Self-Directed Services

What is Self Directed Services?

 Self-Directed Services is a Medicaid Waiver Program administered by the Developmental Disabilities Administration (DDA). This program empowers you to take charge of your DDA budget, services, and staffing with support from a Support Broker and a Financial Management and Counseling Service (FMCS).

Through Self-Directed Services, you can:

  • Hire, supervise, and, if needed, dismiss your employees

  • Choose the services that best meet your needs

  • Decide how and when your services are delivered

  • Select the people who will support you

  • Explore creative, personalized ways to shape your life and goals

This approach gives you more control, flexibility, and opportunity to build a life that reflects your values, preferences, and aspirations.

Two men face each other smiling and laughing, one older with gray hair and the other younger wearing a maroon cap and shirt, outdoors with a brick wall in the background.
Eight friends sitting on a bench at the beach with arms around each other, watching cable cars over the water during sunset.
Two women working together at a desk with a computer monitor, while three men work in the background in an office.

How is Self Directed Services different from my current program?

Every participant in the Community Pathways Waiver has a DDA-funded budget. In traditional models, an agency manages that budget and makes staffing decisions. But with Self-Directed Services, you take the lead—with guidance from your Support Broker and the Financial Management and Counseling Service (FMCS).

Instead of an agency hiring, supervising, and dismissing staff, you become the employer. You help make decisions about who supports you, how services are delivered, and what activities reflect your goals and interests.

With the right supports in place, you can design a life that’s truly your own—flexible, personalized, and aligned with what matters most to you. Self-direction means more control, more choice, and more opportunity to shape your future..

If I change to Self Directed Services, what kinds of things can I do?

With Self-Directed Services, your journey is shaped by your interests, your strengths, and the skills you want to build. You don’t have to follow a set path, this is about creating a life that reflects you. Your Circle of Supports—including your Support Broker and others you trust can help you explore new ideas, try different activities, and discover what feels right.

And if something doesn’t work out? That’s okay. You can always change direction and try something new. Self-Directed Services gives you the freedom to experiment, adjust, and grow at your own pace. It’s all about finding what brings you joy, meaning, and purpose.

The agency or program that I attend now, we go on outings only during the day.  With Self Directed Services, can I go out in the evenings and weekends sometimes?

Community integration and social connection are important parts of Self-Directed Services. Your employee(s) can support you with transportation and assistance when you go to work, attend events, or enjoy outings—whether during the day, in the evening, or on weekends. You get to choose the times and activities that work best for you, so your schedule reflects your preferences and lifestyle.

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