Self Direction & Community Supports

The ability to “Self-Direct” your services is one of the many options available under the Home & Community-Based Services (HCBS) waiver to support individuals with developmental disabilities and their families. Self-Direction gives the individual the ability to choose the type of supports and services that work best for them to achieve their own personal life goals, such as finding a job, volunteering, making friends, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, acquiring an apartment and living independently. Through Self-Direction, you’ll have the chance to make decisions about the services and supports to help you to:

• Experience growth and health,
• Enjoy meaningful relationships with friends and family,
• Work, volunteer, or do activities you enjoy, and
• Live in the community and home you choose.

Circle of Support

In Self-Direction, individuals are assisted by their Circle of Support, who are people who are invested in the success of the individual. The Circle of Support usually includes family, advocates, broker, Care Coordinator and of course the person seeking services. The main function of the Circle is to support the life plan that the individual has chosen for his/herself.

If you are interested in Self Direction, you will need a Fiscal Intermediary and a Support Broker. Fortunately, Community Mainstreaming offers both of these services.

What Is a Fiscal Intermediary?

Community Mainstreaming is a Fiscal Intermediary (FI) for individuals who have chosen to Self-Direct their Services.   As a Fiscal Intermediary, we’ll work closely with the individual, family and support broker to implement the “behind the scenes” portion of all HCBS waiver services. Services often include Human Resource activities as well as the billing and payment of the services identified and chosen by the individual, such as

• Training individual, family and staff on billing & documentation responsibilities
• Completing and monitoring budget expenditures
• Payroll processing
• Staff Training
• Reviewing/Auditing Medicaid billing

What Is a Support Broker?

Community Mainstreaming has in-house employees who can serve as Agency Brokers or we can contract with and independent Broker of your choice.  We work closely with agency and contracted Brokers to guide the individual and their family through the process and consistently ensure the individual experiences our exceptionally high standard of care.

The Support Broker is the point person for the Person-Centered Planning (PCP) process, which takes into account the person’s life goals, dreams and current needs. Throughout the PCP, the Support Broker works with the person and his/her Circle of Support to create:

• Habilitation Plan to assist the person reach their goals, and
• Yearly Budget to figure out how the Medicaid dollars will be allocated. 

Through this service model, the individual with IDD will be able to retain their independence and make a range of choices about their future. The professionals at Community Mainstreaming offer assistance and experience to help people living with IDD maximize their potential and independence.  Contact Community Mainstreaming today to learn more about Self-Directed services.

Respite services provide temporary relief from the demands of caregiving, which helps reduce overall family stress. This service often enables families to better meet the needs of their loved one with a developmental disability. Respite is provided in the family home during the day, evenings or overnight.

Respite is an “indirect” service that provides relief to individuals who are responsible for the primary care and support of an individual with a developmental disability. When a family member, Family Care provider, or live-in/house-parent staff person has to deal with such things as illness, emergency, and caregiver or staff vacation, respite services can ensure that their loved one’s needs are met.