SELF-DIRECTED SERVICES

Your Services, Your Choices

We believe in giving those we serve the option to promote their own personal choices in their care.

  • In a Self-Directed arrangement, you can hire your own workers and manage your services within a set budget determined by LifeWays according to your level of need.

    Freedom: You can choose how you want to live.

    Control: You decide how you get the services you’re allowed, withing a budget.

    Support: Both natural (like family) and paid, help you succeed.

    Responsibility: Follow laws, manage a set budget for services wisely, and use public funds well.

    Confirmation: The confirmation of the important role you have to make decisions in your own life.

  • In Self-Directed Services, you’re the boss, hiring and managing your own employees. You also manage your services within a budget set by LifeWays based on your needs.

    • You have choice and control over services.

    • Your Case Manager supports you to self-direct the services you choose.

    • You are the employer of record with Fiscal Management Services paying your employee(s) for services.

    • You directly hire, fire, and supervise your employees.

      • You set your employees’ schedules.

    • If under 18 years old, Choice Voucher lets you buy services through Self-Directed Services, with your guardian managing the agreement.

  • The Home Help program, run by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), offers personal care services for people who need help with daily tasks. MDHHS approves providers for this program. Home Help must come before CLS services.

    • Direct Employment Model: The person is the boss, responsible for hiring. A Fiscal Management Service helps manage the budget.

    • Agency Supported Model (Agency with Choice): The person can decide how much they want to be in charge. A provider agency acts as the employer.

    • Direct Contract Model (Purchase of Service Agreement): The person contracts with a professional provider directly, setting wages and terms based on the service rate.

    • You make choices about the goals you would like to work on when creating your Individual Plan of Service.

    • You determine who you want to help you reach your goals.

    • Your family, friends, and/or Independent Facilitator can help you with decisions to make sure that your health and safety needs are met.

    • After you have a plan for what you need, a budget is developed based on those services.

    • You manage your individual budget (with help from your Case Manager, Fiscal Management Service, and Self-Directed Service Analyst).

  • Click HERE to be directed to the Providers Section of our site. Search for “Self-Directed Services” to get a list of Services available that your Case Manager can research.

  • In Self-Directed care, Medicaid rules still matter.

    This means services must be medically needed; the type, amount, and duration of service must match your condition; your condition would get worse without these services; you must use all other available supports first before Medicaid covers a service; documentation must back up the services you receive.

How Do I Begin Self-Directed Services?

It starts with your Individual Plan of Service! At Pre-Planning or whenever you like, tell your Case Manager you’re interested in Self-Directed Services. They’ll provide details and help you arrange an Initial Meeting.

  • Individuals can request to receive services via a self-directed arrangement upon entry into services or at any time during the course of treatment.

    If an individual is new to LifeWays and interested in self-direction, the LifeWays Access Center will follow the normal procedures for eligibility and service referral and specify self-directed Services.

    If an individual who is already receiving LifeWays services is interested in self-direction, LifeWays Network Providers shall, at the time of person-centered planning or when interest is expressed by the individual, assist them in making an informed decision to receive services through a self-directed arrangement.

As a Guardian of an individual with self-directed services, what do I need to know?

Self-directed Medicaid services means that participants, or their Guardians if applicable, have decision-making authority over certain services and take direct responsibility to manage their services with the assistance of a system of available supports.

 

As a Staff, Direct Care Staff, and Case Manager – employed by Guardian, what do I need to know?

  • Consumer/guardians as employers and their employees must receive certain trainings that are required by LifeWays and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services' Medicaid rules. Consumers can hire any willing and qualified provider, which is defined as an individual that meets the following:

    • Not been excluded from participation in Federal Healthcare Programs and does not appear on either the Office of the Inspector General’s Exclusions Database; or the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services' List of Sanctioned Providers.

    • At least 18 years of age at the time of hire.

    • Citizen of the United States or lawful resident.

    • Able to prevent transmission of communicable disease.

    • Able to communicate expressively and receptively in order to follow individual plan requirements and beneficiary-specific emergency procedures, and report on activities performed.

    • In good standing with the law. For workers serving adults, the person may not be a fugitive from justice, a convicted felon who is either under jurisdiction or whose felony relates to the kind of duty to be performed, or an illegal alien. For workers serving children, the person may not be a fugitive from justice, a convicted felon or an illegal alien. Criminal background checks must also be completed annually after hire.

    • Able to perform basic first aid procedures.

    • Has a valid driver’s license and appropriate insurance to operate motor vehicles used to provide transportation for individual(s) as applicable.

    • Must complete all training required by LifeWays within the time-frames and at the frequency defined by LifeWays

    • Knowledgeable of the individualized service plan for the consumer and provides support to the consumer according to the service plan.

  • Training Requirements

    Self-Directed Service Forum Consumers, Guardians, and Staff 2017

    Self-Direction Training for Primary Clinicians

  • • The Arc Michigan

    • The Michigan Department of Community Health Self-Determination Initiative

    • The Center for Self-Determination

    • Michigan Partners for Freedom

    • Factsheet: The Use of Arrangements that Support Self-Determination in Shared Living Arrangements

    For more information please contact LifeWays Self Directed Services Coordinator Stephanie Justice.