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8: Identifying Person-Centered Services and Supports

  • Page ID
    45355

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    What we will learn

    • How to identify a needed service or support from the person-centered plan
    • How to help participants find what they need
    • The requirements to use generic resources first
    • How to maximize the budget with low cost services

    Identifying Person-Centered Services and Supports

    One of the challenges people receiving regional center services face is feeling like they do not know what to request. Often this is where trust falters and people feel overwhelmed. Using the service coordinator’s expertise can help the SDP participant improve their lives, but understanding what the regional center can provide, based on the Lanterman Act services, can help all parties.

    Helping Participants Find What They Need

    Understanding Purchase of Services (POS) guidelines from regional centers

    Here is a summary of Central Valley Regional Center’s Purchase of Services policy document from 2024. Each regional center should have their own POS guidelines posted on their website. Take a minute to find the regional center that serves your community now.

    The original document is

    The CVRC Purchase of Services (POS) policy outlines how the regional center determines, authorizes, and funds services for individuals with developmental disabilities. All purchased services must align with the Lanterman Act, be based on the individual’s needs and preferences, and be documented in an Individual Program Plan (IPP) or Individual Family Service Plan (IFSP).

    Independent Facilitators can use this structure to guide planning, help individuals advocate for services, prepare for IPP meetings, and ensure that requests meet regulatory requirements.

    The policy emphasizes:

    Understanding these principles helps Independent Facilitators prepare strong, compliant justifications for service requests and support individuals in navigating denials, appeals, and exceptions.

    Finding and Hiring Staff
    Job descriptions

    Reviewing the PCP before writing job descriptions can help participants include accurate descriptions of the job available. Look for ideas and information that the SDP participant wants the staff members to be able to do. If the PCP states that the person served by the future employee likes to explore the community, eat at restaurants, and dance the polka, it is important to include these details in the job description. Including these details helps communicate the SDP participant’s desires while helping the potential staff member understand what kinds of things they will be doing while at work.

    Make sure to include expectations and any certifications you will require of your staff. If you need staff to be CPR certified, make sure to include that in the job description.

    If staff need to drive for work, make sure to include transportation (non medical transportation service code 338) in the spending plan. In the section about spending plans, look for the sample spending plan. Non-medical transportation will be in the second category, with the service code 338 using the IRS mileage reimbursement rate.

    Job postings

    Posting jobs on commercial job boards like Indeed, ZipRecruiter, or Care.com can be very helpful. The free versions of these websites may not be sufficient, but check out a few sites and try posting. If you need to buy the paid version of a site, do your homework. What is the job you are hiring? If it is a direct support professional position, make sure the website you choose has access to that type of applicant.

    Local treasures: Community colleges and universities

    If your local community college or university has a job board, consider posting there. Contact the departments that train the types of workers you want to hire. If you are looking for a technology coach, consider finding a local program. College majors that might be a good match for technology coaches include students majoring in education, video production, technology literacy, or assistive technology. If you are looking for a community integrator, consider students majoring in education, counseling, social work, or disability services. These are a small number of possibilities; in the activity at the end of this chapter, you will have the chance to create your own job description and brainstorm possible connections to current students’ majors.

    Word of Mouth

    Maybe you know someone who would be an amazing community living coach. Maybe you met someone at your temple or church who might be a wonderful asset. Ask people for recommendations. Let people know what kinds of qualities you are looking for, and let them help.

    Finding Services

    There are many ways to find services which help meet the goals within an individual’s person-centered plan, and using low cost and no cost activities can help maximize the budget.

    Being a part of the community includes participating in activities people choose. Sometimes the hardest part is finding staff to support community participation, but other times finding the events and activities feels even harder.

    Most communities have a parks and recreation department. These departments have websites which publicize local events, community classes, and activities for people to enjoy together. There are also community education programs, adult education and community college course offerings, local sports events, and so much more.

    Helping service providers understand the Self Determination Program

    There are wonderful businesses in every community that can help support people in meeting their goals within the Self Determination Program. A business that wants to be paid with SDP funds will need to sign up with the SDP participant’s financial management service (FMS). No matter which service model a participant uses, the bill pay model allows service providers to register with them and submit approved invoices to the FMS. Each FMS has its own way of paying invoices, so one of the activities in this chapter is about finding the FMS billing requirements to ensure invoices are paid promptly and accurately.

    Hiring Staff

    Employee hiring checklist for participants with staff

    Make sure to create a list of all the employer and employee information for your client. This should include the following:

    • Job descriptions
    • Employee handbook
    Understanding employer burden

    Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services Regulations

    Understanding allowable expenses

    Understanding how to troubleshoot spending plan challenges

    Generic Resources

    Generic resources are the services that are provided by other agencies that have a legal responsibility to fund them. State law says that regional centers cannot pay for services for which another agency has responsibility. Examples of “Generic Resources” include:

    They do not include “low-cost” or “no cost” services. Those are important to explore to extend an approved budget as much as possible, but they are not generic resources.

    Low Cost Options

    Maximizing the funds that are allocated can be easier with low cost services found in the community.

    Why IFs Need to Train Participants to Understand How to Be an Employer

    Deeper thinking about identifying services and supports

    The creativity people can explore with


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