To understand and embrace the philosophical shift from the traditional community-based waiver system of supports to the self-directed My Voice, My Choice program option.
1. Describe the philosophical and practical differences between
the traditional and the self-directed service models. 2. Reflect upon your own values and determine how they
influence your ability to provide support under the self-directed
system. 3. Describe self-directed supports. Discuss who is in charge and
why.
INTRODUCTION
The My Voice, My Choice program option offers a system of self-directed
supports for adults in Idaho with developmental disabilities. In this program the person with a disability and his or her circle of support decide
who is hired and for what services. They can choose to hire just about
anyone (i.e., neighbor, church member, friend, local business people) and whether or not to purchase services from existing
agencies or from private citizens. Further, the person with a disability does not have to
accept bundled service packages. Instead, the person with the disability and his Support Broker can negotiate a rate for
a specific service. For example, if an individual wants to take a class in community living, he might choose to attend a class that is offered by a traditional provider
agency. In this case, the individual (with the help of his Support Broker) would negotiate a rate of pay for the one class. However, the individual would not be obligated to receive any other
supports from that agency.
In other words, in the new system, the
adult does not have to choose supports from a preexisting menu. Rather,
through the person-centered planning process, the adult and his
or her circle of support create a plan that truly reflects the
individual's goals, dreams, and hopes. People are hired within
the community to help make the vision, a reality. Because the
adult with a disability is the employer, all staff
including the Support Broker, work for the adult. This system of
self-directed supports places control in the hands of the individual
needing and using supports.
THE TRADITIONAL SYSTEM
In the traditional waiver system, community-based services are provided by agencies that are reimbursed by Medicaid. Services and supports are selected from a menu of available options during a person-centered planning session. An adult with a disability has limited choice over who is hired to work with him, and when and where he goes to get services and supports. This is especially true in rural and remote areas where support agencies are few and far between, or may not exist at all. In the traditional system, rates for services are non-negotiable. Often, the provider agency will suggest a bundle of services and will prioritize people who will accept the full package. Bundled services may include residential habilitation, job coaching, developmental therapy, and personal care services.
Watch and listen to parents and self-advocates describe their view of the traditional system of supports
Jim
Baugh
As a Support Broker, you can encourage your employers to use traditional providers because it seems easier - regardless of the desires of your employers. Would this be consistent with what
My Voice, My Choice is really all about?
In the video that follows, Larry speaks directly about his feelings. To ensure clarity, Larry's words are transcribed below.
Larry
Fries
As a Support Broker, how will you make certain that Larry remains in control of his own life? How will you be sure that his choices are honored and his voice heard?
Larry's own words are: "With the system that we've got now,
I don't see that it is ready for people with disabilities like
us. I see us...as prisoners that are trapped and can't
go anywhere. Basically, we are tired of it. People who have developmental
disabilities, physical disabilities, any kind of disabilities--we are
tired of it. People need to listen to us. And that's what the new
system [program option] will do; it will give us choice. We will
get to take charge of our lives and say, 'Hey, we're the boss.'"
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