lanterman Developmental Disabilities Services Act of 1969 and serves as the statutory service-coordination entity for Kern, Inyo, and Mono Counties — a catchment of approximately 22,000 square miles and a population exceeding 945,000. The organization serves over 10,000 clients annually through a staff of more than 350 employees distributed across five offices (Bakersfield HQ plus Delano, Bishop, Ridgecrest, and Tehachapi branch offices).

KRC's service portfolio spans the full developmental disability service continuum: eligibility assessment (provided free of charge), Individual Program Planning (IPP), Early Start early intervention (birth to age 3), the Self-Determination Program (participant-directed budgets), Person-Centered Practices training, Employment First job placement, HCBS Final Rule compliance monitoring, and Foster Grandparent and Senior Companion volunteer programs funded through the Corporation for National and Community Service. Service delivery operates through a vendorized network of 100+ authorized service providers rather than direct clinical provision. The supporting technology stack is operationally focused: an E-Billing portal for vendor invoicing, a Learning Portal and LMS for training and Self-Determination orientations, Zoom-based hybrid meeting infrastructure, and a multilingual website (10 languages) and Service Provider Directory. KRC is governed by a Board of Directors with mandated county representation and operates through public advisory committees (SDAC, CAC, VAC) and monthly public board meetings.

The revenue model is a single-source managed-services contract with the California DDS, with funding flowing from state appropriations through DDS to KRC and onward to vendored providers via Purchase of Service authorizations. Services are provided at no cost to eligible individuals. The organization pursues a community-led go-to-market approach anchored by in-person and virtual listening sessions, vendor fairs, advisory committees, public board meetings, social media (Facebook, X, Instagram), Constant Contact newsletters, and multilingual consumer materials. The strategic posture is one of regulatory-compliant service delivery within a fixed statutory catchment rather than competitive market expansion.

Name

Kern Regional Center

Legal name

Kern Regional Center

Website

https://kernrc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1971

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Kern Regional Center is a private nonprofit contracted by California's Department of Developmental Services to coordinate community-based services for over 10,000 individuals with developmental disabilities across Kern, Inyo, and Mono Counties.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Developmental Disability Services

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120), Child and Youth Services (624110)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Child Day Care Services (8351)

akta.pro primary industry

Down Syndrome & Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities (IDD) Childcare (HSAAAIAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Specialized Assisted Living for Developmental/Intellectual Disabilities (Adult) (HLADABAJ), Special Needs Adult Day Programs (Developmental/Physical Disabilities, Seniors) (HLADAIAI), Special Needs Early Intervention & Preschool Programs (EDAKAAAE)

Keywords

• Developmental disability services
• Service coordination programs
• Early intervention services
• Community-based support
• Nonprofit social services

Headquarters

HQ city

Bakersfield

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. State Contract Revenue (DDS): Kern Regional Center is a private, nonprofit organization funded under a contract with the California Department of Developmental Services (DDS). The organization coordinates community-based services and support for individuals with developmental disabilities. Services such as diagnosis and assessment are provided free of charge to eligible individuals. Revenue flows from state government appropriations passed through DDS to the 21 regional centers across California.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Kern Regional Center coordinates community-based developmental disability services for individuals and families across Kern, Inyo, and Mono Counties under contract with the California Department of Developmental Services. Core offerings include eligibility assessment and diagnosis, Individual Program Planning (IPP), the Early Start early intervention program for infants and toddlers, the Self-Determination Program with participant-controlled budgets, the Foster Grandparent and Senior Companion volunteer programs, Person-Centered Practices training, Employment First job placement support, and HCBS compliance monitoring for service providers.

Product overview

Kern Regional Center operates as a single, unified social services organization offering a coordinated portfolio of developmental disability support services rather than a software product platform. The core offerings include developmental disability case management, Early Start early intervention services, Foster Grandparent and Senior Companion volunteer programs, the Self-Determination Program for participant-directed care, Person-Centered Practices training, HCBS compliance monitoring services, Employment First job placement support, and a Service Provider Directory. These services are delivered through a network of five office locations across Kern, Inyo, and Mono counties, with the Learning Portal providing online access to training and orientation materials. The organization does not offer a traditional software product but rather provides human services coordination under contract with the California Department of Developmental Services (DDS).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Developmental Disability Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Serves over 10,000 clients across Kern, Inyo, and Mono Counties covering approximately 22,000 square miles.
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• The Columbus OrganizationminorOthers · 13 April 2017The Columbus Organization entered into a contract with Kern Regional Center (April 13, 2017) and a First Amendment to the Agreement (October 2017). This appears to be a contracted service provider relationship under Special Contract Language from DDS. Details of the specific services are documented in corrective action documents.
• Bakersfield ARCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBakersfield ARC partners with KRC on multiple HCBS compliance initiatives including a monthly newsletter, webinar training, and Community of Practice meetings for residential and non-residential service providers. Bakersfield ARC also provides a Peer Mentor for residential services and day programs, and developed a self-paced 31-module HCBS training through RELIAS with CEUs approved by KRC.
• Valley Achievement CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerValley Achievement Center collaborates with KRC's Person-Centered trainers in the Learning Community to offer person-centered training to service coordinators, DSPs, service providers, and community members. Valley Achievement Center is also coordinating the G.R.O.W. (Guidance, Rights, Opportunities, and Well-Being) peer-led initiative for individuals served by the regional center.
• Positive Purpose ConsultingminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPositive Purpose Consulting offers training and support with HCBS assessments and technical assistance for providers. They have conducted perspective-shift trainings with Dr. Tom Pomeranz at KRC and offer Employment Training and Community informational presentation series.
• Tri-Counties Regional CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThrough the HCBS Compliance Funding, the Peer Partnership Funding project was formed as a collaboration of service providers with Tri-Counties Regional Center to create an HCBS Workbook titled 'Living Well In My Community - A Guide to HCBS Standards and Person-Centered Practices.' TCRC also created a series of animated HCBS videos as an educational resource.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Alta California Regional Center: One of California's 21 nonprofit regional centers serving Sacramento, Yolo, Placer, Nevada, Sierra, Sutter, Yuba, and Colusa counties. Operates the same DDS-contracted service-coordination model for individuals with developmental disabilities.
• Tri-Counties Regional Center: Another California nonprofit regional center under DDS contract serving a multi-county catchment (San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Ventura). Direct peer that operates the same Lanterman Act service-coordination model and is already collaborating with KRC on HCBS resources.
• Golden Gate Regional Center: California nonprofit regional center serving Marin, San Francisco, and San Mateo counties under the same Lanterman Act framework. Direct peer operating identical DD service-coordination, IPP, and vendor oversight functions.
• San Diego Regional Center: California nonprofit regional center serving San Diego and Imperial counties under the same Lanterman Act framework. Comparable DD service-coordination structure, vendor model, and contracting relationship with DDS.
• Far Northern Regional Center: California nonprofit regional center serving a large rural, multi-county catchment in far northern California. Comparable DD service-coordination model to KRC, especially relevant given both serve geographically dispersed populations.
• Valley Mountain Regional Center: California nonprofit regional center serving Amador, Calaveras, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, and Tuolumne counties. Direct DD service-coordination peer under the same state DDS contract framework.
• Eastern Los Angeles Regional Center: One of the larger of California's 21 regional centers, serving a dense, multilingual population in eastern LA County. Direct peer in DD case management, IPP development, and vendor oversight under the same DDS contract structure.
• North Bay Regional Center: California nonprofit regional center serving Napa, Solano, and Sonoma counties. Direct DDS-contracted peer focused on case management, IPP, and provider oversight for individuals with developmental disabilities.
• Inland Regional Center: California nonprofit regional center serving Riverside and San Bernardino counties under the same DDS contract and Lanterman Act framework. Notably, KRC expanded in 1990 by taking over Inyo/Mono territory from Inland Regional Center.
• Redwood Coast Regional Center: California nonprofit regional center serving Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, and Mendocino counties. Operates the same DDS-contracted model for DD service coordination across a rural, geographically dispersed catchment similar to KRC.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Kernregionalctr
• Facebookfacebook.com/kernregionalcenter
• Instagraminstagram.com/kernregionalcenter
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kern-regional-center

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Kern Regional Center