Central Valley Regional Center Data Incident Exposes Social Security Numbers

Between March 1 and July 7, 2025, Central Valley Regional Center (CVRC) experienced a major data breach affecting confidential information of individuals and families served by the organization. The breach was discovered in July 2025, when CVRC learned that a newly contracted janitorial service had been improperly disposing of sensitive documents.

Instead of being securely shredded, confidential paperwork was placed in trash bags with other waste at one CVRC facility. The affected documents, spanning service years from 2015 to 2025, may have included names, addresses, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, medical information and other personal data.

The breach was reported to the California Attorney General on Sept. 11, 2025. CVRC also posted a notice about the incident on their website.

Central Valley Regional Center's response

Upon learning of the breach, CVRC immediately launched an internal investigation and notified law enforcement, as well as state and federal authorities, including the California Department of Developmental Services. The organization took several steps to address the security lapse:

• All shredding bins are now secured with locks to prevent unauthorized access.
• Only the approved shredding service provider is permitted to access these bins.
• Janitorial service procedures have been revised with explicit instructions on waste disposal.
• Staff have been retrained on data security protocols.
• New in-office signage and visual cues direct proper waste disposal.
• Routine audits have been implemented to ensure compliance with internal protocols and applicable law.
• All staff, business partners and vendors have been reminded of confidentiality and data protection expectations.

To support those affected, CVRC is offering one year of complimentary identity protection services through LifeLock. Impacted individuals can activate this service online or by phone using a provided promo code and member ID. Additionally, a dedicated call center has been established at 1-888-840-0361, available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Pacific Time, to answer questions and provide further assistance.