Steps to Living a Self
Determined Life
Barbara McNamara
Broker, Staff Trainer, PCP Professional
Self Direction
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What is Self Direction?
Self Direction
(Determination) means
that all people have the
right to direct their
futures; have control over
how they live their lives,
where, and with whom;
and have authority over
the resources that
support them (The
National Association of
Councils on
Developmental
Disabilities, 2001).
Five Main Principles of
Self Determination
• Freedom
• Authority
• Support
• Responsibility
• Self-Advocacy
K.Warga, ISS
When do I launch?????
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Let’s begin at the beginning….
•
Have you been through the front door?
◦ Contact the DDRO, they will support you in the eligibility
process.
◦ Front door number for LIDDRO, 631-434-6000 or 6100
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Do you have an MSC?
◦ You can obtain a vendor list during the front door process
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Do you have HCBS Waiver service?
◦ Your MSC will begin this process
What age should my child be when I
start the process?

Is there an age when it is to late for Self
Direction?
•
Can we switch from traditional services
to SD?

Can we combine traditional services with
SD?
Please Welcome
Helene Fallon
Project Director
Long Island Parent Center
516 589-4562
Funded by NYSED
Long Island Advocacy Center PTIC
516 248-2222
Funded by US DOE
hafallon@optonline.net
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Parent and Student Notification and Participation
Participating Agencies & Responsibilities
Vocational Assessments
Age 15 IEP in NYS: Needed Transition Services in
 (a) Instruction
 (b) Related Services
 (c) Community Experiences
 (d) Development of Employment/Other Post-school Adult Living
when appropriate (e) Daily Living Skills and (f) Functional Vocational
Evaluation
Based on Student Needs, Preferences and Interests
Student Exit Summary
,
New York State Education Department, Office of Vocational and
Educational Services for Individuals with Disabilities, 2004
Lets begin the process…

Transition Services are
mandated in IDEA Regulation; they
must be in place by age 15 but the
conversation must begin much
earlier. Level 1…
◦ What can I do?
 Access your school
transition team
 Fill out eligibility forms
for OPWDD
 Develop my child’s
Person Centered Plan
 Access Medicaid
 Take steps to go
through the Front Door
 Find an MSC
 Interview Brokers

Transition begins about age 15
◦ What will the LIDDRO do?
 Assist you in the Front Door
process
 Facilitate the FD phone
interview
 Provide a list of MSC vendors
 Approve your child for HCBS
Waiver services through
OPWDD
 Provide the most updated
Broker list
IT IS A PROCESS!
ONE STEP AT A TIME…
FUNDAMENTAL VALUE…
NOTHING ABOUT ME
WITHOUT ME!!
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The Student must be involved in any
plan that is discussed and
developed!!
WHO’S MEETING IS IT
ANYWAY???
Break down the process
Start Up
Interview and choose your
broker
• Sign an agreement and
have it approved by the
DDRO
• Plan and host the event of
your person centered plan
• Broker will write the
profile
•
Broker will develop
valued outcomes and
determine supports and
services, as well as
addressing safeguards
(Hab Plan)
• Broker will develop a
budget
• Broker will submit to the
DDRO for approval.
• Individual and family
should be included in
each step of the process
•
Break down the process
Support
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Attend the launch of the
approved plan, broker and
MSC will attend
Broker may support
individual in hiring and
training staff and
professionals (this can
begin while waiting for the
plan to be approved)
Broker may support the
individual in accessing
community activities
Broker will monitor
the budget and make
necessary changes
though out the year
• Broker will update the
hab plan as needed
• The individual and
family will approve
time sheets and
complete monthly
summary notes (staff
can support with this)
•
The Person Centered Plan
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bethmount.org
Discover the important
people in the individual’s
life
Discover what is
working and WHAT
DOESN’T
Discover the community
of today and the visions
for tomorrow
Who do we invite?
Yea Sayers !
• Family and Friends
• SIBLINGS!!
• COUSINS!!
• Evolved school staff
• Interested Community
members
• Co workers
Leave the Nay
Sayers Home!
• Cynics
• Closed
minded folks
Remember:
Nothing about us without us!
Living A Self- Determined Life
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Discover Valued Outcomes from the PCP
process
o Being a valued member of my family
what supports and services will I need?
o Being a valued member of MY community
what supports and services will I need?
o Obtaining paid employment and volunteer work
what supports and services will I need?
o Maintaining a healthy physical and social life
what supports and services will I need?
What am I getting into?
• I will have the choice to pick my own staff and
have an agency hire and train them.
• I will have the choice to live a selfdetermined life, being responsible for hiring
and training my staff creating my own path
while partnering with an FI.
• I will have the choice to use my SD plan to
attend traditional programs
Who is in charge?
Self Directing your own HCBS Waiver Services allows you
to have:
1. Employer Authority -hiring, firing, managing, and
supervising your own staff
2. Budget Authority –an individual and their support
network having control of one’s Medicaid budget and
choosing to purchase services that will allow the person
to grow and lead a more independent life.
The individualized budgets (guided by Personal Resource
Accounts-PRAs allocations) are managed through an
agency known as a FISCAL INTERMEDIARY (FI)
An FI is the employer of record and pays the bills in the
plan
I have a plan… Is that my plan
forever?
A Self Direction Plan Grows
and Changes As The Individual
Grows and Changes
A day in the life of a Self
Determined person
 Start your day with a healthy breakfast and making sure you
household obligations are complete
 Go out to your paid employment
 Attend a lunch date with some friends at Panera
 Being a volunteer in an area of your interest, somewhere that makes
you feel good
 Do some grocery shopping
 Come home and prepare dinner for the family
 Go to Paint Night or a baseball game
 Meet with a potential room mate to discuss a future apartment