The California Department of Developmental Services (DDS) helps Californians with developmental disabilities access the support they need—from early therapies for toddlers to adult programs like vocational training and residential care. At the heart of this system are 21 regional centers, connecting individuals to caregivers of essential services.

While this network plays a vital role for Californians, the systems supporting it were not suited to keep pace with growing needs. Behind the scenes, DDS’s supporting systems were outdated and fragmented. The biggest challenge: each regional center operated in a silo, relying on paper-based processes and inconsistent practices for provider applications and approvals. Providers were challenged with redundant paperwork, conflicting requirements, and long delays. DDS leaders, meanwhile, had little visibility into the statewide network, making it challenging to track compliance, identify gaps, or effectively allocate resources. For individuals with developmental disabilities and families, this could translate into slower access to critical services and missed care opportunities.

Families and providers alike felt the strain, including:

• Incorrect and incomplete data: Manual updates translated to errors and outdated records, introducing risk.
• Limited oversight: DDS couldn’t see how providers operated across regions, undermining compliance and decision-making.
• Service gaps: Families struggled to find specialized services when regional centers couldn’t easily share information.

Recognizing these challenges, state legislators tasked DDS with modernizing and standardizing its provider management processes. Beyond a system upgrade, this marked an opportunity for a cultural shift—engendering trust and demonstrating the power of ongoing digital transformation.

DDS partnered with Slalom to bring a bold idea to life: the organization’s first centralized, digital provider directory. Before implementation, DDS led an extensive data-cleansing effort, untangling more than a million legacy records to create a single, reliable source of truth. The result unified data across all 21 regional centers, replacing decades of disconnected systems and manual work and paving the way for statewide digital transformation.

The new directory, built on a flexible ServiceNow platform, also introduced automated workflows, role-based permissions, and real-time validation by helping ensure provider updates were routed to the right regional center, checked for accuracy, and approved quickly—all while protecting sensitive data. More than a static repository, this became a living system, continuously updating and adapting as the provider community grows.

The platform also delivered modern capabilities that further streamlined DDS operations, including:

• A provider self-service portal: Secure invitations let providers review, update, and validate their own information. No more handwritten pages or lost sticky notes. For the first time, they owned their data, gaining unprecedented visibility and control while sharply reducing DDS’s administrative burden.
• Automated workflows: Change requests triggered automated approval processes routed to the right regional center.
• Role-based permissions: DDS staff and regional centers were given tailored, role-based access to protect sensitive data and ensure accuracy.
• Data validation processes: Automated import checks help maintain data integrity by flagging common formatting issues, such as misplaced commas, before new information is added to the directory.

DDS’s transformation was as much about people as technology. Early on, it became apparent that success meant earning trust across 21 regional centers and the service provider community that had weathered years of disconnected systems and change fatigue. Through a focused organizational change management effort, the Slalom team led with empathy—using interviews, readiness assessments, and clear communication to build a shared vision and get all stakeholders on the same page prior to implementation.

Slalom also created a clear roadmap and flexible training model that met staff where they were. Bite-sized videos, visual job aids, and more than 80 targeted communications helped CA DDS teams navigate new tools and workflows, while continued post-launch support reinforced adoption.

What started with skepticism ended in shared ownership as transformation became part of everyday practice. By blending technology with a people-first approach, DDS created a workforce ready to keep innovation moving across the state’s developmental services network.

Our partnership with CA DDS delivered results right out of the gate, with measurable improvements rippling across the statewide network. Within months of launch, DDS transformed statewide provider management—boosting accuracy, efficiency, and visibility across 21 regional centers.

With phase one complete, DDS and Slalom are already planning enhancements. These include capturing additional details, such as languages spoken by providers, to help regional centers better and more easily match consumers with the right services and providers.

Looking ahead, DDS envisions a fully modernized digital ecosystem to support its mission—with the directory at the heart. Future capabilities will include:

• Enhanced provider-facing portals: Built on the same centralized directory, this enhanced portal will allow new and old providers alike to apply for vendorization and track their applications in real time.
• Advanced analytics: Leveraging the centralized directory’s data, leaders can generate insights that inform policy, highlight service gaps, forecast demand, and direct resources where they’re needed most.
• Expanded integrations: The centralized directory will serve as the hub that links provider data across agencies, connecting with other statewide systems to create a seamless experience for providers, staff, and families.

More than a simple tech upgrade, this project lays the foundation for a modern, scalable system that can adapt to California’s evolving needs for generations—powered by a flexible, user-friendly ServiceNow platform. By showing that meaningful change is possible, together we’ve created momentum for future initiatives. What began as a response to provider frustration is now a model for how state agencies can modernize complex systems and improve lives through human-centered digital transformation.