New Choices and Options: The Support Options Waiver

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New Choices and Options The Support Options
Waiver

• Wyoming Department of Health, Developmental
  Disabilities Division

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Overview of Presentation

• Background on Waiver
• Why is the Division developing a Supports Waiver?
• What is a Supports Waiver?
• How is it different from our current Waivers?
• What are our goals?
• How can we accomplish this?
• How can you participate?
• Questions

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Background on Waiver

• Division began working on the Real Choice
  Waiver several years ago focusing on
  self-direction
• Public Forums were held around the state in 2007
• Information was gathered on major components of
  waiver, including self-direction and financial
  management services
• An internal working group of Division staff was
  formed in February 2009 to continue work on the
  waiver
• At beginning phase of development

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Philosophy of Self-Determination
Nothing about me Without Me

• Based on 5 principles
• FREEDOM to make life decisions
• AUTHORITY to control the service budget and to
  make decisions on services/supports
• SUPPORT types and extent determined by person
• RESPONSIBILITY to use public funds wisely and,
  with added flexibility, to serve people in a more
  cost effective way
• CONFIRMATION - to confirm that the person, with
  their circle of support, has the right to control
  decisions about their life, even if the person
  does not communicate like everyone else does
• From Robert Wood Johnson
  Foundation Center for Self -Determination

My Life My Way
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What is a Supports Waiver?

• Two major components
• Provides support services to people who do not
  require intensive residential services
• Possible services include companion services,
  respite, employment services, family training
• Includes the option of self-directing of services
• Can choose to receive traditional support
  services

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Why is the Division Developing a Supports Waiver?

• Provides an opportunity for people to self-direct
  services more choice and control over services
• Allows Division to fund a wider range of support
  services
• Allows Division to better manage resources
• Decrease in administrative costs while allowing
  for more flexibility and control by participants

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Differences From Existing Division Waivers

• Comprehensive Waivers

• Support Options Waiver

• Include intensive residential services
• Do not include option to self-direct
• For adults, majority of services provider
  controlled
• Individual budgets and caps on services

• Will not include intensive residential services
• Includes the option to self-direct
• A wider range of service options and flexibility
• A cap on budget but fewer caps on services

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How Can Waivers Support Self-Direction?

• Offer services to assist person in self-directing
  such as
• Supports broker
• Case manager
• Financial Management Services
• Offer more flexibility in services, such as
• Fewer unit limits and overall caps on services
• More flexibility to change services and support
  providers
• More service options that better meet persons
  needs, such as Goods and Services

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Support Broker Case Manager

• Support Broker can help
• Plan what supports and services are needed
• Assist with the hiring and firing processes
• Evaluate what is going well and what needs to be
  changed
• Manage a budget

• Case Manager
• Facilitates development of the plan of care
• Submits plan of care to the Division
• Monitors services
• Monitors use of the budget

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Financial Management Services

• Why is this service needed?
• Funds cannot be given directly to individuals
• What does FMS do?
• FMS responsible for
• Payroll taxes and other IRS requirements
• Paying the service providers
• Tracking use of budget, reporting to participant
  and case manager

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Goals for Support Options Waiver

• The Division hopes to develop the waiver so that
  it
• Gives people authority and supports to hire and
  fire staff
• Offers more service options
• Allows for more flexibility to develop and change
  service plan with less bureaucracy
• Provides resources and training to assist
  participants in learning the system and deciding
  if they want to self -direct
• Provides ongoing resources and training to
  participants, representatives, and providers

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How Can We Accomplish This?

• Internal group continues to learn more about
  self- direction and support waivers
• Working with Navigant to complete national
  research
• Receiving technical assistance from CMS on
  self-direction
• Request for Proposal for a Financial Management
  Services will be released within the next month
• Chosen vendor will assist Division in
  establishing this service
• Beginning draft of waiver application

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How Can You Participate?

• Attend the Division Road Show in the summer to
  receive more detailed information on the waiver
  and to give your input on the direction of the
  waiver
• Information on sessions will be sent out by mail
  and on the listserv
• Education on self-direction will be
  providedlinks to self-direction information on
  the next slide as well
• Keep updated on progress of developing waiver and
  give input through Navigant Consulting, Inc.
  website
• http//www.dddwaiverrevisions.com/
• Can also be accessed through Division website at
  http//wdh.state.wy.us/ddd/index.html, click on
  Support Options Waiver

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Links to Information on Self-Determination

• Center for Self-Determination
• http//www.centerforself-determination.com/sd.html
  
• Disability Resources Organization
• http//www.disabilityresources.org/SELF-DETERMINAT
  ION.html
• Cash and Counseling Center
• www.cashandcounseling.org
• The National Resource Center for
  Participant-Directed Services
• www.participantdirection.org

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Division Contact Information