A friend has suggested that we take our ten-year-old son with Williams syndrome to the Regional Center that serves our county. What does a Regional Center do?

There are 12 Regional Centers in Missouri that provide services to individuals with Developmental Disabilities or other serious disabilities that occur before the age of 22. Operated under the auspices of the Missouri Department of Mental Health, Division of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities (MR/DD), Regional Centers are the primary point of entry into the MR/DD service system. They help determine eligibility for services, such as assessment and case management, based on each individual’s situation and according to state statute. Regional Centers provide services in specific geographic areas, and each county in Missouri is served by at least one Regional Center. To find out which Regional Center serves your county, you can call the Missouri Department of Mental Health Central Office at 800-364-9687 or visit www.mpcdd.com.