Participant-directed services: for some regional center services, you choose who provides them, such as a worker you hire or a class or camp in your community. A company called a financial management service (FMS) pays them. Start of this guide
The steps
These are the steps when you want to hire a worker. For a class or camp, the steps are shorter: steps for classes, camp and activities
- Tell your service coordinator. Say which service you want to direct yourself, and that you want to use participant-directed services. Put it in writing so there is a record.
- Ask for a planning meeting if you need one. You can ask for a planning meeting, also called an IPP (Individual Program Plan) meeting, at any time. The regional center must hold it within 30 days after you ask. It must hold it within 7 days if that is needed for your health and safety or to keep you in your home.
- Agree on the service and the hours. This way of getting a service does not change how many hours you have. The hours are the ones in your IPP.
- Get connected with a financial management service (FMS). Your regional center explains how the FMS works and what your part is. Some regional centers use one FMS for this. Where there are several, your regional center helps you choose.
- Fill out your own forms with the regional center. The regional center sets you up in its system as the person in charge. Ask for the forms early. Services cannot start until this is done.
- Your worker sends their paperwork to the FMS. Proof of age, proof they can work in the United States, and a few forms. They cannot start or be paid until the FMS has approved them.
- Your regional center approves the service with the FMS. It updates your IPP and sends the FMS the approval for your hours.
- Your worker starts. You approve their hours, and the FMS pays them.
Words you can use
"I would like to get my respite hours through participant-directed services. I have someone in mind to hire. Please tell me which financial management service I would use and what the next steps are."
Change "respite" to the service you mean. If your regional center uses a different name for this, say that you want to hire your own worker and have a financial management service pay them.
How long it takes
No rule sets a deadline for getting this set up, and it can take a while. At the end of your planning meeting, your regional center gives you a list of the services agreed to and, if it is known, when each one starts. Ask for the start date and write it down.
The part you can speed up is the paperwork: yours with the regional center, and your worker's with the FMS.
Does my regional center have to offer it?
The rules say two things.
California's regulation says a regional center "may offer" participant-directed services.
California's agreement with the federal government, called a waiver, covers people whose services are paid for in part with federal money. In one place it says the chance to direct certain services "will be offered" when the IPP is developed. Those include respite, day care, nursing, transportation, supported employment and community-based training. In another place it says a regional center "may offer" it.
Both are written for services the federal government helps pay for through Medi-Cal. If you do not have Medi-Cal, ask your service coordinator how this works for you.
What this means for you: you can always ask. You can also ask your regional center how it offers this choice. Whether you need the service, and how many hours, is decided in your IPP either way.
If the answer is no
- Ask for the decision and the reason in writing. A written notice from the regional center, called a notice of action, gives the reason and explains how to appeal.
- You can appeal a decision you disagree with. You have 60 days from the day you are told of it.
- If the notice says a service you have now will end or change, there is a shorter deadline. Appeal within 30 days of getting the notice, and no later than the date of the change. In most cases that keeps the service going during the appeal.
- If you and your regional center cannot agree at a planning meeting, the regional center must hold another one within 15 days, or later if you ask for more time.
- Ask what would need to change for the answer to be yes.
DAN can help you write your request, read a notice, and get ready for your meeting.
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