Dear Friends and Colleagues:
A priority of OPWDD is proviing assistance to individuals with developmental disabilities who are interested in planning and managing their own supports. Two programs that have helped people have more control of their lives and live as independently as possible are OPWDD’s Consolidated Supports and Services (CSS) and Individual Supports and Services (ISS) programs.
- Programs like CSS and ISS are important, and empower what’s commonly known as self direction by:· Empowering individuals to hire and manage their own staff, as needed;
- · Assisting individuals in accessing community resources, and planning their lives with greater autonomy and control; and
- · Helping individuals choose more independent living options through rent subsidies for homes outside of the certified group setting.
For the past three months, OPWDD has been working with a committee of stakeholders, including parents, self-advocates, providers, and employees to examine ways of streamlining various OPWDD programs that offer these services to people entering our system or those seeking something different. Our goal is to create a broader menu of residential options—for people who can live more independently to those who need 24/7 support—alongside new integrated employment and other meaningful activities. This will occur by:
- · Identifying ways in which we can offer more flexibility in how we provide these options;
- · Developing a more robust network of services; and
- · Making it easier for families to navigate the eligibility process and better identify those services most able to meet an individual’s needs.
Thanks to the work of the committee, we anticipate being able to share details about the first phase—the streamlining of the programs—in the coming weeks.
CCS, ISS, and other like-minded programs work, and have already undergone significant growth. Now we want to make them work better to fulfill the needs of more people. Today, more than 3,000 individuals are in total access individualized service programs offered by OPWDD. Since 2003, the number of people with personal resources accounts and individualized budgets has grown to more than 700, while there are now 2,350 enrollees in ISS.
Through the People First Waiver, opportunities for new enrollments and supports in these types of programs will increase. In the coming weeks, we will release our one-year progress report, which will outline the steps we are taking to strengthen the services and supports we provide to individuals with developmental disabilities.
Sincerely,
Commissioner Burke