Participant Direction

Many states and local areas have policies and practices that enable individuals, with support from family and friends, to exercise control over some or all of their supports and services and, occasionally, the budget of Medicaid funds allocated for their services. Exercising participant direction 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 may include a case manager, support broker, fiscal intermediary, and family and friends. 

We have studied the impact of the policies and practices associated with participant direction on individuals and their families. We discovered the various roles and responsibilities held by individuals with disabilities and their families and how individuals, families, and agencies implement participant-directed service models. There are many "islands of excellence" throughout the country, and no two programs of participant direction are the same.

Find out more about the Beach Center's work in the area of participant direction of Medicaid funding, specifically in funding sources and supports and services.