August 2026 BZ Connect

Edition NOVEMBER 2025 Board Members, As we move into FY 2026/2027, I remain encouraged by both our near-term performance and the longer-term position we are building for Options For All. We closed the first month of the fiscal year with $571k in operating income, outperforming budget.

While one month does not define a year, it is a strong start and reflects the financial discipline that continues to give us the flexibility to invest in our people, programs, and future. At the same time, we are beginning our 2025/2026 annual audit, which will continue through the end of the calendar year.

Maintaining strong financial controls, transparency, and accountability remains foundational to our stewardship responsibilities.

Our program growth indicators are also moving in a positive direction. Through August 26, our goalcarrying programs had produced net growth of 21 participants, with Community Engagement and Film & Media demonstrating particularly encouraging momentum. Supported Employment also continues to perform above its maintain-level expectations.

I am equally encouraged by what we are seeing in engagement. Our employee Net Promoter Score came back at +65, our highest score on record, while our client NPS came back at +64. I believe those results are connected. When we put people first, create a workplace where team members feel valued and connected to our mission, and give them the support they need to succeed, that engagement carries forward into the experiences they create for our clients. Strong culture is not separate from strong service. It is one of the reasons strong service happens.

More important than any single month’s results is the work underway to strengthen OFA for the years ahead. Our Experience Map, leadership and talent development work, Community Engagement enhancement, and emerging advocacy strategy are intentional investments in our organizational infrastructure. They strengthen the employee experience, deepen our leadership bench, improve the quality and consistency of our services, and create a stronger voice for the people and families we serve.

These initiatives represent good organizational practice on their own. They also have strategic significance. As we continue preparing for Project Horizon, this work positions OFA from a place of strength. A strong culture, capable leaders, scalable programs, disciplined systems, and a clear advocacy voice will make us a more formidable organization as we consider the opportunities ahead.

Our goal is not simply to become larger. It is to make sure OFA is ready to grow while protecting the culture, quality, and mission that have made our success possible.

That same philosophy guides how we think about expansion. Our work toward a greater presence in Los Angeles continues, although coordination with our Regional Center partners has moved more slowly than anticipated. We will remain patient and disciplined. The right growth matters more than fast growth, and every opportunity must strengthen our mission and long-term position.

I continue to believe OFA is entering an important chapter. We have financial strength, improving growth momentum, record employee engagement, strong client advocacy, and several strategic initiatives designed not only for today, but for what comes next. If we continue to put people first, manage effectively, take accountability, foster belonging, and do the right thing, we can pursue ambitious opportunities without losing sight of who we are.

Thank you for your continued partnership, stewardship, and confidence in our team.

Brian

OFA PILLARS Best Place to Work Learning and Growing Together Through Our Summer Internship Program This summer, Options For All had the opportunity to welcome a talented group of interns who brought fresh perspectives, new ideas, and great energy to teams across the organization. Throughout their internships, they contributed to meaningful projects and gained hands-on experience that will help prepare them for the next steps in their careers.

Just as importantly, the experience was a learning opportunity for OFA. Our interns challenged us to think differently, offered valuable perspectives, and reminded us of the importance of creating opportunities for the next generation of professionals to learn and grow.

We are proud of the impact our interns made this summer and grateful that Options For All could play a part in their career journeys. We look forward to seeing where those journeys take them next!

Deliver Exceptional Services Preparing for DOR’s Order of Selection The California Department of Rehabilitation (DOR) is moving toward Order of Selection (OOS), a process used when a state does not have sufficient resources to serve all individuals eligible for vocational rehabilitation services. Under California’s approach, new eligible clients will be placed on waiting lists based on priority categories until resources become available.

Options For All has been preparing for this possibility, and the financial impact has already been incorporated into our planning. Our Employment Services teams are also increasing their focus on Regional Center-funded services to further diversify our funding mix. At the same time, we may see increased opportunities for assessment and employment-readiness services as DOR evaluates individuals entering the system.

One program affected will be You Better WERK, our partnership with Stepping Stone, which may be placed on hold as access to DOR services becomes limited. Despite its short duration, the program has already demonstrated meaningful impact. Since launching March 1, 49 individuals have received assistance navigating DOR, with 39 successfully moving forward with services. Participants are pursuing education and training, developing employment plans, and beginning to secure employment.

While we await additional guidance from DOR, OFA is well positioned to adapt to these changes while continuing to identify pathways that connect individuals with meaningful employment opportunities.

Changes to CARF Accreditation Requirements Following recent direction from the California Department of Developmental Services (DDS) and Department of Rehabilitation (DOR), CARF accreditation is no longer being enforced as a requirement for DOR certification, vendorization, or payment during this interim period.

Based on this change, Options For All will not pursue renewal of its CARF accreditation when our current accreditation expires on February 28, 2027. This shift will allow us to redirect the time and resources associated with accreditation while continuing to meet applicable DOR and Regional Center requirements and maintain our commitment to quality services and continuous improvement.

We will continue working closely with our state and Regional Center partners as additional guidance becomes available and will monitor any future changes to accreditation requirements.

Expanding Project SEARCH in the Inland Empire Options For All recently secured courtesy vendorization through Inland Regional Center (IRC) for a Project SEARCH participant, allowing us to serve two individuals from the IRC catchment area at our LEGOLAND Project SEARCH site.

Beyond supporting these participants, this creates an important opportunity to demonstrate the strength of the Project SEARCH model and the competitive integrated employment outcomes it can produce. It also establishes OFA within IRC’s system as we begin exploring opportunities to potentially develop a provider-operated Project SEARCH site within the region.

With DDS working toward a dedicated Project SEARCH service code, this early foothold could position OFA well for future growth and allow us to expand access to this proven workforce development model in the Inland Empire.

Have a Thriving Business Model JULY FINANCIALS We closed the month of July, our first month of the new 2026/2027 fiscal year.

The driving factors behind our performance include: •

Community Engagement (CE) attendance continues to outperform budgeted expectations, contributing positively to overall program performance

•

Wages were below budget due to timing of several planned new hires and open positions

•

Continued focus on operational efficiency and disciplined expense management contributed to the strong July results

JULY FINANCIALS: • Revenue: $3,131,296 • Expenses: $2,250,006 • Net Operating Income (operating profit): $571K vs. Budget of $268K

INDUSTRY NEWS State Level California Proposes More Consistent Access to Regional Center Services The Administration is advancing a proposal now called Equitable Access to Intake and Services, aimed at creating greater consistency and equity within California’s developmental services system. Originally introduced during the May Revision as the Equitable and Consistent Needs Assessment, the proposal has been renamed to better reflect its two distinct components.

The first would establish a standardized intake eligibility assessment process across California’s regional centers. While eligibility requirements would remain unchanged, the proposal seeks to ensure individuals are assessed through a consistent process regardless of where they live.

The second component would replace the existing Client Development Evaluation Report (CDER) with a more modern, person-centered evaluation focused on an individual’s strengths and needs. The new evaluation would serve as a resource for Individual Program Plan (IPP) teams while preserving the team’s role in determining appropriate services and supports.

Importantly, the proposal would not change eligibility definitions, remove existing eligibility, replace the IPP process, or limit person-centered planning. Both components would also include opportunities for community input and require legislative approval before implementation.

The proposal builds upon recommendations from California’s Master Plan for Developmental Services and reflects a broader effort to make access to the developmental services system more consistent and equitable statewide.

California Prepares for New Federal Work Requirements California is preparing for new federal work requirements that could affect individuals receiving CalFresh and Medi-Cal, including people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The requirements are expected to begin for CalFresh in October 2026 and Medi-Cal in January 2027.

Under the new federal law, certain adults will be required to complete qualifying activities to maintain benefits unless they meet an exemption.

DDS estimates approximately 15,500 individuals receiving regional center services are part of the Medi-Cal population potentially subject to the new requirements.

To help protect access to benefits, the California Departments of Developmental Services, Health Care Services, and Social Services are working with counties to use existing data to identify regional center clients who may qualify for exemptions. The goal is to automatically identify eligible individuals when possible, reducing the need for them to provide additional documentation during the renewal process.

The state is also developing guidance for regional centers to help individuals navigate upcoming Medi-Cal and CalFresh renewals. California is simultaneously challenging portions of the federal requirements in court, citing concerns that administrative and reporting requirements could cause eligible individuals to lose healthcare coverage.

California Recognizes Direct Support Professionals We are excited to share that ACR 232 has officially passed the California Legislature, recognizing September 13–19, 2026, as Direct Support Professional Recognition Week throughout California. The resolution, authored by Assemblymember John Harabedian and coauthored by Senator Eloise Gómez Reyes, passed the Assembly on August 10 and the Senate on August 20.

The resolution recognizes the essential role DSPs play in supporting Californians with intellectual and developmental disabilities to live independently, participate in their communities, and access greater opportunities for inclusion. It also recognizes DSPs across the state for their dedication, expertise, and contributions toward building a more inclusive and accessible California.

This recognition is especially meaningful for Options For All, where our DSPs bring our mission to life every day. We are proud to see their profession and impact formally recognized by the State of California and look forward to celebrating our team during DSP Recognition Week this September.

PROJECT HORIZON Not much new to report since last month, but we passed an important milestone: our formal kick-off with CFHS. This marks the start of Stage 1 of the three-stage process, OFA's internal readiness assessment, where CFHS will evaluate our organizational, financial, and operational readiness for a potential merger. We're now in the process of pulling together the documents CFHS has requested to support that review, and I'll keep the Board updated as that work progresses.

Looking ahead, I'm attending a conference for CEOs in Chicago in October, where nonprofit mergers will be the central theme. There, I will be meeting with CFHS's CEO. That conversation will focus on Stage 2, which includes a formal presentation to the Board at our Annual Strategy meeting, and it's also an opportunity to reiterate OFA's strategic aims for the merger directly with the CFHS team.

IT TAKES A VILLAGE Expanding Opportunities Through Special Olympics Options For All is excited to launch a new partnership with Special Olympics Southern California (SOSC), creating more opportunities for the individuals we serve to stay active, build confidence, develop new skills, and connect with their communities through sports.

Through the partnership, OFA clients will have opportunities to participate in soccer, softball, tennis, and golf, with those interested in competing able to participate in official SOSC tournaments later this fall. The response has already been tremendous, with more than 100 clients across three OFA programs expressing interest in becoming Special Olympics athletes.

SOSC will provide key resources, including jerseys, staff and coaching training, insurance coverage, and assistance securing practice and competition locations. The partnership also creates new outreach opportunities for OFA at SOSC events, helping us connect with athletes, families, and others who may benefit from our services.

This partnership is a great example of what is possible when organizations with shared values come together. We look forward to seeing our athletes take the field and to strengthening both client experiences and community connections.

Coming Together for a Shared Mission The Options For All team was proud to attend the Foundation for Developmental Disabilities’ Day at the Races, joining community partners and supporters for an event benefiting individuals with developmental disabilities.

At OFA, we know it takes a village to create stronger, more inclusive communities. Events like this give us an opportunity to support organizations that share our commitment to individuals with disabilities while continuing to strengthen the relationships that make our collective impact possible.

IN OTHER NEWS...

Connecting at Our Summer Board Social We had a great time bringing members of the Options For All Board of Directors together for our summer Board Social. The evening provided an opportunity to step outside of our regular meetings, strengthen relationships, and enjoy time together in a more casual setting.

It was also a special opportunity to welcome our newest Board Member, Matt Talley, who was able to meet and connect with many of his fellow Board members for the first time. Thank you to everyone who joined us and helped make the evening such an enjoyable one!

Celebrating Luby Rosochacova as CFO of the Year Finalist

We are proud to share that Luby Rosochacova has been named a finalist for the San Diego Business Journal’s CFO of the Year Award, a well-deserved recognition of her leadership and impact at Options For All. Since stepping into the CFO role, Luby has strengthened our financial operations through improved forecasting and controls, modernized systems, and a disciplined budgeting process that has helped keep OFA consistently ahead of plan. Just as importantly, she has worked to build greater financial literacy across the organization, empowering leaders to better understand our financial performance and take shared ownership of our success.

Congratulations to Luby on this outstanding recognition and thank you for the leadership, expertise, and commitment you continue to bring to OFA!

Melissa Joins GiGi’s Playhouse Board We are proud to share that Melissa MaloneMontgomery has been appointed to the Board of Directors of GiGi’s Playhouse. The appointment is a meaningful recognition of Melissa’s leadership and comes as Options For All continues to deepen its relationship with an organization whose mission and values closely align with our own.

Melissa brings valuable governance experience to the role, including her service as Board Chair of San Diego Pride and her work alongside OFA’s Board of Directors. She has also been instrumental in strengthening our partnership with GiGi’s, helping create new opportunities to connect individuals and families with OFA’s services.

Congratulations to Melissa on this welldeserved appointment. We look forward to seeing the continued impact of this growing partnership.

ON THE HORIZON OFA HoldCo Board Meeting Wednesday, September 23, 2026 3:00 PM – 4:00PM Location (Virtual): Microsoft Teams

OFA Subsidiary Board Meeting Thursday, October 8, 2026 3:30 PM – 4:30PM Location (Virtual): Microsoft Teams