How do I become a support broker? Potential support brokers must participate in a series of four courses offered by OPWDD regional offices. These classes are self-representation/self-determination; Person-centred planning; Broker Training Institute; and Budget/self-management model. Interested potential brokers can enroll in these trainings in the Statewide Learning Management System (SLMS). For more information about SLMS, see the SLMS training page. After meeting all training requirements, potential brokers can apply to be licensed and provide paid services independently or through an agency. Brokers must apply for re-authorization each year and provide proof of continuing professional development. What is a support broker? Support brokers („brokers“) assist people with developmental disabilities who choose to direct their services from the Developmental Disability Office (OPWDD) with the budget authority themselves to develop a circle of support and complete and manage a self-directed budget. Self-management gives individuals a more direct responsibility in managing their supports and services. Individuals participating in Self-Direction can hire and manage their own staff support (employer authority) and decide what support and services they need and how the funds authorized for these supports and services are allocated (budget authority). The person hires, plans and monitors the employees who support them.
They determine which activities are supported and how support is provided. Services are provided to the individual by temporary agency workers as part of a co-employment model. In a co-employment model, the individual may choose to hire staff, train staff based on their interests, monitor and provide feedback on staff, and terminate staffing services if they do not meet the person`s expectations. When a person decides to hire his own employees, he is given budgetary authority and determines the remuneration of those employees. Family members who live in the same household as the person who manages their services themselves or who are the person`s parents cannot be paid for the provision of brokerage services. If a family member of a person with an identity or DD diet is interested in providing unpaid brokerage services to that person, they must meet the initial broker training requirements described above. Where can I find more information? More information about Support Broker and how to become a Support Broker can be obtained from your regional self-directed liaison officers. To contact a Regional Self-Directorate Liaison Officer, please contact your regional office. For more information on self-management, you can contact the self-management liaison officers at your local regional developmental office. Self-control forms can be found on the Forms page. Applied Self-Direction focused on topics such as program complexity, inconsistency, quality of support brokers, scaling and referral to people in the function of tax intermediaries. Below are the recorded webinars provided to share Applied Self-Direction`s recommendations.
OpWDD is committed to helping people with developmental disabilities have as much control as possible over how they receive their support and services. Self-managed services offer the greatest control over how, where and by whom services are provided. A wide range of options is available through self-control. A person may choose to develop a plan tailored to their interests and needs. The person who heads with the budgetary authority must work within a personal resources account (PRA) and draw up an autonomous budget. The person makes decisions about the goods and services they wish to receive and chooses who will be paid for the supply or how they will be purchased. A person who retains budgetary authority and works in a personal resources account can access the necessary goods or services through individually directed goods and services (IDGS). A tax intermediary (FI) works with the person to invoice and pay for the goods and services identified in the budget. A person who chooses a budget authority can receive and budget services that are supported by the agency, self-employed or purchased directly from a supplier. The self-directed participant assumes responsibility for the co-management of their supports and services. The level of responsibility depends on the level of authority exercised by the participant. Authority is a term used by the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) to describe the control that a person receiving services uses when choosing to direct their services themselves.
Participants have a number of options for choosing the level of self-control authority they want to have. There are two types of autonomous power: the employer`s authority and the budgetary authority. A person may choose to have one or both types of authority. .
