Individual and Family Control

What It Is

Many states and local areas have policies and practices that enable individuals, with support from family and friends to exercise control over their services as well as the Medicaid funds allocated for their services.  Exercising control over services and funding usually includes developing a person-centered plan, developing a budget and spending plan, serving as the employer of record (recruiting, hiring, supervising and scheduling support staff), identifying and purchasing needed goods and services, and working with a support team which usually includes a case manager, support broker, fiscal intermediary, and family and friends. 

What We're Doing

We are studying the impact of these individual control policies and practices on individuals and their families, what roles and responsibilities various people have, and how individuals, families and agencies implement individual and family control. There are many "islands of excellence" throughout the country, however good ideas and best practices are not shared easily with others. We are bringing together examples of best practices and the people who have good ideas so that others can learn from their experiences.  Find out more about the Beach Center's work in the area of individual/family control of Medicaid funding.