National Core Indicators (NCI)

This year’s NCI-IDD In-Person Survey (IPS) is closing on June 30, 2025! The In-Person Survey (IPS) helps improve services for adults receiving services from regional centers. If you’ve been selected, we want to hear from you!
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Let Your Voice Be Heard! NCI In-Person Survey banner

The National Core Indicators (NCI) Survey gives individuals with intellectual/developmental disabilities (I/DD) and their families the opportunity to voluntarily and confidentially participate in surveys to share their experiences on access to and use of regional center and community services.

  • Survey responses help California learn how it is doing compared to other states.
  • Survey responses help the regional centers see what they are doing well and what they can improve.

There are four types of NCI-IDD surveys used in California:

Adult In-Person Survey (IPS)

The In-Person Survey is conducted face-to-face or remotely with individuals who are 18 years or older, have an intellectual/developmental disability, and receive at least one service from the regional center, in addition to case management. The In-Person Survey is administered once every other year and collects data from all 21 regional centers.

Child Family Survey (CFS)

The Child Family Survey is a mailed survey that can be completed on paper or online by parents or guardians who live with the child. The child must be between 3 and 17 years old, have an intellectual/developmental disability, and receive at least one service from the regional center, in addition to case management. The survey is conducted once every other year along with the Adult Family Survey and Family/Guardian Survey.

Adult Family Survey (AFS)

The Adult Family Survey is a mailed survey that can be completed on paper or online by parents or guardians who live with an adult family member with an intellectual/developmental disability. The individual must be 18 years old or older, have an intellectual/developmental disability, and receive at least one service from the regional center, in addition to case management. The survey is conducted once every other year along with the Child Family Survey and Family/Guardian Survey.

Family/Guardian Survey (FGS)

The Family/Guardian Survey is conducted with families or guardians of an adult family member who is 18 years or older, has an intellectual/developmental disability, and does not live with their family or guardian. The individual must also receive at least one service from the regional center, in addition to case management. The survey is administered once every other year along with the Child Family Survey and Adult Family Survey.

Survey Schedule

Fiscal YearAdult In-Person SurveyAdult Family SurveyFamily Guardian SurveyChild Family Survey
2021/22

X

X

X
2022/23

X
2023/24

X

X

X
2024/25

X
2025/26

X

X

X
2026/27

X
2027/28

X

X

X

This toolkit contains information, resources, and tools that are used to promote participation in the current Adult In-Person Survey.

We encourage you to share the promotional flyers and view the constant contact information.

The cover letters and envelopes shown are for awareness purposes and demonstrate the material that is sent out during the current Adult In-Person Survey cycle.

Promotional Flyers

Survey Announcement:

This is a copy of the survey announcement emailed to regional centers via Constant Contact, which is sent at the beginning of every survey cycle.

Cover Letter:

These PDFs are an example of the letter that is mailed to the potential person surveyed to inform them of the survey process.

The In-Person Survey cover letter was translated into 17 languages. The following PDFs are examples that demonstrate the languages available to individuals.

Envelope:

These PDFs are an example of the envelope mailed to the potential person surveyed.

NCI California Interactive Dashboards

The interactive dashboard tools invite individuals to explore findings from NCI surveys from across the state of California. There are three ways to view NCI data:

How to Navigate NCI Interactive Dashboards

Reports

Fiscal Year (FY) 20/21

Fiscal Year (FY) 17/18

Previous FY Reports

Fiscal Year (FY) 17/18

Fiscal Year (FY) 21/22

Fiscal Year (FY) 19/20

Fiscal Year (FY) 16/17

Previous FY Reports

Fiscal Year (FY) 19/20

Fiscal Year (FY) 16/17

Fiscal Year (FY) 21/22

Fiscal Year (FY) 19/20

Fiscal Year (FY) 16/17

Previous FY Reports

Fiscal Year (FY) 19/20

Fiscal Year (FY) 16/17

Fiscal Year (FY) 21/22

Fiscal Year (FY) 18/19

Previous FY Reports

Fiscal Year (FY) 18/19

If you notice an error on a published report or handout please email ncihelp@dds.ca.gov

Importance of NCI

Three-minute video of self-advocates providing reasons that NCI is important.

Information about the Adult In-Person Survey

What to Know about the NCI Survey

This video helps you explore the In-Person Survey. Exploring its purpose, your rights as a participant, the steps we take to protect your privacy, and how your response help make improvements. Watch the video to learn how your voice makes a difference!

Resources

If you have any questions about the National Core Indicators (NCI) surveys, you can send an email to ncihelp@dds.ca.gov. The team at this email address can help answer your questions and give more information about NCI surveys.


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Last modified: April 17, 2025