Four Things to Do Before Starting Self-Direction

It's never too early to start thinking about your child’s future. And you can use OPWDD's self-direction program to make that future a reality! Planning ahead can help you determine what you want for your child and what is realistic for your self-direction budget. Use these tips to get started on creating the budget of your dreams. Check your child’s LOC. At the start of your OPWDD journey, a Level of Care Eligibility Determination Form (a.k.a LCED or LOC) was created for your child. These are updated annually, review the form, learn what the questions and answers mean. This can and will help you determine what kind of services and supports your child may need. It also gives you a chance to potentially make any necessary changes before pursuing self-direction. The first step is making sure all forms are an accurate reflection of your child’s needs.

Make sure the DDP-2 is correct. First let me say, it's important to have realistic expectations when pursuing self-direction. At the start of your OPWDD journey, a DDP-2 profile was done with you for your child. Learn what your answers mean and what their score is. If the profile does not seem to reflect your child, or you weren’t a part of completing it, consider asking your care manager to redo the DDP-2. Think about your child as they are today, not how you want them to be, not how you think they are but, where they really are… be honest. Now is not the time to make your child seem better than they are.

DDP-2 scores are created for your childs adaptive, behavior and health areas and these are what determines your childs budgets PRA amount!

Identify your wants versus your child’s needs. What you want in a budget can be quite different than what your child needs. Before pursuing a self-direction budget, create a must-have list of services and supports your child can't go without. For example, if you have a large family, you may need a specific number of hours of respite so you can spend time with your other kids. While a want may be that you may really want a cell phone, a tablet for your child, or a membership to an elite private club; although nice to have, your child can also live without these things.

Choose your ideal broker. There are many factors that you should consider when choosing a broker. Along with considering whether you prefer a male or female and whether they are hands-on or hands-off, consider how experienced a broker is. Also, consider the FI agencies they are associated with. For example, if a broker is only associated with one FI and their fringe rate is 35%, you’re stuck using that FI. It can be more expensive to use one FI versus another.

Make your self-direction process as smooth as possible by planning ahead. Following these tips can lead to a happier self-direction experience!