The Advocacy and Resource Center provides a variety of services and supports with Self Directed Services (SDS), which is a New York State (NYS) Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) waiver service. SDS is an option that empowers people with disabilities and their families to design and manage services based on their individual needs and goals. SDS supports the essence of community inclusion, and because the SDS Plan is individually created by the individual and those the individual chooses to help, each SDS plan is as unique as the participant who designed it. With assistance from a Financial Intermediary agency (FI), SDS participants control their own individualized, portable SDS budgets, and may choose to hire and manage their own staff supports.  You are also able to still utilize traditional services offered by the agency.

FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARY SERVICES (FI) AGENCY:

SDS plans operate on a “co-management” model.  The individual/family is the “managing employer” or on site supervisor and the FI, is the “employer of record”.   As the “employer of record”, we as your  FI are responsible for paying direct support staff, including dealing with direct support employee taxes, benefits, and insurance, as listed in the SDS plan.  As your FI, we also pay consultants and reimburses you for other expenses listed in your plan.  As your FI, we screen new hires by doing a criminal background check, process their applications, and arrange for fingerprinting by OPWDD.  As your FI, we collect and review all paperwork to assure all required Medicaid/OPWDD are present in order to pay for the services and supports the person has received.  As your FI, we also provide staff training and helps with other staff issues, if needed.