1. Porterville Developmental Center
(PDC)
By
Guadalupe Rodarte

2. Porterville Developmental Center
(PDC)
• PDC is one of four developmental centers in the state of California that
serves individuals with developmental disabilities. The facility provides 24
hour supervision for individuals who are diagnosed with a developmental
disability, who have serious medical or behavior problems.
• PDC provides services to a variety of clients and each client is assigned
into one of the several programs found within the facility. Within the
programs several units are found which is where the client live.

3. Organizational Structure
• The governing bodies over see
the entire facility.
• Governing Bodies:
– Department of Developmental
Services
– Executive Director
– Clinical Director
– Administrative Services
Director
– Medical Director

4. Organizational Structure within the
Programs
• Programs within PDC
– Program Director
– Assistant Director
– Interdisciplinary Team (IDT)
of each home unit: the client,
the family or legal
representative, and PDC staff
such as physicians,
psychologists, nurses,
psychiatric technicians, social
workers, chaplains,
rehabilitation and speech
therapists, teachers, dietitians
and pharmacists

5. Decision Making For the Client
• The IDT creates an individual
program plan using a person-
centered planning process, which
states all the information known
about the client, behaviors,
medications, and
recommendations.
• The IDT decides what treatment
and programming is best for the
client
• The client and family is involved
in the planning process but
ultimately the teams decides what
services the client needs
• Clients states goals and it goes
into the Individual Plan
• The client has the right to refuse
treatment , programming, and
medication
• Professional Judgment is used to
limit the rights of providing input
into Plan. This is because the
client poses a hard to self and
others.
• Treatment and programming is
done to help client build skills
that will help them once they
enter the community and they are
able to attain self-determination

6. Funding
• The Department of
Developmental Services (DDS) is
responsible for the funding of the
facility
• The State General Funds Savings
is a primary source of funding for
the facility
• Facility also receives some
Federal funding
• Facility also can receive state and
federal grants if they apply for
them

7. Community Context
• Client’s background:
– Born developmentally delayed
– Born with a chronic medical
problem
– Developed a chronic medical
problem or mental disorder due to
an accident
– Some have history of mental
illness in family
– Some experience neglect as a
child as well as come from low
income families
– Some come from group homes,
jail, and have experienced abuse
themselves either by a family
member or a stranger.
• The IDT is responsible in allocating
the appropriate services to the clients
based on their needs.
• IDT develops an Individual Program
Plan using a person-centered planning
process
• Services: health care, education for
clients under age 22, on-site
employment, preparation for
independent living, leisure activities,
behavior management, as well as life
skills, substance abuse, and sex
offender relapse trainings.

8. Population-at-Risk at PDC
• PDC provides services to developmentally disabled adolescences and adults
• PDC is divided into two different areas
• General Treatment Area (GTA)
– Individuals diagnosed with a
mental disorder/ Mental
Retardation
– Many of the clients in the
GTA are diagnosed with
severe chronic medical or
behavior problems
• Secure Treatment Area (STA)
– 1/3 of the clients in the STA
require services in a secure
treatment program
– Clients are diagnosed with mild
to moderate mental disorder
– Face problems with the law:
murder, rape, burglary, property
destruction, or AWOL etc…
– Been determined to be a danger
to self or others
– Are incompetent to stand trial
– Serve probation time at PDC

9. Mission and Aims
• “The mission of PDC is to empower individuals to become independent,
competent, responsible and caring individuals through the provision of
personalized supports and treatment programs.”
• “PDC is committed to providing World-Class Services for people who
require a supervised, structured environment, inclusive of activities and
programs designed to advance each person’s capabilities, level of
independence and responsibility”.
• PDC is devoted in providing services to clients “that are individualized,
responsive to needs and supportive of choices, while providing supports
that foster good health, security, and development.”

10. Analyzing the Agency’s Practices
• To accomplish the mission and
aims PDC staff receives monthly
and yearly trainings that provide
staff with information to better
serve their population
• Psychologist of the IDT provides
staff on the unit with training on a
variety of information regarding
how to work more effectively
with clients.
• Professional staff has monthly
meetings and receives training in
the area of their expertise.
• Each program has morning
meetings: The social worker,
psychologist, program
coordinator, unit supervisor of
each unit attends along with the
program director and assistant to
discuss the previous day and ways
to improve treatment and
programming for a client who
needs changes in program plan.

11. Social Justice and Human Rights at
PDC
• PDC values the dignity of each
client and provides services to
each client irrespective of their
history
• Weekly meetings are held with
the Behavior Management
Committee of the facility to
ensure the clients rights are not
being violated in regards to plans
and medication
• Client’s have access to a Client’s
Right Advocate
• The clients’ rights are protected
by the law, by the facility policy,
and by the practices in the facility

12. Social Work Values
• It is crucial for social workers at PDC to advocate for their clients and
ensure that they are treated with dignity
• Treat each client equally without judging their past history and reason for
placement
• Ensuring staff is treating clients with respect
• Empower the client: listening, talking, and providing training
• Social workers at PDC should work with the team and participate in the
development, evaluation, and revision of program policies as related to the
services needs, civil and legal rights, and psychosocial development of
clients
• Keep current list of client’s relatives and provide the staff with the
information
• Act as a liaison between parents, guardians/conservators, regional center,
court, other agencies, and the facility
• Along with the IDT work together to prepare client to enter the community