The Developmental Disabilities Services Division (DDSD) plans, coordinates, administers, monitors and evaluates state and federally funded services for people with developmental disabilities and their families within Vermont. The following services are funded by the Division and are allocated or provided by the Designated Agencies and Specialized Services Agencies.
Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) - The primary funding source for adults with developmental disabilities is home and community-based services (HCBS) funded under the Global Commitment to Health Medicaid Waiver. HCBS services are tailored to the individual's specific needs and based on an individualized budget and person-centered plan.
Children and transition age youth with developmental disabilities and the most intensive needs may also be eligibile for HCBS. Supports for children and their families may include: Service Coordination, Community Supports, Employment Services, Respite and Supervised Living (also known as In-Home Family Supports). Other services may be available as well. See HBCS below for more details.
- Clinical Services include assessment, therapeutic, medication or medical services provided by clinical or medical staff, and are medically necessary clinical services that cannot be accessed through the Medicaid State Plan.
- Community Supports assist individuals to develop skills and social connections and may include teaching and/or assistance in daily living, support to participate in community activities, and building and sustaining healthy personal, family, and community relationships.
- Crisis Services are time-limited, intensive, supports provided for individuals who are currently experiencing, or may be expected to experience, a psychological, behavioral, or emotional crisis.
- Home Supports provide services, supports and supervision for individuals in and around their residences up to twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week (24/7). Services include the assistance and resources to improve and maintain opportunities and experiences for individuals to be as independent as possible in their home and community. Home support settings may be in the home of a shared living provider or a home that is staffed by a service provider on a full-time basis. Supports may also be provided in the person's own home.
- Respite Support assist family members and home providers/foster families to help support individuals with disabilities who live with them. Supports are provided on a short-term basis because of the absence of or need for relief of those persons normally providing the care to individuals.
- Service Coordination assist individuals in planning, developing, choosing, gaining access to, coordinating and monitoring the provision of needed services and supports for a specific individual.
- Supported Employment assist transition age youth and adults in establishing and achieving work and career goals.
- Bridge Program: Care Coordination for Children - Assist families of children and young adults under age 22 who have developmental disabilities to access and coordinate needed medical, educational, social or other services.
- Family Managed Respite (FMR) - Respite provides family caregivers a break to support ongoing care for a child or young adult up to age 21 with an identified health or medical health condition or developmental disability.
- Flexible Family Funding (FFF) - Funding is provided to eligible families of adults and children with developmental disabilities to help pay for any legal good or activity that the family chooses such as respite, assistive technology, home modification, individual and household needs or recreational activities. These income-based funds, determined by a sliding scale, are used at the discretion of the family.
Pre-Admission Screening and Resident Review (PASRR) - A mandated screening of all nursing facility residents and new referrals to determine the presence of intellectual/developmental disabilities (I/DD) and the need for specialized services. Specialized services to an individual in a nursing facility provides support necessary to meet peoples' unique needs related to their developmental disability.
Post-Secondary Education - Post-Secondary Education Initiative (PSEI) promotes college education and industry based career training for transition-age youth with developmental and/or intellectual disabilities (DD/ID) and promotes access to lifelong learning for adults with DD/ID.
Vocational Grant - These funds provide infrastructure positions for agencies to provide the activities of job development, job placement, job site training, employer follow-up, and school to work support services.
Targeted Case Management (TCM) - Targeted Case Management is a Medicaid State Plan service that provides case management services to individuals who do not receive HCBS.
Intermediate Care Facility for People with Developmental Disabilities (ICF/DD) - There is one ICF/DD in Vermont that serves six individuals who have intensive medical needs and/or require specialized services.
Public Guardian Services - The Office of Public Guardianship (OPG), acting under court authority, provides public guardianship where there is no friend or family member to serve as guardian, and the individual needs a public guardian to protect his or her rights or welfare.
Transition to Adulthood - a training on access to adult services, guardianship and benefits