← Back to Access Navigator
AN

Access Navigator

Terms of Service, California Edition

Effective Date: March 12, 2026  |  Last Updated: March 12, 2026  |  Version: 2026.1


Agreement to These Terms

Welcome to Access Navigator. By clicking "I Agree" on our ConsentOverlay, you agree to the Terms of Service ("Terms") and acknowledge that you have read the Privacy Policy, which describes how we collect, use, and share information; if you do not agree, do not use the Service.

Access Navigator is operated by Nova Parent Collective LLC, a California limited liability company ("we," "us," or "our"). These Terms are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of California, without regard to its conflict of law principles.

Definitions

Helper Consent means your explicit, opt-in indication within the Service that you are willing to be introduced as a potential peer resource to other users for limited, context-specific support.

Nature of the Service

1. What Access Navigator Is; ConsentOverlay Gate

Access Navigator is a free, AI-assisted decision-support tool designed to help families of children with disabilities or complex medical needs navigate public programs, educational services, and support systems available in California; you must accept the Terms and Privacy Policy via a hard-gate ConsentOverlay before any session input is taken or any data is collected by the Service. Its purpose is to reduce administrative friction and help families identify resources they may be eligible for.

What Access Navigator Is Not (Not Legal, Medical, or Case Management Advice)

AI and Automated Decision-Making Disclosure (ADMT) and Matching

2026 California AI Transparency Compliance

Access Navigator uses artificial intelligence to generate decision-support content and does not provide legal, medical, financial, or case-management advice. In compliance with California's 2026 requirements for Automated Decision-Making Technology (ADMT) in consequential contexts and our optional Helper Consent program:

  • Explanation of Logic: The AI generates guidance based on current California Department of Developmental Services (DDS) directives, Medi-Cal program criteria, IDEA/special education regulations, and IHSS program rules as they exist at the time of each session. The system applies pattern recognition to identify programs that may apply to your described situation.
  • Limitations of Automated Guidance: The AI's outputs reflect general program criteria and do not account for county-level variation, recent policy changes not yet in the AI's training data, or the specific facts of your individual case as a human advocate or attorney would evaluate them.
  • No Automated Eligibility Determination: Access Navigator does not make eligibility determinations. Only authorized government agencies (Regional Centers, IHSS county offices, school districts) can determine eligibility. The Service identifies programs worth exploring, not programs you qualify for.
  • Human Review Required: All AI-generated guidance is for self-advocacy support only and should be reviewed by a qualified professional before being used to make significant decisions about services, appeals, or legal matters.
  • Right to Explanation: You may contact us at any time to request a plain-language explanation of how the Service generated a particular recommendation.
Crisis and Safety Protocol, Service Not Monitored; No Emergency Use

This tool is not monitored in real-time. If you or someone you care for is in immediate danger, call 911. For mental health crises, call or text 988. For domestic violence support, call 1-800-799-7233.

Document Assistance and AI Processing

2. How We Process Your Documents

The Service allows you to upload educational and government-benefit documents, including Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), Individualized Program Plans (IPPs), Notices of Action, agency correspondence, and related records; the free tier processes documents in-session only and does not retain document contents after your session ends. These documents are processed by the AI to provide plain-language explanations and navigation assistance. When you upload a document, the Service:

  • Reads and interprets the document to help you understand what it means and what action it requires
  • Identifies applicable programs, deadlines, and processes based on the document's content
  • Does not store document contents after your session ends (free tier); for any paid tier, stores only what is reasonably necessary to provide the subscribed features and deletes or de-identifies such data upon cancellation or your deletion request, subject to legal obligations
  • Does not use document contents to train foundational AI models

Premium Document Analysis (Compass Subscription)

Premium tier subscribers (Compass) may access document gap analysis, meeting preparation, and draft communications, subject to and as further governed by the Compass Subscription Terms; outputs are limited to organizing your documented facts, identifying discrepancies between your records and official documents, and generating templates in plain language without advising on legal strategy or predicting outcomes. Draft communications may include summaries, chronologies, and issue lists drawn from the information you provide, but will not include legal advice, legal conclusions, or recommendations about claims, remedies, hearings, appeals, or litigation strategy. Where the Service identifies a discrepancy, it may provide general, publicly available information about common administrative processes for requesting clarification or raising concerns (including, where applicable, appeal or grievance pathways), but it does not recommend whether you should pursue any particular option, does not advise on deadlines or legal grounds as applied to your situation, and does not prepare legal arguments. This is an AI-assisted drafting service for self-advocacy support only, not legal counsel or representation, and does not create an attorney–client relationship. All generated communications are drafts for your review and revision, and you are responsible for the accuracy and appropriateness of any document you submit to a government agency, school, or other party, and your use of such drafts is further conditioned on your compliance with the Compass Subscription Terms if you are a Compass subscriber.

You Remain the Petitioner and Decision-Maker

AB 1147 (California Public Records Act at Regional Centers), Effective January 1, 2026

When the Service assists you in drafting or structuring a California Public Records Act (CPRA) request, a fair hearing request, a grievance filing, or any other communication directed at a government agency, you are the sole legal petitioner or filer. Access Navigator is a document-drafting assistance tool for self-advocacy support. It is not your legal representative, your attorney, or a party to any proceeding, and no fiduciary, confidential, or attorney–client relationship is created by your use of the Service. All filings are made in your name and on your behalf, and you are responsible for the accuracy, completeness, and timeliness of all submissions.

Regulatory Transition Notice

1. California Grievance Process Transition, June 2026

2026 DDS Grievance Process Overhaul, Active Transition Period

California is currently transitioning its Regional Center complaint and grievance process. Prior to June 2026, complaints about Regional Center service delivery were generally filed under the Section 4731 process at the Regional Center level. Beginning June 2026, the California Department of Developmental Services (DDS) is implementing a new consolidated grievance process through which complaints may be filed directly with DDS.

Access Navigator will update its guidance as the new process is implemented, but we cannot guarantee that all content reflects the most current procedures at any given time, and we disclaim any duty to update content more frequently than is reasonably practicable. Always verify with the relevant agency.

Eligibility and Access

2. Permitted Users and Account Responsibilities

The Service is intended for and you represent that you are:

  • Parents, guardians, and legal caregivers of children with disabilities or complex medical needs in California
  • Adult self-advocates with disabilities
  • Authorized advocacy professionals and support coordinators assisting such families
  • Individuals 18 years of age or older

Geographic Scope

Access Navigator provides guidance specific to California state programs, county services, and applicable California and federal regulations as they apply in California. We do not provide guidance for programs or services in other states.

Intellectual Property

All platform content, design, and technology are owned by or licensed to Nova Parent Collective LLC. You retain ownership of all information and documents you provide. You grant us a limited, non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license to host, reproduce, and process that information solely to provide and improve the Service; this license terminates when your data is deleted or your account is closed, except for de-identified or aggregated data permitted under our Privacy Policy. We do not claim ownership of your documents or the AI outputs generated from them.

Disclaimers and Limitation of Liability

1. As-Is Service

The Service is provided "as is" and "as available" without warranties of any kind, including any warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, title, or non-infringement to the fullest extent permitted by law. We do not warrant that AI-generated guidance is accurate, complete, current, or appropriate for your specific circumstances.

Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by California law, Nova Parent Collective LLC's total liability for all claims arising out of or relating to the Service shall not exceed the greater of $100 or the amounts you paid (if any) for the Service in the twelve (12) months before the event giving rise to liability, and we shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, consequential, or punitive damages arising from your use of the Service or reliance on AI-generated content, including but not limited to missed deadlines, denied benefits, or adverse outcomes in administrative proceedings.

Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Nova Parent Collective LLC and its officers, directors, employees, and agents from any third-party claims arising from your violation of these Terms, misuse of the Service, or any communications you submit to third parties based on AI-generated content.

Governing Law and Dispute Resolution

These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of California. Any disputes shall be resolved exclusively in the state or federal courts located in Orange County, California, and you and we consent to personal jurisdiction and venue in those courts. We encourage you to contact us first to resolve any concerns before initiating legal proceedings.

Changes to These Terms

We may update these Terms to reflect changes in law, regulation, or our practices. Material changes will be notified by updating the version number and effective date and, where required by law or at our discretion, by additional notice via the Service or email if you have provided one. Continued use after changes are posted constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms.

Contact

Nova Parent Collective LLC
michael@novaparentcollective.com


Compass Subscription Terms

If you choose to subscribe to Compass, our optional $20/month premium tier, the following additional terms apply: fees are charged in advance on a monthly, automatically renewing basis until you cancel; by subscribing you authorize us and our payment processor to charge your chosen payment method for recurring subscription fees, applicable taxes, and any authorized adjustments.

You may cancel at any time with cancellation effective at the end of your then-current monthly period; we do not provide refunds or credits for partial months unless required by law or expressly stated otherwise.

We may change Compass pricing or features on at least thirty (30) days' advance notice; continued use after the effective date of a price change constitutes acceptance. If you do not agree, you may cancel before the change takes effect.

If a payment is declined or cannot be processed, we may suspend or downgrade access to Compass until payment is resolved; repeated or extended non-payment may result in termination of the subscription. You remain responsible for any amounts due and agree not to initiate chargebacks without first contacting us to resolve the issue.

Any free trial or promotional offer will be subject to its stated terms; unless you cancel before the trial ends, the subscription will convert to a paid, automatically renewing plan at the then-current rate.

For Compass features that store documents or outputs to provide the subscribed functionality, we retain only what is reasonably necessary to deliver the feature and delete or de-identify such data upon cancellation or your deletion request, subject to legal obligations, as further described in our Privacy Policy.


Privacy Policy  |  California Privacy Rights  |  Return to Access Navigator

© 2026 Nova Parent Collective LLC. All rights reserved.