Who is Eligible for IndependentChoices?

• Be enrolled in a Medicaid category that covers personal care

• Be age 18 or older• Be in need of personal assistance

services• Understand and accept the rights,

risks, and responsibilities of directing your own care, or appoint a Decision-Making Partner to do so

Benefits of Participant Direction

• Offers more control, more flexibility, and more independence to people who receive personal assistance services at home– Control – participants decide what

services are needed, who will perform the service, when and how the services are provided

– Flexibility – participants can purchase items they really need, when they need them

– Independence – participants who need daily assistance maintain their independence at home

IndependentChoices Elements of Participant

Direction• Person-driven assessment• Option to use a representative • Transparent and equitable individual

budget• Support broker/consultant services• Financial management services• Design of a spending plan• Ability to hire workers and purchase

goods and services• Participant-driven quality management

system• Emergency back-up plan

Traditional versus Participant-Directed Services

Traditional Services Participant-Directed Services

Shift in Participant Responsibilities

• Traditional Services • Consumer-Directed Services

Shift in Support System